What does it look like to go on a vacation with my family?
Well, partly it looks like this, because my dad loves the South West.
My dad, adored by his daughters, arranges the family vacation every year by soliciting possible dates from us, and then announcing the actual date and location. And we go where he says: because he's our dad, and because we adore him, and because he pays for the rented house where we stay (not to mention a huge part of our travel expenses). We don't really mind that we have no say in the destination.
Once we get to the place where we're staying, my sisters (and I, but not as much as my sisters) take on the task of organizing meals. Increasingly, the next generation gets involved, too. We take turns making dinner for the 15-or-so people who are gathered. Even when we go on day trips, we avoid restaurants: we make our own sandwiches . . .
. . . and pack them in coolers to take with us. Cheaper than restaurants, and faster, too. This makes sight-seeing with many, many people much easier.
Below are a few gratuitous photos from our sight seeing.
Well, partly it looks like this, because my dad loves the South West.
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| The ruined church and grave wall in Taos, New Mexico. |
My dad, adored by his daughters, arranges the family vacation every year by soliciting possible dates from us, and then announcing the actual date and location. And we go where he says: because he's our dad, and because we adore him, and because he pays for the rented house where we stay (not to mention a huge part of our travel expenses). We don't really mind that we have no say in the destination.
Once we get to the place where we're staying, my sisters (and I, but not as much as my sisters) take on the task of organizing meals. Increasingly, the next generation gets involved, too. We take turns making dinner for the 15-or-so people who are gathered. Even when we go on day trips, we avoid restaurants: we make our own sandwiches . . .
Below are a few gratuitous photos from our sight seeing.
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| I loved the colors in this blanket, and took the photo so I could remember this combination. |
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| At the Pueblo tour in Taos, what the grandkids loved the most was the friendly dogs. Although the Pueblo was a really remarkable tour, too. |
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| Dad bought us tickets to the Santa Fe Opera performance of Don Giovanni. This is what it looks like outside the theater; a stunning view (looks better in person than in the photo). |
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| The stage itself has no backdrop, so the audience looks through the stage to see the hills and sagebrush beyond. |
But when we're not doing the breath-taking, stunning stuff, there's a lot of just-as-fun but not-as-photo-worthy stuff. Big meals around a giant table. Runs together through the local neighborhood with my sisters and me catching up on children, exercise regimens, jobs, friends. Jigsaw puzzles. Card games. Knitting lessons. Journal entries in the family journal book. Bike rides that my husband and N-son take together. Grandkids (ages 13 to 27) huddled around a TV watching dance contests, while the older generations gather at the dining room table to map out future home construction projects.
Santa Fe is truly lovely, and I'm glad we came. Here's where I insert the standard hokey phrase about the expensive parts of this trip not being the best parts . . . isn't it nice when the standard hokey phrase is actually true?
Oh, sounds like a fun vacation! Did you road trip there? How do your road trips go?
ReplyDeleteWe did indeed drive here -- first, an easy 8-hour drive to the math meetings, and almost a week later, a more intense 22 hour drive here to Santa Fe. Tomorrow we begin the drive home, which should be 30+ hours. That will be the *real* adventure!
DeleteAnd yes, the vacation is a lot of fun in a lot of ways.