Look who screwed up our summer plans. At least for now.

Eve's antics on the trampoline landed us in the urgent care the day before Boise was to hit triple digits for weeks on end.   It lasted three weeks and we survived.

Seattle in July (aka: Heaven on Earth).

We woke up bright and early on the 4th of July to skip our ward's annual pancake breakfast and bike parade to instead drive 8 hours to Seattle.  Tim's younger brother lives in the area, and our sister-in-law (married to Tim's other brother - they live in the Boston area) is from there, so we sneakily found a way to turn a long weekend trip into a family reunion of sorts.  Tim's parents and sister (and family) came up from California, too, so it truly was everybody - which never happens.

If you've never been to Seattle during the summer - don't ever do it... you will fall completely in love with the splendor of the place, move your entire family there only to discover that the other 9 months of the year require umbrellas up the wazoo and countless bottles of Prozac.  But July through September just might make it worth it - it's truly something out of a magazine.  Temperatures in the 70's, lakes, rivers and waterfalls around every corner, stunning mountain ranges, delicious food... truly, Washington has it all.

It was a quick trip, just enough time to spend a day in the city and a day in the sticks.  We hit up the Museum of Flight, Pike Place Market, the Aquarium, lunch at Seattle-famous Ivar's, Snoqualmie Falls, a hike to Twin Falls, Boehm's Chocolates, a fun visit with aunt Joanne's parents, and a dip or two in the hotel swimming pool.  Best of all, we got to spend time with those we love and see so seldom.

                                            Thanks Egberts for making it all happen.

Top three reasons for camping on vacation.

1.  You are forced out the door.  At like 7 a.m.  Sure, the afternoon nap gets a little hairy in midday sun during 90 degree weather with all the privacy a tent provides, but man, our days are jam-packed when there are no TV's to distract us, or air-conditioning and black-out blinds to convince us to sleep longer than is needed.  Comfort is overrated.
2.  It's cheap.  Need I say more?
3.  Kids love it.  They just do.  But who wouldn't when mom and dad are doing most of the work?

Family vacations vs. FAMILY vacations.

In a typical year, we try to plan our vacations around extended family and when we can see as many of them as possible.  My memories of family reunions are fond, and I cherish the relationships I have with the families in which Tim and I grew up.  Still, there's something about taking a trip with just one's little nuclear family.  Let me explain.

I'm a bit of a control freak.  When I prepare for extended family trips, I plan ahead for what awaits, most of which is completely beyond my control.  This used to involve lots of deep-breathing.  But I've learned to be flexible.  Really flexible.  I've learned that bedtimes go out the window.  That sleep deprivation and lunch at 3:00 p.m. are a perfect recipe for discipline problems, at best, and a complete meltdown at worst.  Cousins do strange things to my kids' memory of family rules.  Schedules are pretty much non-existent.  We fly by the seat of our pants most of the time (more so with one side of the family than the other).  And just because a lack of bedtime and schedules is not the way I would choose to do things under most circumstances, I can relax and enjoy the time I have with extended family and take the tantrums and disobedience in stride.  It's worth it to be with them.

On the other hand, my very favorite trips are the ones we've taken with just the six of us.  And I've come to the conclusion that my controlling nature has much to do with my enjoyment of such trips.  I get to plan everything to a "T".  I've got our itinerary mapped out months in advance, acquired all the necessary accommodations and discount passes to our desired destinations.  I've mapped out our routes and researched every possible activity from point A to point B.  I planned our entire trip to the Oregon Coast a couple of years ago around low tide, if that says anything about how in-depth my research can be.  I plan activities for the car so I don't have to resort to an endless stream of DVD's.  In fact, our car's DVD player broke before summer began this year and we survived two (LONG, in capital letters) road trips without it.  Imagine that.

Sure, things don't always go my way, but they do most of the time, and I like that.  :)

I guess my point is, we will always put extended family first when planning vacations.  We love them and have such great fun together.  We are also so fortunate to be able to plan trips (or at least dedicate a portion of the trips visiting our extended family) to spending time with each other.  Alone.  I find that I come home from those trips on a high, having bonded with my husband and kids in a way that only being stuck in a car (or a plane, or a tent, or hotel room) for hours on end can provide.  In fact, I never want to come home to the drudgery of home projects and chores and obligations.  Hooray for family vacations!  May the next one come quickly.