MeanestMomEver
Oh Boy!
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2008
I wasn't sure where to post this story but I need to tell it. Apologies in advance if this is the wrong spot. This isn't a trip report. It's more like a trip pre-saster.
My husband was so excited. He has a conference next month at the Contemporary. Now that our youngest is a college freshman, it's a great time for me to tag along. Our only out of pocket expense would be our tickets and there is a great rate for conference attendees and their guests! We even had enough FF miles to cover my ticket. Wow! What a great time to escape the snowy Midwest. Is this too good to be true? Yep.
We thought is would fall into place. Midway through our trip, college spring break will begin for our two youngest daughters. The one who is a senior had plans to go to San Diego to visit her boyfriend at his internship. We decided to send college Freshman daughter to Jacksonville FL to visit our oldest daughter, a single professional. They loved the plan. At first.
A week into it, youngest daughter decided that, maybe, she'd rather come with us. After all, someone has to keep mom company while dad is at the conference.
"Oh, don't worry. I'll be fine!"
"No, I'll go with you. It's ok."
Ok, add $25 a night for extra person in room, purchase additional 7 day ticket. Pay for extra meals, shuttle to airport. Pricier air fare. Ok. Not too bad.
But wait. Since daughter #3 is not visiting daughter number 1, that daughter decides she'll drive down for the weekend to see us too. Not only that, she'll even take a couple vacation days too! Ok. That's nice of you. Another $25 a night for the room. I guess we should cover her park ticket. And meals. But I draw the line on the gas. I'm tough like that. After all, she's a grown up.
Guess what. Yep. Daughter #2 says, "Awwwww. They are going too? It will be like old times. I should go too. This is probably the last time we will all be able to go on a family vacation! And besides, boyfriend will be working all day anyway. And I miss my sissies."
So, add another $25 a night to the room. At this point should I just get another room? Probably.
Another park ticket. Gee those dining reservations keep growing. That's going to cost me! Another air fare. Another airport bus fare.
And now everyone is gone from the house longer so the dog kennel bill doubled.
But it's just money and you can't put a price on that one, last, family vacation with "the children," right?
So husband wants to add a couple days to the end of the trip so he has time with the kids. $$$
And, he says, we might as well get Memory Maker because...you know...we won't get photos of our little girls like this again. And, he decides to bring them each a Disney themed Pandora charm because he wants them to remember that one last trip...he's a softie.
So we are feeling all warm and fuzzy. And broke. And then it really gets fun.
Daughter 3, has a best friend from kindergarten who now lives in Gainesville. Surprise! She's going to come spend time with us too. She doesn't know which days yet. She'll let us know. Eventually. hey, no problem. I'm sure those dining reservations and the surprise KTTK tour can be changed up, right? Ha!
And don't any of you worry about the other girls being annoyed that this special family time is being encroached upon because, as luck would have it, Daughter number 2's roommate and another sorority sis will be there too! And I'm sure after 24 hours apart, they'll be missing each other. So, you know. They can hang out.
Um, and did we mention that, surprise! Daughter number 1 has a pretty darn serious secret boyfriend? And wouldn't we love to meet him? Um. Ok.
"Yeah, but it might be his weekend to have his kids, (WHAT?) so he's not sure what he's doing yet. Maybe he can bring them." They'll let us know.
Doesn't that sound so affordable and romantic? Our empty nester, practically free, trip for two!
Would anyone like to join us?
My husband was so excited. He has a conference next month at the Contemporary. Now that our youngest is a college freshman, it's a great time for me to tag along. Our only out of pocket expense would be our tickets and there is a great rate for conference attendees and their guests! We even had enough FF miles to cover my ticket. Wow! What a great time to escape the snowy Midwest. Is this too good to be true? Yep.
We thought is would fall into place. Midway through our trip, college spring break will begin for our two youngest daughters. The one who is a senior had plans to go to San Diego to visit her boyfriend at his internship. We decided to send college Freshman daughter to Jacksonville FL to visit our oldest daughter, a single professional. They loved the plan. At first.
A week into it, youngest daughter decided that, maybe, she'd rather come with us. After all, someone has to keep mom company while dad is at the conference.
"Oh, don't worry. I'll be fine!"
"No, I'll go with you. It's ok."
Ok, add $25 a night for extra person in room, purchase additional 7 day ticket. Pay for extra meals, shuttle to airport. Pricier air fare. Ok. Not too bad.
But wait. Since daughter #3 is not visiting daughter number 1, that daughter decides she'll drive down for the weekend to see us too. Not only that, she'll even take a couple vacation days too! Ok. That's nice of you. Another $25 a night for the room. I guess we should cover her park ticket. And meals. But I draw the line on the gas. I'm tough like that. After all, she's a grown up.
Guess what. Yep. Daughter #2 says, "Awwwww. They are going too? It will be like old times. I should go too. This is probably the last time we will all be able to go on a family vacation! And besides, boyfriend will be working all day anyway. And I miss my sissies."
So, add another $25 a night to the room. At this point should I just get another room? Probably.
Another park ticket. Gee those dining reservations keep growing. That's going to cost me! Another air fare. Another airport bus fare.
And now everyone is gone from the house longer so the dog kennel bill doubled.
But it's just money and you can't put a price on that one, last, family vacation with "the children," right?
So husband wants to add a couple days to the end of the trip so he has time with the kids. $$$
And, he says, we might as well get Memory Maker because...you know...we won't get photos of our little girls like this again. And, he decides to bring them each a Disney themed Pandora charm because he wants them to remember that one last trip...he's a softie.
So we are feeling all warm and fuzzy. And broke. And then it really gets fun.
Daughter 3, has a best friend from kindergarten who now lives in Gainesville. Surprise! She's going to come spend time with us too. She doesn't know which days yet. She'll let us know. Eventually. hey, no problem. I'm sure those dining reservations and the surprise KTTK tour can be changed up, right? Ha!
And don't any of you worry about the other girls being annoyed that this special family time is being encroached upon because, as luck would have it, Daughter number 2's roommate and another sorority sis will be there too! And I'm sure after 24 hours apart, they'll be missing each other. So, you know. They can hang out.
Um, and did we mention that, surprise! Daughter number 1 has a pretty darn serious secret boyfriend? And wouldn't we love to meet him? Um. Ok.
"Yeah, but it might be his weekend to have his kids, (WHAT?) so he's not sure what he's doing yet. Maybe he can bring them." They'll let us know.
Doesn't that sound so affordable and romantic? Our empty nester, practically free, trip for two!
Would anyone like to join us?
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