vacation with kids

I want to be upfront when I start this blog, under no circumstances did Chris or I expect to RELAX on this vacation. We knew it would be pretty much non-stop with our 3 kids plus a handful more, and we were quite honestly, perfectly fine with that. You see, after all these years, we just cherish the time we get to be all together. I know they say parents need their alone time, and I agree we do, but when time together is a precious commodity, you have to prioritize and we rank being all together at the top of that list.

Packed and ready to go!

and the kids fit!

That being said, when we said we wanted to be all together I don't think either of us meant 15 hours each way in the car! Really, the car trip would have been no big deal had the states of CT, NJ, MD, DE, and VA actually cooperated and kept all other drivers off the road and cancelled road construction when the Renz Family was travelling! It also would have been easier if Zoey didn't vehemently object to being in the car. She was ticked off, and she was making sure we all knew it and we were feeling it. Molly was a gem, tucked in the back seat only asking us what time it was every 15 minutes and Kennedy did great thanks to our new friend - Children's Dramamine. But boy, does it take a lot to travel 750 miles away from home with 3 kids. Our mini-van was packed to the gills and we were thanking God for the Dodge coming with under-seat storage. Because, when you rent a house and don't want to pay extra to rent EVERYTHING, you must bring it all. That meant linens, a pack and play, a booster chair, cooking supplies, sand toys, beach supplies, pool supplies, clothing, cleaning supplies and special dietary food you aren't sure you can get somewhere else. Oh and of course the GIANT bin of Meds and Molly's push-chair and Zoey's stroller - not small stuff!

But, we got there and we were able to visit with wonderful friends who moved to Myrtle Beach while we waited for our house to be ready. The kids all got to stretch their legs and fill their bellies and get excited about being on vacation. But, it was go-time from the minute we pulled out of the driveway on Friday August 17th at 10:15pm until we pulled back in on Saturday August 24th at 11:30pm. We played, we swam, we boogie boarded, we laughed, we explored, we hugged and we had a great time!

totally done with the car!

not happy

Chris and I learned a few things. Our kids are not ready to make long car trips - or maybe we aren't ready to make any more car trips. The baby cage that could turn into a baby gate was worth every penny when we went out to buy it after being in the house for less then 24 hours as someone rescued Zoey from the giant staircases for the umpteenth time. We learned that we love that our kids have their own rooms (well sort of), it was nice to be able to keep an eye on them and hear them sleep, but we would rather do it on the monitors and allow them to make their restless sleeping noises without waking each other up. We learned three was and is the magic number for us - it was great having more kids there so Kennedy had playmates all week, but it was a whole new perspective herding more then the 3 that we are used to herding. We also discovered how wonderful it is to have grown-up time. Chris referred to it as the detox portion of the night, where we could play a non-Candyland type games, speak about topics beyond Disney Junior and diapers, and actually sit down! Of course, Zoey knew this was "our time" and she wanted a part of it 3 out of 7 nights - but, that's ok.

grown up games!!

no kids awake, and he's asleep...

One thing I made sure to keep telling myself, especially when I started getting frustrated when someone was crying again or when I was dragging someone else back through the current because they couldn't seem to pay attention at the beach or when I was cautioning someone else to stop jumping for the thousandth time; was that there were plenty of parents out there wishing they could have those experiences just one more time. That there was a mom out there sitting next to her son's hospital bed, willing him to start screaming and wishing she was rocking him to sleep. Each day truly is a gift, and we considered this vacation to be winning the lottery. We got over a week of precious time to spend with our three favorite little people on the planet. We saw a million smiles, heard a million giggles, watched discoveries, got hugs and kisses and snuggles, and just spent time together. That's not to say our life is sunshine and fluffy clouds, but life is how you look at it and it's what you make of it.

pool time with the kids

In addition to our family unit of 5, we spent a week with people who are like family. They are some of the best friends we have ever had and are important parts of our lives. They understand that our life is in constant flux depending on what Molly is doing or how she's feeling. They pitched in without being asked and the girls LOVED all the attention. It was just a wonderful experience and an amazing group of people who I am eternally grateful to have in my life!

You know, the issues we battle at home, followed us on vacation, but just like a home we tried really hard not to get hung up on them. Did it mean we skipped the water park? Yes. Did it mean we used Molly's push chair everywhere we went? Yes. But did we  have fun no matter what? We sure did!

This is the heart of my world

And now, we're home. The laundry is all done, and almost all put away. Chris is back to work, the girls are back to fighting as only siblings can, AND they are back to sleeping in their own beds. I am back to my role as I am waiting for a call from the doctor regarding abnormal results on Molly's pre-vacation blood work and doing my very best not to worry and to prep 2 little girls who start a new school year on Thursday. Real life is back in full force!

See - smiles & giggles!

So, while vacation with kids is not about sitting in lounge chairs sipping adult beverages, it's still one of the most rewarding times we get as a family. I do get that we need us time and I need me time, but the girls are only these ages for so long and I've seen way to much loss lately - so I choose to cherish these days as a family and enjoy our vacations together! I hope everyone else got to make happy memories this summer as well!

What a way to end a trip - no pants and a bag of chips!