Last year Christmas was spent in the hubby's hometown of Chicago. This year was planned out to be our trip to SoCal/NorCal to have Christmas with my family. During our time of figuring out if I was going to be a SAHM (when I was still working) I made sure we had double what we would need saved up for THIS trip alone. Round trip across the states is pricey, plus food, shopping, going out with friends.... We had it planned out to spend 2 whole weeks out there. See some sights because the hubby has never been to California, travel back and forth from SoCal and NorCal to see all of the family, and maybe have a couple nights of a getaway for just the two of us.
Now there is a 50/50 chance that we will be stationed to SoCal come next summer. After thinking about and discussing it in detail with my hubby, he left it up to me to decide if this trip would take place. While we have had plenty saved up to do so, I started thinking more along the lines of the hassle it would be to make that trip with the 4 of us. The fact that we could save up a bit more and go out there for a month next summer. The fact that this is our first Christmas together as a family (last year our oldest was with his dad), and the fact that this is Mikey's very first Christmas. Did I really want to go through the hustle and bustle of holiday travel? Not really. I honestly felt that it would place disappointment on my family as well if I told them my decision. I was torn. Last month I finally got up the nerve and told them that I really felt more comfortable with being home together (here in NC) for our first Christmas as a family. And the reaction I received was quiet opposite of what I had imagined in my mind (remember I am a pessimist more times than not). Of course they were sad that we were not going to be there, but to my amazement they supported my decision full-heartily. They know the cost, and the heartaches travel can cause (especially with young ones) and they were proud that I decided to put our little family first. This gave me a huge sense of relief.
This upcoming weekend we had it planned out to go to DC as a family as daddy runs in the Marine Corps Marathon. Then we went through the schedule of events he has to attend that are not exactly family friendly. Saw the cost was going to be over $300 to just board the dogs and the hotel, this did not include gas, food, that shopping that would definitely occur, parking, or going to various attractions. We came to the conclusion last night that the kids and I would stay home and he would carpool there with a group of other guys, crash with them, and carpool back home. Turning a $500-$600 weekend into a $100-$150 weekend. While I'm sad that I will not be there to cheer him on at the finish line and take a million pictures, he has promised me a few pictures of it all. :) I am so very proud of him for doing this and that the Marine Corps Marathon is the first one he will run, but as he said, it will not be his last. :)
When it comes to picking and choosing what to do together as a family vs. the dent it makes in our wallets I am quiet happy with the choices we are making to lower those costs and sticking to the budget I have created. If all goes as planned, by the time we PCS next summer, his vehicle will be paid off, my vehicle will be more than halfway paid off and we can enjoy ourselves to the max with travels and new experiences.
