Out-Numbered

Family trip commence. Witness my mad parenting skillz. Airplane style... Out-Numbered by clouds only...

Every year my family and I make our annual pilgrimage to West Palm Beach, Florida to visit my in-laws. During the week leading up to our departure, my friends and co-workers ask me the same question over and over again. "How excited are you for your vacation?" I always have the same response. "Uh... it's not really a vacation, so much as it's a family trip but I guess I'm excited." I'm pretty sure most people wouldn't take the time to clarify the distinction between a vacation and a family trip. In fact I'm certain most people would just answer the question with enthusiasm and be done with it. In my situation it's different. As a parent and the author of Out-Numbered, I feel a certain responsibility to my readers. I must tell it like it is. It would be much easier to lie to my friends and co-workers about my amazing vacation with my family. Unfortunately, life isn't always easy. This is why this week I bring to you the hard truth abou...

Chapter 1 – Family Trip So, It’s 5:30p in the afternoon on a Saturday and I’m still in my pajamas. Actually I’ve been up since 6am this morning, dressed, traveled from state to state and just finally slipped back into my pajamas for some much needed R&R. My wife and I are on an overnight excursion alone. Ahhh. Tonight begins the 26-hour decompression / vacation from my vacation. Ok technically I’m not on a vacation from my vacation. In fact I was never really on “vacation”. You see, when you have kids and you take them away with you during your time off from work, it’s not really a vacation. When you’re single and you go away with your buddies to Cancun for spring break, that’s a vacation. When you and your wife stay at the Ritz Carlton in the Cayman Islands for a week sans children, that’s a vacation. But when you take a week off from work to shack-up with your in-laws in West Palm Beach, Florida, all the while totting around two blessed little angels, one who can’t talk yet and c...