Well, truth be told I haven’t had a vacation in five years and this year isn’t looking too promising either.

Starting over mid-life, after a divorce, isn’t easy to say the least. I think I have received more money from manufacturer’s rebates in the last five years than I have received in child support payments. (And just for the record, I don’t generally fill out manufacturer rebates.)

So here I sit planning how one combines a “Staycation” with a full work schedule… I mean is that even possible?

I guess I could cover myself in sun screen, and show up to work in a bikini and sunglasses but I’m not sure how well that would go over at my job.

So I guess that I’ll have to treasure the downtime I have and settle for the small pleasures in life…

Like laying on the bed in an air-conditioned room and reading a good book.

Or spending my day off weeding my mom’s walkway and watering her flowers only to see the appreciation and delight in her eyes as we sit and talk over a tuna sandwich.

Or staying up late listening to music with John, what we have named, “singing and dancing night.”

Or driving my kids wherever they need to go and savoring the uninterrupted alone time in the car with them, just to talk.

Or having them ask, “What are you making mom?”

And hearing them yell, “YES!!!” when I reply it’s their grandmother’s recipe. (One of their absolute favorites)

It’s the smiles, the conversation, the laughter and the time.

It’s the long hours and hard work that gives me the ability to say yes to that new pair of sneakers, the money for the movies or enables me to meet a need that they’re not sure I can.

So this summer, I won’t be sporting a tan or posting pictures on Facebook of the amazing view from my hotel room.

But I can tell you this, the view from this house isn’t so bad after all.

Happy summer!

I hope it’s the best!

Much love,

Erin Cooper Reed