Funishment. It’s not a term I created, but I like it, and we
will use it often from this point forward in our house.
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| What vacation looks like to three small children. |
- It’s pretty. Really really REALLY pretty right now, if you like that snow-everywhere-frozen-woods look.
- It’s inexpensive. Who wants to go NORTH in the midst of the coldest season of the year? Deals abound as a result.
- We have (crazy fit) friends there, and we see them about once a year.
Shortly after this offhand comment, I received a text from
Mr. T. simply saying, “I ROCK!” When I responded with inquiries, I received the
same response. “I ROCK!”
Mr. T.’s well known among our friends to have this knack for
finding a deal—wetsuits hundreds of dollars less than retail, shoes significantly reduced in price, and (my
favorite) a bicycle for less than half the price of retail have found their way
into our house. In fact, I don’t believe we’ve ever bought a major piece of tri
gear at retail price.
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| What vacation looks like to the parents of three small children. |
So I wasn’t too surprised when he finally revealed the
reason for his newfound greatness: he found a last minute deal on an indoor
water park attached to a hotel in Duluth. We decided immediately to tell the
kids about the trip but to leave out this particular detail. They only knew we
had a swimming pool in the hotel. Mr. T. may have even told the six-year-old
that she needed to prepare herself for a teeny pool.
He’s mean like that.
Parents who have ever planned a surprise for their kids know
that there’s nothing like the look on their faces when the surprise smacks them
right in the face. Big eyes and plenty of gleeful giggles rewarded us after a
7-hour trip together.
This trip served, as other vacations have, as a great way to
push the re-set button. We both recently read Jesse Thomas’s column entitled
“Family First” in the most recent issue of Triathlete.
We love Jesse Thomas. He’s smart, witty, and honest. He’s a pro-triathlete, CEO
of a small business, husband, and dad. So we value the wisdom from the lessons
he learns and shares. His particular column talked about the value of having
goals for family and putting them first.
Nothing quite tests the bonds of a family of five like
staying in a hotel room together, sharing beds, and traveling 360 miles
together with three kid-sized bladders and two highly caffeinated adults. This
weekend felt like we took a big step in the right direction in preserving our
family and making some fantastic memories.
And we had an extra bonus. As stated earlier, we have some
uberfit friends near Duluth, so when we take the family trip, we spend time
with our extended triathlon family. Friday night we fueled up with two of our
favorite couples, and then Saturday afternoon Mr. T. and I took turns watching
kids and running with a couple that’s notably faster than we are and engaging
in the aforementioned funishment.
- We both walked away from the weekend having accomplished some important goals.
- We made some great family memories.
- We tested an element of our fitness and walked away sore but accomplished.
Breaks matter. Time away from the normal routine matters. I
remember once reading that family vacation is an important part of family life
because kids can see Mom and Dad in an environment than the normal routine.
They see us having buckets of water dumped on our head at the waterpark and
navigating a city together or snoring next to them in a bed seemingly built for
one and a half adults.
Mr. T. has a bigger week of training ahead, and we get to
celebrate a 7-year-old’s birthday. But we can handle it. We’re driving home
tired but revived and refocused. Mission accomplished.
