Family Vacation: A Family Affair
What do you think of when you hear family vacation? Are you old enough that you remember the hilarious escapades of the Chevy Chase family vacation movies? Are you reminded of your own funny or memorable moments? Or even stressful ones?
When I think of family vacations, I think of years and years of summer and Christmas visits to our Wisconsin family. Once upon a time, before having a child, my husband and I agreed we would take one big vacation every three years. I dreamed of Italy, Ireland, and lands far far away. Instead of grand adventures, we chose family vacations—and I mean, we used our limited vacation time to visit family. Instead of exploring the unfamiliar, we became increasingly familiar because of our years of family togetherness. Our daughter, an only-child, grew up with precious traditions and an extended family experience.
Until that darn “C” word…not cancer, the other ugly one, COVID. When COVID happened, even family vacations ceased! Our only option was stay-cations and while we love each other, we had enough of our own three faces confined to our four walls! Doors closed as the pandemic shut down the world.
Then came an open door! Our daughter who had moved out for her first year of college returned home and wanted to travel. That started something…a big something! When I asked her where she wanted to go, she said Utah. Utah boasts being the fourth most beautiful state—and since it doesn’t have a single shoreline—it must have something special. Anyone who has been there knows, it does! It really does!
We planned our adventures together: we hiked, and hiked, and hiked. We drank deeply of the beauty. One of my trip mottos was “Who needs sleep?!” One night we were out until midnight watching the stars in the desert of Moab, only to get up at 4 am to venture back out to watch the sunrise under the iconic Mesa Arch. I cannot express the pure joy I experienced on this trip with my husband and daughter.
This show is truly a family affair: my husband is showing photos plus paintings by me and my daughter! Besides experiencing a taste of Utah, I hope we transport you, even if for a few minutes, to experience a five minute vacation of your own.