Keep Your Hands and Feet Away From the Suitcase
So I am in full preparation mode. I am not one who travels by the seat of her pants. I used to be, but one husband and two maniacs later I am not anymore. I am now a Boy Scouts nocturnal emission (I hate the other term) in the level of my preparedness. Consider the following:
The dog is bathed, the toys are put away, and the sunscreen is ready and waiting, even though we do not leave for 48 hours. Packing is in full swing, now that all the laundry is done. I mean all of it too, and I am not doing any more. It has been no easy task convincing my family to wear the same outfit since Tuesday. Once I am getting ready for vacation, though, I am very strict, and you do not want to cross me. They really balked at the idea that no one was allowed to wear underwear this week. Well, all but my husband...
The refrigerator has become a no-fly zone. Nothing goes in or out without written permission. I do not want anyone eating the arugula intended for lunch on our fourth day at the beach, but they are more than welcome to the somewhat greenish bacon that I bought in February. I am nothing if not reasonable. That fridge will be empty and sparkling by six a.m. Saturday, or heads will roll.
Rigid? What do you mean?
See those boxes in the corner? Hands off, Jack. Those boxes are filled with vacation things, and I have been collecting them for weeks. You know, mini-packs of sugar cereal that the kids are never allowed to eat 50 weeks a year, boxes of CheezeIts, bubbles that were 75% of at the grocery store, club soda, ice cube trays (you never know), whatnot. Things I cannot leave home without.
We are keeping our fingers crossed that our little dog doesn't go paws up while we're gone. He's a really old guy, and every day he wakes up wagging we breathe a sigh of relief. We have dogsitters coming to care for him, which means there will probably be a keg tapped in my living room at some point, but it wouldn't be the first time.
I think I forgot to mention that we are taking the children with us. For two weeks. Away from home. The four of us. Together. Two weeks. Oh god....
where are you going in Maine? We just got back last week. we went w/ friends and all of our kids and drank WAY too many mojitos. (I didn't think that was possible, come to find out, it was. When you come up with a mojito-catch phrase on the way UP to your vacation destination, there's the potential for ovedoing it. As in, "What time is it?" "I'll check...why, look! It's mojito-clock!"
I know. Not the cleverest, but trust me. It worked. As did stopping in NH @ the state liquor store, I think we saved $8 per handle of rum.
Yes. PER handle. :)
Email me if you like, if you still have my address.
Later, enjoy!
Carolyn
At 6:45 PM, 
insanemommy
I sooooo get this post. Wow. This is me now! Before I totally flew by the seat of my pants and sweet things. Not a worry in the world. Now, everyone has a place including sweet thing. I can't leave the house until everything has been picked up and put away. Including all laundry done before leaving. Uptight?! Noooo.
We are also going on vacation on Saturday for a week! In Maine! We'll be lake country, though.
Another key difference is that I have not started packing even a little.