Like We Used To

We just got back from a wonderful vacation with our kids and my parents and brother in Colorado.  We stayed in a little cabin that my husband's uncle bought 40 years ago...he has visited this cabin many times throughout his life which made it so special for us to be there.  My family used to take yearly trips to Colorado, too...and of course while we were there we shared a lot of memories of those trips and what we used to do on vacation. 

We would pile in the car with our cousins and compete with each other in the "license plate game."  We would sing silly songs and play "I Spy" to pass the time.  When we got to Colorado we would go on  hikes, play in the creeks, climb on rocks, and explore.  We would visit cheesy tourist spots and spend a few bucks on a little souvenir.  We'd eat picnic lunches near a lake and go for "scenic drives."  We'd play in the rocks and trees outside the backdoor of the cabin and collect rocks to bring home.  Our parents would make up bedtime stories and we would fall asleep the minute our heads hit the pillow...pure exhaustion from the fun activities of the day.

And guess what...all of those things I just mentioned?  Those were the things my kids loved the most during our vacation.  I stocked the car with DVDs and toys...handheld devices and gadgets.  But they had the most fun playing "Roadtrip Bingo" and finding new license plates (we got 43!!) and playing "I Spy."  Our cabin had a TV but we rarely turned it on...they wanted to run around outside or even just sit on the deck and watch for hummingbirds.  Their faces were lit up when we went on hikes, they laughed as they splashed in cold mountain streams and made dams out of rocks.  They collected rocks, pinecones, and bones and chose "old timey" souvenirs like polished rocks and geodes.  My husband showed them the places he went as a kid and they loved every one. 

Yes, we live in a different era where kids are surrounded by gadgets and media, but at the core they are the same as we were when we were kids.  They love good old fashioned fun and the simple things that make a vacation an adventure just like we used to!