So last week a few of you were wondering why my ten year anniversary plans involved a FAMILY vacation - two parents, two kids and a dog.

Well, the dog - has never been to a kennel. And I've tried but the one time he was left overnight at the vet's office they called me bright and early the next morning saying that he had been barking non-stop and they were going to have to sedate him if I couldn't come right down. He doesn't really bark unless he's locked up or tied to a run. But vacationing with him might be negotiable because I could go the pet sitter route but haven't really looked into that yet. We once asked my husband's aunt to watch the dog but it was a nightmare. As in...she left the dog in the cellar unattended for fourteen plus hour stretches and he barked so much he lost his voice. That was a relaxing phone call to get from our neighbor three days into our vacation.

And then there's the big question of who'll watch the kids. My parents don't watch my children unless I am absolutely desperate. Not because they are mean and horrible grandparents and I fear for the kid's safety, but because they don't really WANT to. Ever. And they never come out and actually say it, it's way more passive aggressive than that. With lots of audible sighing and statements like "Well, what will they eat if they come over? - we don't have anything they like". And because attending parent teacher conferences is a guilt ridden experience and my kids have obviously never even spent the night with my parents...well, a week away is unimaginable.

And my inlaws, well, they watch my nephew. All the time. And we do not allow our kids to mix with the nephew unless we are there to directly supervise. He's a sneaky little menace. And so, even if we ask two weeks in advance and they say yes - my sister in law will call up two hours in advance and they'll tell her yes and then call us to say that L. the nephew is coming over too and because J. (husband's sister) has to work, well, that takes preference over our plans. Which is a little (okay, alot) maddening. There is no way they would tell her to find someone else to watch this boy while we were gone. No way. And they are scheduled to watch the nephew (unless J.'s work schedule changes at the eleventh hour, which it does and then we feel guilty because the inlaws finally get a night off and who are we to be honing in on it with babysitting requests) on both Friday and Saturday nights so quick overnight weekends away are pretty much out too.

This bothers us. But not as much as you think it might. Sure, sometimes it's bad with the favoritism from the inlaws and the lack of interest from my parents but in actuality we either get over it or create one of those never ending family squabbles.

And so, with the intent of a vacation being A.) one where we actually vacate and B.) gaining some peace of mind - we will travel together. Plus I would miss them terribly.