In Cancun...

...we had a home away from home for about a week.

...we extended our summer as it was starting to get chilly in the north.

...we had a hammock in the balcony of our room, where we spent some time enjoying the morning sun and the ocean breeze.

...my little boy had a blast!

...we spent a lot of time at the pool,

and the beach.

...we played hard, 

and we bonded a lot.

...we made so many good memories,

...and we celebrated a very important day.

Family vacations are very important to me.  I make sure we include it in our budget every year--at least one long vacation and maybe one or a couple short ones.  Going away rejuvenates me.  It keeps me sane.

Growing up, our family didn't have the means to go on nice family vacations.  My parents worked all the time and I don't recall them taking any time off other than when we had to make short trips to attend weddings or some special events.  On summer breaks, my siblings and I helped with the family business or with some relative's business.

To my parents, vacation was luxury and something they can only enjoy when they retire.  To me, vacation doesn't have to be luxury.  There are so many ways to get away without spending too much.  I don't want to have to wait until retirement to enjoy and see places, because what if I don't live long enough to be 65?  What if I'm not healthy enough to travel then?

I want to do what I can now.  And if my husband and I are blessed with healthy senior years, then maybe that means we'll just have to travel more. :-)