Nope. Not us. We travel in our RV, or, "motorcoach" as they call it. Just think when we get out AARP cards (soon) how much we'll be ready for our retired life...and how much we'll save!!
In this form of "camping", we have 600-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets, corian counters and maple cabinets. We have a television, a microwave...heck...this place is nicer than our home!
It's my dream come true. I love the outdoors, but I HATE bugs. I also hate a lot of work. This is great because it's already stocked with everything we need. All we do is bring along the clothes we want for the weekend and off we go.
And I know I'm repeating myself when I say how critical I think this time is for our family. What I lack in having our kids involved in sports and other lessons, we certainly make up for in QUALITY time spent together as a family. I have to believe we are better off for it. We've made a concious effort to forego the running around from practice...to game...to practice...and keep our lives more manageable, more settled. Our boys play with the other kids around our neighborhood the way we did when we were young (oh so long ago.) I know our kids won't be the best at soccer or piano but they also won't be nervous with time management and high expectations. They'll be kids just being kids. They have the rest of their lives to be running around from place to place, committment to committment.
As we drive down the expressway on our way out of town, I can feel my emotions change. I can feel a physical change. My muscles relax, my mood lifts. It's great. This happens each and every time we leave town. When we have to pack up on Sunday and head home, it is always with a little pang in my heart that we have to get back to our busy daily routines.
I'm excited with anticipation. I get to go to the store and stock up on marshmallows, graham crackers and - best of all - Hershey bars. I get to pick up the RV, bring it home and get it ready for it's maiden voyage of 2007. I can hardly wait.
We'll leave behind Nintendo, the telephone, the lawn mower, washing machine, computer (that one's going to be difficult) and head out for 72 hours of just the Sour-Swedes doing what we love the most--spending time together as a family.
Bon Voyage!
9 comments:
We used to go "camping" all the time when I was a kid. We had a camper, my grandparents did and my Mom's brother did, so we would all go camping together.
Eventually we built a campground on a remote piece of our property and parked the campers there full time and every weekend would go camping, far enough from the telephone and electricity, yet close enough to go home to take a shower!
I envy you. I am a big outdoor person and so is the wife. We are still tent camping and we enjoy it. I know the wife is just like you where she loves the outdoors but hates the bugs and all the camp gear. One day we hope to get an RV or even a 5th wheel. Now we are dishearten by gas prices. I hope ya'll have a great time. I'll be sitting home envying you from afar. Just curious on where your adventures take you? If I am correct you are not to far from us and wondering where your destinations have been?
That is great food for thought. You mean I do not have to be a soccer mom! I like the idea. I am glad to know that you can still just play in the neighborhood!
Michael-
What a great idea! I don't think I'd go if I couldn't use my own shower.
Augs-
I meant to include all the wonderful places we've been. Our kids have seen a lot of interesting things. We've gone to the East Coast, Mackinack Island and the U.P., Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and Montana. This summer we're going to Kentucky and Savannah, GA.
Locally, we like to go to Shipshewana, IN, the west coast of Michigan and of course, Wisconsin.
Pecos-
I believe I am the only non-soccer mom.
You have no idea how much your philosophy matches ours! We don't believe in living our lives going from soccer to football to baseball and having our kids on intense schedules. They can do sports when they are older if they want but it will be highly regulated by us. We would MUCH rather take family weekends in a motorcoach too! Oh how Aug's and I dream of owning one for camping. I love the outdoors too but also HATE bugs. And I love the idea of being able to shower in a clean environment! LOL!
Have a great trip!
(I love all the photos you've been posting lately!)
DraMa-
Thanks for stopping by!
Being from the Chicago area, you may enjoy that we call our RV, or motorcoach, "Da Coach".
I love "Da coach".
We like to camp as well, although our camper is nothing like yours. Picture 1970's redone......
I love you philosophy about the kids and time spent. My husband and I whole-heartedly agree. Most kids these days don't even have a "family life". You, and yours, are blessed.
Hope you had fun RV-ing....we have recently decided to "take -up" camping again now that the kids are a bit older. I am really looking forward to the family time together. Wish I had one of those RV's tho, instead of a tent! I will survive!
Molly
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