Due to some commitments Grandpa had here in town, we were unable to take the grandkids out of town for a week-long vacation as we had hoped. We had discussed taking them to the Keys fishing and camping or staying at a family motel we are fond of, but it was not to be this year.
Instead, we invited them to spend a week with us and promised a variety of day trips and a weekend of camping. I had another weekend of plans in the back of my mind, but after three adventures during the week, Grandpa and Grandma were ready to rest!
I think this qualifies as a "Staycation," even though we did spend quite a bit of time out of town. We have a pool here at home, a park just a few blocks away and a lake behind the house that is brimming with fish, birds and other wildlife. We also have a computer that is a designated "kids' computer" and a room they can call their own, complete with TV and video games.
Since they spend every other weekend with us, they are accustomed to the rules and our early-to-bed habits. They enjoy grocery shopping with us and even pitch in to help around the house with small tasks, especially if there is some financial incentive.
Our granddaughters are teenagers now, the oldest hit 17 today and they are not really interested in spending time with us these days. They quietly sit and "text" their friends most of the time they are here, politely answering any questions. At least, they are not rude to our faces. Fortunately, their Uncle is "way cool" (or "sick" as they now say), so they enjoy an escape to his place in Orlando for a weekend here and there, now that they are grown-ups. The boys were perfectly happy to stay with us knowing their turn with Uncle would be forthcoming.
Planning a week with two extremely different boys is difficult, but fortunately, they each enjoy seeing the other have fun and they know their turn will come. The trick is keeping everything in balance so that everyone has some fun and we don't totally wear out.
The real challenge is finding something to do that you can enjoy in August, in Florida. Usually, that means being outside early morning, or late evening, in the water or sticking to indoors activities. Indoors activities that are fun for kids are not that easy to find, but we did enjoy quite variety of activities during our week together.
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