When L. suggested a weekend away in Jasper with the kids, I jumped on it. I've been crawling out of my skin lately and all existentially angst-ridden. So some time in the mountains, away from the ugliness that is winter/early spring in the dirty concrete jungle of Redneckville sounded like just what the doctor ordered. We got a one bedroom suite at at cheap Jasper Inn that had a pool. All was good.
But then, as we headed out of the city in the midst of the most craptastic spring snowstorm, I remembered. Our last family vacation. The one that ended with us proclaiming never again. How had I forgotten? The sleepless children. The cranky out of sorts children. The meltdowns resulting from the tired from the sleepless children that totally pooched our trip to the Calgary Zoo and nearly pooched Calaway Park too? That exhausted feeling. That never again feeling? Drinking wine in the hotel bathroom from plastic cups because we had been too broke to book a suite and the freaking kids were finally asleep?? WHY WERE WE DOING THIS AGAIN?! In a seemingly province-wide snowstorm, no less? Were we just paying money we can't afford to be locked up in a Jasper hotel? It did have a pool, I reasoned. We gad fallen prey to family vacation amnesia!
We would survive. And then, just as we crossed over into the Provincial park, the snow stopped. We saw herd after herd of beautiful wild animals, clear skies, mountains everywhere. No concrete in sight. We checked in. We swam. We explored. We kept the kids up late and then got to drink wine (in actual wineglasses) in our bedroom instead of the bathroom. And then, the little dudes slept in!
No matter what today's events bring - I guess maybe some vacations are just better than others.
We're gonna make it. It might even be fun.
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Hurray for holidays!!!! and real wineglasses!!! The snow has finally stopped here it seems, but our joy at the weather yesterday was multiplied when the power was knocked out in Stony by some thoughtful person hitting a power pole on our range road late afternoon. Rhiannon decided at that point that she wanted green noodles for tea (spinach fettucini to me & you)...could I cook her some. Not without power kiddo. Oh, so can we cook them on the barbecue? Not so much, as firstly we're out of propane, and as much as we love you, it's cold, snowy & blowy outside. Cue calls to Daddy to come home bearing takeout.....even outages have their plus points!!
ReplyDeleteenjoy the rest of your weekend!!
What a great beginning!
ReplyDeleteI am soooooo happy you are having a great time! Enjoy as much as possible :)
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I think I've already got family vacation amnesia. Looking fondly on our time in the US, while at the time I was longing for home and thinking "NEVER AGAIN!"
ReplyDeleteYeah I'm already planning the next one. Glutton for punishment? Perhaps.