Vacation? Stay-cation? = “PAY”cation

So with buying a new house and 2 of the 4 kids being under 3, we have decided to rethink the summer vacation this year.

Now itʼs up to me to come up with ways to make packing up the house “FUN”. I guess there is always fun to be had with cardboard boxes, duct tape and a sharpie...sounds like an episode of MacGyver.

I have been racking my brain (not at all a long process) to come up with some fun, “Stay-cation” ideas. Having such a different age range with the kids (14,12,3 ans 20 months) is making this more difficult than I thought...

Stay-cations usually i

nvolve camping in the backyard, visit local museums, movie nights, these things are all well and good if all your kids are into them. But taking 2 babies to the museum sounds like a nightmare to me, frankly I would rather chew glass.

Basically my ultimate goal is to find something to do where the older kids are “helping” me with the younger ones, while having fun of course...I just may have to resort to bribery. This could be more expensive than a vacation after all.

I have come up with a few ideas to try and make it through the next 4 weeks or so. I will let you know in September if my sanity is still intact..I know, I know, itʼs a cliff hanger.

Hereʼs my pl

an, cross your fingers that it goes better than the “Cooking Bacon on the BBQ Plan of 2003...” A whole other story...

1) Let the big kids pick the events...From Breakfast all the way to dinner, with fun things to do in between. All kids no matter what age like bubbles, sidewalk chalk, picnics or just running through the yard with a bunch of beach balls kicking them around. This calls for a trip to the party store...

2) “LAWN SALE”...get the kids to pick out all their toys that they donʼt play with anymore and set up a yard sale on the front lawn. Mix up a batch of Kool Aid and let have a blast. Letting them know that the money they earn is theirs to keep is always a great incentive. This sale can last a day, a week, or however long you can tolerate it. In the end, take all the unsold toys and donate the to charity. A win, win for everyone.

3) MONEY...yes this is where the “PAY”cation comes in. Pay your older kids to help out with the younger ones. Make it like a little job for them. Then treat them to a trip to the mall or a movie to spend their (your) hard earned cash. They say money is the root of all evil, but in my world right now it is the root of all “Sanity”.

Hope you all have great Vacations or Stay cations this summer with your family and friends...

CheersMoney Can Buy Happiness...Colada

1 1/2 oz rum

1/2 ounce raspberry liqueur (or syrup)

2 ounces pineapple juice

2 ounces white cranberry juice

Blend all the with ice until slushy. Garnish with fresh raspberries and a line of credit!!! This also makes a fun Moc

ktail for the kids, garnish theirs with a freezy some added fun.

Vacation? Stay-cation? = “PAY”cation