Family Vacation
I’m going on vacation with my family, ALLLLL 23 of us are renting a big house on the beach. Have you ever done something like that? Any advice on what works best for big groups? Did you set any house rules? We’ll range in age from 1 to about 70 something! I want to come back feeling just as good about them as I do now. ALSO, any suggestions for great card games or group games…that lots of people can play? Mitzi
July 29th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Just ENJOY!!! Don’t get stressed, stay cool & loose - DON’T try to wait for EVERYONE…it will never happen - if you want to do something - do it!!
Remember - they are your family - you didn’t pick’em and you love them no matter what!!! (and vice versa)
Have a safe trip -
Thanks so much! I bought a new float for the water and I plan to use it! (along with my 70 sunblock!) Mitzi
July 29th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Oh my yes many of times down in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. After the first couple of times my Brother was tired of dragging their kitchen down the highway because EVERYONE JUST LOVED my sister-in-laws cooking, and she was very well known for always cooking for an ARMY. Well after a few years of that everyone ASSUMED she was going to do the cooking every year, lunch and dinner, breakfast everyone was on their own because everyone got up at different times.But the cow bell rang for dinner everyone would meet and eat and walk away with a full belly off to sit on the beach or take a nap, and guess who did the clean up, us that cooked. Finally my Brother and sister-in-law had enough arguments everytime we were packing to go and he was packing the kitchen up and having to take two vehicles to drag the kitchen down the highway behind one vehicle and a boat or jet skies behind the other. My sister-in-law was tired of missing out on her relaxing fun beach time because she was always preparing meals. We had two large beach houses after the first year we accumulated a few more each year as people found out about the good time, but ours was always the MESS HALL, yes MESS HALL. So she finally said to the whole gang after about 5 years of that that, meals are going to have to be shared as far as preparation. They got together a few times and made a list of whom was going to do what meal, and thats make it and wash dishes. Its amazing how some people think they are on vacation and take full advantage of someone cooking their meals and cleaning up after like a resturant every family has those people. So that finally got ironed out after my Brother finally said he was not going anymore because the packing and unpacking twice over did not make the vacation a vacation, too much work, plus he would either pull a boat or jet skies for some additional entertainment at the beach. The planning of the meals worked a few times, but then it was changed to families or groups do their own meals because then you ran into people who wanted to go out to eat or were off doing other things. Then we planned one huge dinner during the week and everyone had something they made for the meal and everyone was going to clean up, that all worked out great we were all together for one vacation meal, the assigning of meals turned in to that one was spending more than the other ya da ya da ya da. Its suppose to be a vacation not a chore. Samething with people wanting to go off on days and do things and not hang out at the beach house beach. People would say what they were doing and what time they were leaving and whom wanted to go be ready. For Example I would get up every morning and go walking along the beach which I Love so much to do, I said that the first day I will be doing that every morning anyone whom wants to join me come on down. By the end of the week I had about 6 or more or less walkers going with me. So for that reason too it was best that each family or group did their own meals because people were coming and going at different times. Make certain you take along things to do if mother nature decides to water you especially if theres a number of children, we designated one room as a play room for the little ones. As for showers, if a bathroom was open its yours for your time, but it was made clear that you clean up after yourselves, that includes picking up your clothes and leaving the bathroom nice for the next person to use. Beverages, pop, water non-alcoholic drinks, everyone put in a certain dollar amount according to the number in the group for a couple of years, but that was the hardest thing to figure on because you have kids/adults that would open something and take a sip out of it and then leave it, to much waste. Then we tried everyone bring their own, but then you have the issue of someone wanting one of your soda’s or water’s because it was more convenient at that time. Now thats the non-alcoholic drinks, the Beer and other was another issue, we tried the BYOB but then you still had those that would ask to have one because it was closer than theirs. Then tried the keg of beer, but again that was a little issue too. So the beverages were always somewhat of an issue everytime, but your on vacation and you have to try and work it out so theirs no bad feelings and everyone has a good time. So really Mitzi it all depends on who drinks what and how much etc. Big Beer drinkers should make sure they bring enough for them. We went and bought a few of those buckets for frozen Margueritas etc and would take turns on whose Happy Juice we would use when we made them, others that drank other stuff would bring or go buy their own. Like I said its a vacation its suppose to be a fun relaxing time for ALL, but theres going to be those times when you have a big group together for several days people get on edge at times, you really learn and see alot about people that you have known for years. Its interesting and fun. But theirs those kind of times too sometimes when you only get together for one day at holidays. But all in all its alot of fun. Remember the sun blocks, lotions, aloe, ibuprofin, first aid kit, fire extinguisher. Its cheaper to bring your own than to have to buy it in a tourist area. Make sure you know where the nearest Hospital or Urgent Care facility is, ya never know just in case its better to know ahead of time. I am just going by what I know we came across in the many years of doing the beach house vacations. Many many good time memories and lots of pictures to look back and remember.
Miss those vacations !!!!!
Have a Great Time, I know you will!!!
Funny that after all the things you discussed…you remember it so fondly. Thanks so much! Oh and we already know where the hospital and orthopedic doctor are!!!! The last time we went there, Kelsey broke her arm in THE WATER! Thanks for sharing your family trips with us….and I know that we will have fun! I have the Center, Left, Right game packed…..and we play a game called 99. It’s a card game that basically you add the face value of cards …..but you can’t go over 99. Everyone that can add can play! I think it’s how we learned our numbers as kids! We will play as a big group, it gets loud and fun! Mitzi