Thankful Thursday

Charlie 10 mos. Hallie 6 months

Things I'm thankful for this week:

• That the family was all together this weekend. Thank You Brad & Kara for driving up here.
• People in Scott's life the last year that have truly made a difference
• That Ron & the boys are almost ready to leave on their trip.
• That the company has jobs lined up to do.

On another note, Ron & I have this ongoing conversation and 27-year disagreement on what the definition of "A Weekend Away" means. The conversation goes something like this:

Kim: I really need a break. I'm just drowning, I need to get away from it all for just a weekend.

Ron: Hey ____ (insert usually some brother's name) is going to ________ insert some campground. We should go with them it would be fun.

Kim: No. I'll just stay home.

Now, what Ron does not realize is between his word 'fun' and my word 'no' there is a huge thought process going on:

"Hmmm. Pack clothes lightweight for the day, jackets for night. Plan 3 meals/day. Write shopping list, consider every item you would need for the meal so you don't miss anything. Go to store load all food in shopping cart, out onto conveyor belt, back into the back of car, drive home and unload into house and put away. Bring out all the food previously bought and put in ice chests and various containers and pack for trip, including all pans and utensils necessary for cooking said meals. Grab camping gear, sleeping bags, packed clothes, ice chests full of food (so now I'm lugging this food around for the 5th time) toys, books, chargers, paperwork I might need because we're expecting a call from someone with work. Drive to location.

Unpack and settle in. Cook and clean up three meals a day. Keep camping area cleaned up. Keep warm/dry/cool/away from bugs/whatever the circumstances. Pack and clean it all up to come home. Get home, empty out ice chests, get them dry and put away, wash all clothes from the trip, possibly need to wash sleeping bags and pillows. All the time this washing and cleaning up putting away from the weekend trip while I have to continue with the normal washing cleaning up of the household I was trying to escape from and rejuvinate for over the weekend. Hmmm, no thanks, I'll just stay home. That idea for a weekend away sounds like A WHOLE LOT OF WORK FOR ME. No.

Ron thinks it's more like No, you don't want to spend time with me. It's not that. His idea of a relaxing weekend involves motorized vehicles and dirt and work.

Kim's idea for a weekend away:

Leave Friday noonish. drive to Orange County. Get a nice hotel room. Go out to eat at a restaurant. Go to a movie. Come back to the hotel and sit in the jacuzzi. Get up in the morning and go to the swap meet. Walk up and down the isles for 4-5 hours looking at all kinds of stuff you mainly do not need. Buy a few irrestiable items. Like 4 t-shirts for $20. Sunglasses discounted, etc. Leave and drive by the beach just to sit, smell the salt air and listen to the waves. If I have extra money, there's Spa Gregories close by. If not, cruise on home.

Ron says: Your weekend costs me money. My weekend idea is cheap.

Kim: Huh????

• We're both driving 4-5 hours away. Same cost ($200).
• Hotel room ($150) vs. thin mattress camping - you've got me there.
• Buying and cooking all food vs. restaurants = the same ($200).
• Swap meet and spa - prices range for this. spa is easy $100, swap meet, $50 to -- whatever the budget.
• Gas for motorized vehicles on Ron's weekend, $300

So Ron's weekend away 'relaxing' is about $700. My weekend away is about $700 (and somebody else has done all the work!). Yet his is cheaper and more fun? Uggghhhhh. I don't know if other couples have this same conversation.