I was sorting through some photos the other night and stumbled upon this picture of my husband and me. We were newly married. 
It got me thinking about life without responsibility. We were young. No mortgage. No children. No money. No carpooling. No school calendars. Just us. We scraped up enough money for plane tickets to Paris. We didn’t even eat out much while there. We would visit the local markets to pick up a bottle of wine and some food. We threw it all in a backpack and headed to the Eifel Tower for picnics. It was perfection. I have been craving a vacation recently. But it probably isn’t in the cards right now and to be perfectly honest it’s more work with the kiddos {they are 2 and 4}. Sure, it would be a great trip. It just wouldn’t be a vacation! So instead we opt for the staycation. The four of us curled up on the couch with goldfish and animal crackers. If we are really lucky, there is even some juice. Movie night is full of giggles and cuddles. My husband and I look at each other {much like in the photo above} and bask in the joy of our new perfection. It isn’t glamorous. But it sure is an adventure. And we will always have Paris. What about you? Do you have a dream vacation beckoning to you?
Drop the kiddos off in PA – would love to "babysit" while you go on vacation! 🙂
Grandma Sue
Such a sweet reminder that time with our husbands is precious. You sound like us, content to be somewhere beautiful and together is enough.
By the way, loved your post about the piles – my piles are out of control right now, ugh.
-Rene
What a beatiful picture, it looks like a postcard. Although our girls are older, 17 and almost 21, life gets busy and we too don't find much time to vacation (oh, we had a few "trips" but that is different). We do try to have coffee each morning whether at home or at the local cafe, and the occassional dinner out. Lately though, our favorite thing has been to create homemade pizzas to cook on the grill at home. We have a good time shopping for different ingredients and they are yummy with a glass of wine.
I saw a cute statue of the eiffel tower at home goods in antique silver that i almost bought and left on your doorstep. $5! But I didn't want to add clutter to your beautiful home. love the comments on the piles…. what about hubby's piles? any tips?
It's like you jumped into my brain and wrote down my thoughts. What an uncanny coincidence. We have a 2 & 4 year old. We met travelling and also used to buy a baguette, can of tuna, ham, local cheese etc, and eat on the grass. Always had money for a vino! 🙂
We do miss things like breakfast together on a Sunday morning and reading the newspaper. Sleeping a full night through, and dinner out. Holiday destinations with a sense of adventure seem a little too hard. That said, we've recently upgraded from a 2 man tent (now have a luxury tent as I'm not roughing it with little people). So looking forward to our next adventure this coming Friday, and just enjoying the 4 of us, no tv, new smells, sights and sounds. xox (It's not Paris though!) x Sorry longest comment ever!!
Love this picture. we were married on Maui and talk about getting back, not sure we are ready to do a 9 hour flight with a 4 year old! Someday…
I can absolutely relate to not being able to get away on those vacations that you used to! It is so great that you still at least try to turn your normal life into a vacation or break! With a little one at home the hubby and I will have a "date night" at home baking or cooking something from scratch together.
What a great picture! You two are such a cute couple. We could really use a vacation too, I'm hoping for a weekend trip for our anniversary in December.
I love this post! It's one of those "stop and smell the roses" moments. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Yes indeed… my hubby and I always stress the importance of 'us' time. Our kids need to see us take time for eachother… we are major supporters of the weekend getaway, be it Boston or a nearby bed & breakfast! You come back refreshed and ready to love on those little babies waiting for you! The money is well spent, you're investing in your marriage just as you would your 401k!
What a beautiful picture…it's impossible to not have those feelings about Paris. My husband and I have been married 12 years, and have two kids, 9 and 4. Almost every year, we've managed to leave the kids with grandma and get away alone. Not only is it amazing to travel new places, but the perfect reconnection for the two of us. After about 2 days we become the silly kids who fell in love…not just mommy and daddy. Couch time is priceless too, but our marriage is stronger because of our time alone, which in turn makes us better parents.
Thank you for the lovely post!