Dani Leigh Photography

Last week was a rough week for me, I was just completely wiped and the thought of even coming up with something to blog about that didn’t come across as whiney and sarcastic was going to be complicated so instead I whined on facebook and lo and behold, you gave me blog topics so I didn’t even have to think. My readers are the best!! This week we are going to get to some of those awesome ideas! If there is ever anything you would want to see on this blog, you telling me is the best way to get it here. My friend Janice recommended this topic. Good one, Janice!!

Walt Disney World 2001 (maybe 2002, I am solely basing that off the fact that I think I got my braces off in 2001 and think this was that year, maybe) was my favorite childhood vacation. I am just going to say it bluntly: I think this is the first vacation that I realized I really, really, really loved my family. Yeah, yeah, go ahead, judge me but I was totally one of those bratty teenagers who thought family vacations were a drag unless you could bring a friend and have AIM at my fingertips 24/7. Can you admit that? Didn’t think so. I was great at being a social butterfly and spent a lot of time hanging out with my “friends” in those years just wanting to be more independent. But something for my clicked this vacation and I think it was around this time that I stopped being that awful, 100% bratty, sassy teenager and actually enjoyed spending time with my family.

This was the first vacation my family ever took that required us to fly on an airplane. It was a big deal. Melanie was probably 4 and looked so small in her seat. I slept the whole flight and in the van all the way to the Wilderness Lodge. It has become more clear to me these days that I have always had sleep issues considering this was high school years and I didn’t sleep through the night.

It was a cool vacay for Brett, Daren and I because we got to do cool things on our own, just the three of us. While the rents and Melly went to Epcot, we got to go to Blizzard Beach! By ourselves. And boys talked to me! And it was ok because my parents weren’t there! And I got to hang out with my brothers for the first time out on our own. Weird feeling of independence. Responsibility too because Daren was still pretty young. (CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW SKINNY I WAS??? Jesus! Come back, skinny! And where is that bathing suit!?)

I think by the time we got home, I knew more about every member of the family than I had before leaving and I think it really solidified all the love I have for them. And made me think that hanging out with my bros could be cool! SO COOL! It is amazing to think you grow up and actually like hanging out with your siblings enough to go on Eurotrips together when all you can think about when you are younger is the day you can get away from them.

I have a pretty amazing family and there isn’t a day that I do not feel fortunate and so tremendously lucky to have them all in my life.