I'm not too proud . . .

. . . to take a vacation (or two) when they fall in my lap!

So, last June, my mom told me that her parents were planning a cruise in January for their 60th wedding anniversary and taking all their children and spouses. My dad had decided that he couldn't go since it was during his basketball season (and a very critical point as well.) Some may not understand this decision, but if you've ever been a high school coach, you understand how much time and effort you spend trying to get your players to learn what it means to be committed to something and to never let your team down, and that if you were to take a vacation in the middle of the season, you would be the biggest hypocrite in your gym and completely lose the respect of your team. I know that even as an assistant coach, I wouldn't even miss one practice unless there was an emergency. Sooooo, my mom said that she could still bring a roommate along on the cruise. Tami was there, and I suggested that she go, since she had never been on a cruise before, and she had never spent any time away from her kids since becoming a mom. But before I could get too excited for her to go have a great vacation, she informed us that she was pregnant and due in January! Around that same time, Violet announced that she was also expecting (due in February), so she wouldn't be able to go either. Of course, both of my little sisters play basketball, Sullivan is on a mission, and Tyson would be back in school in January to finish his degree. So, since nobody else could go, I told my mom that if I wasn't pregnant too (which I wish I was), I would go. And now it's just a few days away! I am SO looking forward to spending this much time with my mom, and getting to know my Alaska aunts and uncles a little better (oh, and I suppose I might enjoy the beaches, excursions, food, entertainment, and warm weather, too!)

The only downer is that Tony can't come along. I have felt bad about that, and when he starts giving me a bad time about leaving him and the kids home alone while I go have a great time, I actually do start to feel bad. But the guilt was alleviated a bit in November, when another great vacation opportunity fell in Tony's lap! The school district is sending him to Washington, D.C. in April to attend a special education conference, and since his flight, hotel, and food are all paid for, and we had enough rewards points to pay for my flight as well, I'm going to accompany him! Washington, D.C. was next on our list of vacations we wanted to go on; we just never thought the opportunity would come so soon or be so affordable! So, we're going to go a couple days early to make sure Tony gets to see the things he really wants to see before his classes start up.

So, if anybody else wants to send a free or nearly free vacation my way, go ahead! I accept.