Secret Subject Swap April -Take Two!

It's time for April's second Secret Subject Swap!  This week 12 brave bloggers were assigned a subject to interpret and write about in their own style, while also coming up with a secret topic for someone else to write about.  Today we are all simutaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts.  This is really a fun activity to participate in; if you haven't tried it, get in touch with Karen at Baking In A Tornado who is the mastermind of the whole shebang!  Here's a list of everybody participating this week; check them all out and let them know how you liked what they came up with:

http://www.BakingInATornado.com

http://www.peanutlayne.com/

http://menopausalmother.blogspot.com/

http://sadderbutwiser.wordpress.com/

www.eviljoyspeaks.wordpress.com

www.theblacksheepmom.blogspot.com

http://lifeonthesonnyside.blogspot.com/             

www.homeonderanged.com

http://victoryrosevintage.wordpress.com

dates2diapers2.blogspot.com

http://badwordmama.blogspot.com/

http://mylifeaslucille.blogspot.com/

 

My subject is "If you were only allowed one more vacation in your life, where would you go and what would you do?"  It was submitted by Home On Deranged, who's getting hit with a little extra winter right now.  Make sure you bring some hot chocolate when you go over and read her post!

 

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One. Last. Vacation.

 

One.

 

But-but-but---

 

Ok, fine, one. 

 

My first reaction to this question was pure selfishness; I pictured me on a beach, by myself, reading and soaking up the sun, tropical drink in hand.  No kids.  Not even anybody else's kids.  A kid free island. 

 

                                    Yeah, in my beach dream I'm skinny too. So what.

 

I would spend my time lying in the sand, enjoying the peace and quiet, and doing this thing I've heard of that I've always wanted to try:  relaxing.  No big adventures for me; a little shopping, lunches that don't come with toys, and the breeze in my hair (clean hair, I might add, because I can take a shower whenever I want to, not just at nap time). 

 

But that's the today me, the 'stay at home mom stuck in the house with a toddler and only getting out to run my teenagers around everywhere' me.  If I take a step back, and really think about planning my very last vacation, I'd actually want my kids with me.

 

Yes I said that.  No I haven't been drinking.  (Ok, one glass of wine but that doesn't count.)

 

My kids are pretty fun to hang out with.  They have great senses of humor and are really mastering the art of sarcasm. If you've got something to keep them busy, they get along and actually enjoy each others' company.  I know families that have their kid(s) invite a friend along on every vacation so the kid has someone to hang out with and play with.  My kids are close to each other.  It wouldn't even occur to me to bring extras along because it's unnecessary.  They're friends as well as siblings.  And I love that.

 

Yes they fight like cats and dogs, but that's normal (unfortunately).  But I can just picture them on this idyllic beach with me and the hubs, wind surfing and building giant sand castles.  Going shopping and thinking the most touristy, plastic wad of junk is just the best thing to buy and bring home and show off. 

 

They'd explore and run and play.  Even the teens, who are sometimes too cool for that stuff at our local lake.  They'd spread out their beach towels next to each other and warm up in the sun after swimming so long their hands look like wrinkled prunes. 

 

 

 

And at night, when we went back to our hotel  beach house (hey, last vacation right?) they'd all grab their blankets and have a big camp out on the living room floor, actually agreeing on a movie to watch, and having a snack without causing the floor to look like a popcorn-carpet.  There'd be no school or work in the morning to worry about; no phone calls to be made, bills to be paid, or homework to be struggled through. We'd enjoy each other.  The way we forget to when life gets in the way.  When we're so busy we overlook each other.  When we're stressed and we snap at each other.  When we're bored and we pick at each other.  

 

And I'd grab a book and a tropical drink, sit out on the patio with the only man crazy enough to marry a woman with 6 kids, and think "this is the life".   And maybe "shit, did we remember to ask someone to feed the dog??"