We are on our way back from our vacation at the moment. We will have the "discussion" about driving straight or stopping overnight to sleep. I opt for sleeping. The driver opts for driving. Although like I said in the beginning I didn't vote for the driving..it wasn't as bad as I thought. (well, going anyway....we will see what I think by the time I pull in my driveway) Kids kept themselves occupied most of the time. It's not like when we were kids and had to play license plate bingo for 13 hours straight. We did play some of those games...but mostly they typed on their laptops, listened to iPods, watched movies or slept. So not so bad for them. Going on vacation is great...but when it's time to come home...its time to come home.

As tempting as it is there in the Sunshine State with their warm weather, new CHEAP homes and low utility bills...my home is my home. There is good with the bad no matter where you live. I do despise the winter. When I get home I am hoping the monsoons will be gone and Spring has sprung. I left to just blooming daffodils...maybe my tulips will have popped their heads out of the soil too. My house is there. My friends are there. My life is there. When I first got to SunnyLand I was thinking I will just move...pack it all up and start over there. I will have tons of money in the bank, a killer tan and a brand new house. But that would be it. And all those things don't amount to a hill of beans compared to what I have at home. So a few things I have learned on this vacation are:

~ I adore Walt Disney World. So many people ask me why the heck we always go there. I know some of the rides are hokey. I am still singing "It's a Small World" in my head. It's just a feeling I get when I am there. I can forget what's going on outside "The World"....Hakuna-Matata

~ No one I mean NO ONE....looks attractive eating a turkey leg.

~Gardening is another obsession. Looking at all the flowers already blooming in Florida made me die to get my hands in the dirt. 

~My family are really my favorite people. They make me laugh...as much as they drive me nuts.

~As much as I love the above mentioned...I cannot make them all happy at once. And after this vacation I think I am done trying. We are five. Five different people at different stages of life...and there's gonna be times when someone is not getting what they want or getting their way. And it doesn't always have to be me.

~ I miss my friend more now that I spent some time with her on the way to Florida. :(

~ Change is good. It comes when it's ready whether or not you are. Strap on your seat belt and take the ride. It could be really good. 

~ My friends are the family of my heart. They are the family I choose. I need them around. Making new friends is overrated. 

So today it starts. The packing, the cleaning, the arranging, the last minute planning. You need a vacation from the planning for a vacation!

My family doesn't exactly get my harried state. Can't blame them I guess, when three of them only have to worry about what they want to bring for themselves and one will just park himself in the car and either fall asleep, watch a movie or play Nintendo DSi.

We have decided to take a looooooong road trip. Did mention long? Yeah. We will stop at our friends house one night on the way. Then to Grandma's, then to visit a certain Mouse friend for a few days, back to Grandmas and then the loooooong trip back home. The Fab Five (that's us) in the car along with Godson and nine trillion electronic devices to keep passengers busy.

So the check list scrolls through my head constantly...kinda like that scrolly thing on the right over there. 

And on and on it goes. Don't even think about talking to me when I am in list checking off mode. You may get pegged with a travel sized shampoo bottle. I pack way too much, always. Every time I pack I think I won't bring all those shoes this time...but as I tick off each day's outfit from my list...I think "What if these shoes hurt my feet?" "what if I need that sweater?" This all usually ends with a small person sitting on my suitcase while I zip it up. And now that this time we are driving and I don't have to adhere to flying rules...it could get ugly.

But my family assures me this will be fun. (I am not a fan of this whole driving idea). We will bond. We will laugh. So I am game. (I think) And as much as I would love to keep writing about this I have a lot of stuff to do today.


Jenn's two cents:I always overpack and come home with so many unworn clothes...My hubby always says as long as we are staying in America, we can always buy whatever we may need.  But packing for the family is stressful - and the drive may be nerve-wracking but it will make memories that last forever - some good, some funny and some you may just want to forget!