Our big day is here! The first time EVER we are taking a 2 week vacation. (Ok, 12 days of vacation plus one day yesterday to pack and one day at the end to unpack, but who’s counting?)
Planning to make the most of this, I spent some time praying, dreaming, writing, envisioning the positive effects of a 2 week vacation on our life. Here goes.
1. Mental Recovery and Renewal
Turn. Off. Work. Brain. The. End.
I find it easier to do this than my husband. I’m thinking we instantiate a rule where we don’t talk about work until we are at least 4 days and 2 exciting events into our vacation. Then we’ll finally be far enough away from the stress and pressure and tension to talk sensibly.
Without exception, I always perform better mentally after a vacation. Things I thought were big problems suddenly are no-brainers. And some items on my to-do list just go away and have less importance. And this big picture thinking just comes out of nowhere as I re-tackle my objectives for the rest of the year.
In fact, I perform so much better, I think my employer should PAY FOR MY VACATION! Let’s start a movement.
2. Physical Recovery and Renewal
My husband is looking forward to not hearing the tones and sleeping through the night for 16 nights straight!!! He is also taking that opportunity to get on a more regular exercise, nutrition and supplement routine.
I adjusted my routines earlier this year and added running at 5 am (3 times a week – before he leaves on his duty day usually). We tweaked our family’s nutrition – 3 of us are eating gluten free (not quite paleo but close) and changed our supplements. I have been feeling A-MAZING! (Not to brag, but I feel so good with such small changes, I feel like I need to shout it from the roof top so everyone can feel great too…..I feel a new blog post coming on 🙂
So I’m super excited to see my husband feel better after these 2 weeks of physical renewal.
3. Reconnect as a family
For starters, getting to sleep in the same bed as my husband for the next 2 weeks is such a treat!
But also spending 24/7 with our kids and watching their patterns and routines and understanding them better as people.
The best part? All those family inside jokes that are inevitably birthed during these epic family travels.
4. Discover and Learn
The Freedom Trail in Boston
We are all history nerds and cannot wait to dive into local culture and history wherever we go. Forget the amusement parks and crowded tourist attractions. We want to dine and visit with the locals.
Even if you are doing a “staycation” this is possible. I knew someone who spent a summer visiting all the past Presidents birth sites, childhood homes, monuments in their state. One tank trips to places you’d otherwise never go.
5. EAT!
Not McDonalds or Subway but those hidden gems only known by the locals. I have the Guy Fieri Flavor Town app loaded on my phone. Diners and dives, here we come! I know our loud and noisy family will be welcomed.
6. Get Lost
Despite the fact that his job is to know how to drive FAST to any place in his district, we always manage to fight with the GPS and his personal navigator (moi) at least once during the trip. It’s ok. It adds to the drama and excitement 🙂
7. Get perspective and DREAM
Hours in the car talking. Hotel room time with none of those pesky chores haunting you like at home. Leisurely dinners. Every vacation we seem to “recreate and/or reconfirm our life”. Celebrating what we love. Discussing what needs to change. And no matter how rational we seem, we always seem to pick up a real estate magazine and dream about living the vacation lifestyle forever!
8. Appreciate our Home. Sweet Home.
No matter if we stay in dumps or the most luxurious condo, when we walk back in the door to our house, I savor the smells. The hardwood. The baby pictures of the kids. Their artwork. My favorite quotes etched on the wall. And most of all our bedroom haven. Our BED!
Nothing like galavanting around for 2 weeks to make you truly appreciate what you have.
Firefighter Wife
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