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Five Mini Family Vacations
By Grace Fox
Everyone craves a vacation now and then. Trouble is they cost money. And
all too often, after we’ve paid the orthodontist, the music teacher, and
the grocery bills, the only thing left is an empty bank account and our
wishful thinking. Granted, we can try to squeeze a few dollars from our
monthly budget and stash them in a holiday account, but two or three
years might pass before we’ve saved sufficient funds. In the meantime,
we listen to friends or family gush about their Caribbean cruise or
Disneyland adventure…
Maybe we’ll enjoy a glossy-ad-type vacation someday, too. But if we’re
plain ol’ tired today and a vacation isn’t possible until sometime in
the far-distant future, we can make a few adjustments. With a little
creativity and even less cash, we can enjoy mini-vacations. There’s only
one rule: Keep them simple. We don’t need to add more strain to our
pocketbook or stress to our busy schedules.
Here are a few suggestions:
1. Enjoy an outdoor picnic at a local park or beach. This works best for
busy moms if they follow an easy-to-fix menu. I know. I learned the hard
way. I used to fry chicken, fix potato salad, and bake buns and
brownies. By the time we loaded the kids in the van, I’d slaved for
hours and resembled the neighborhood grinch. Simplifying the menu
soothed my nerves, which in turn made for a better day for the whole
family.
2. Spend an hour strolling through a park. If there’s a playground, make
it the destination. This is especially fun in the autumn when the leaves
change color and cover the ground. Our kids would crunch the leaves and
pretend they were following the yellow brick road from “The Wizard of
Oz” fame. Invite another family to join the fun. While the kids
entertain themselves, the adults can visit. End the afternoon with an
ice-cream treat.
3. Find a quiet neighborhood where your kids can safely ride their bikes
while you walk or ride alongside. Dub them “afternoon tourists” and tell
them to watch for one special or unique sight. Stuff a disposable camera
in your pocket and let them take a picture of their find. We saw
woodpeckers, a remote airplane in flight, and a peacock with its tail
feathers fanned!
4. Turn rainy days into opportunities to make memories. Lift saggy
spirits with a “sunshine lunch.” Spread a tablecloth on the family room
floor and serve yellow-colored foods such as macaroni and cheese, carrot
sticks, sliced pears, peach yogurt, pineapple chunks, and apple juice.
Play lively kids’ music. After lunch, play a board game together.
5. Plan a family pajama party. After everyone dons their PJs or
bathrobe, look at family photo albums, tell stories about what happened
on the day each child was born, sing campfire songs. Watch a video and
nibble popcorn. And who knows? If the kids fall asleep before the
movie’s over, you can watch your own show or catch some much-needed
sleep yourself!
About the author
Grace Fox lives in British
Columbia and has three great kids! She’s also the author of “10-Minute
Time Outs for Moms” (Harvest House Publishers), available at Christian
bookstores everywhere. If you’ve ever felt inadequate in your role as
mom, this is the book for you! Visit her website for a sneak peek
www.gracefox.com
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