Vacation for four

We had a great family vacation last week. And at the same time we’re super-glad to be home, too. Isn’t that just the best kind of trip?

Back in June, we realized that we would benefit from some kind of vacation this summer, but wondered how to do it (and afford it). Wouldn’t it be great to find a nice, big house with at least three bedrooms in a beautiful location? And wouldn’t it be wonderful if they had a week open for us this summer? And wouldn’t it be terrific if it didn’t cost a lot of money? Dare to dream.

We started asking around: people, strangers, God, anyone who would listen. And then we heard a recommendation of just the place for us — and available for a whole week in August! Located on Fremont Lake in Michigan, not far from the cute little “downtown area”:http://www.fremontcommerce.com/ (and even closer to a Wal-Mart), with a kitchen full of griddles and gadgets, a dishwasher, laundry facilities, and seven bedrooms! The house surpassed our expectations even further by being stocked with an abundance of baby supplies: pack ’n’ plays, high chairs, an exer-saucer, a baby swing, a bouncy seat, a baby bathtub, and tons of toys. A dream come true! We’re so grateful to the friends whose hospitality made it available to us.

The whole family had “a blast”:/news/2008/love-that-water/. Mama threw the “Weight Watchers”:/news/2008/packing-it-on/ points out the window and made lots of pancakes, bacon, and chocolate chip cookies (and she didn’t even gain a full pound! go figure). On vacation, there are no calories.

One of Lucy’s constant demands was to ride in the blue swing that’s suspended _out over Lake Fremont._ (The lawyers for the Little Tikes Co. would faint.) But Papa assures you, it was perfectly safe — and Lucy loved it so much, though you couldn’t tell it at first glance: she concentrated so much on watching the waves and rocks, she definitely got “in the zone.” (See photo.)

Lucy and Papa took numerous bike rides — one of nearly 20 miles! — and got to hang out at the local airport watching take-offs and landings a couple times. (See photo.) A gleaming yellow-and-silver helicopter parked tantalizingly on the apron stayed put, alas.

Mama and Lucy had fun exploring the local library where we checked out lots of new books to read through (definitely a bonus for traveling light). Rosie took her first recreational dip in the lake and looked fabulous in her swimsuit (see photo). We all had fun rambling through the local parks and playgrounds, and we decided which “local pizza place is the best”:http://www.spankys-pizza.com/.

Lucy in particular is just the right age to fully capitalize on a vacation like this. In everything from the swing to the rowboat (photo at right) to the airport to the chance to climb down a 235-step stairway to the Muskegon River at a nearby park — and then back up again, all under her own power! (photo below) — well, she was just in her toddler element.

Since the house had so much baby equipment, Mama worked hard to pack really light for this trip — a great challenge for this “notorious”:/news/2008/packing/ “over-packer”:/news/2006/traveling-light/. (I’ll need to write a post soon about what I’ve learned from this process.) Not needing to pack the portable cribs helped immensely, as did the ready availability of a washer and dryer, plus a nearby Wal-Mart. We only needed to buy a couple of neglected items when we arrived. Papa was ecstatic to have so much space left in “our little car”:/news/2007/certified-geeks/ after loading it up!

Although vacationing with two small children isn’t exactly the restful retreat a weary parent might hope for, everyone got several naps — definitely a gift! We had so much fun, but we were just as glad to get home. Lucy and Rosie slept nice and late the first morning we were back (in defiance of the time change from Eastern to Central Time) and we’ve all been glad to settle back into our cozy bungalow. As Lucy said in the car as we approached our little house, “Home again, home again, jiggety-jig!”