I hate to say that I’m getting in a rhythm of running this blog, but it feels like every year around this time I start getting pretty over work and in need of a vacation. Mrs. Money works at a school so our vacations often coincide with the school calendar, meaning that the first week of April is a great time to get out of town for a little vacation. During vacation, I really enjoy writing, and so with the extra spare time I often sit down to write and the first blog post normally is around vacation reflections. Here’s the one I did last year at this time – last year’s trip was to the Caribbean. This year I’m focused on similar things – and it appears I’m still trying to learn some of the same lessons I was learning last year!

Tiny House Adventures

When it came to planning our trip this year, we once again looked at the Caribbean – we had a blast last year but unfortunately this year things were looking pricey. Segundo Money Finance is still just under 2, meaning infant in arms (free!) was still an option. However flight prices were quite a bit expensive and we just weren’t sure we could pull it off. Mrs. Money and I are planning a big trip to Italy this summer, and our normal Marriott points stash wasn’t as available for a spring break trip. We also looked at some beaches in Florida and South Carolina and it appears everyone was looking at those places too – and hotels / houses were just crazy expensive!

Instead, we ended up in Tennessee – a great spot to go just not the normal fun in the sun we are used to doing for this time of year trip. As readers of the blog may know, during the covid pandemic we bought a tiny house lot in Tennessee and have been going through the process of getting it built (slow progress for sure). We decided we’d head up to the community and although our lot is still an empty lot, we stayed in a nearby neighborhood – also tiny houses. We’ve stayed up here once before and had a blast. There’s just something refreshing about a minimalistic vacation – 400 sq ft is plenty! We also headed to Dollywood – the amusement park owned by Dolly Parton and full of her personality! We went over Christmas – because once again sunny Florida was expensive – and it was one of those where for “$1 extra dollar you get a season’s pass” and we said sure let’s go for it. (Note – it was more than a dollar but that’s how good of a deal it felt like!). So fun time in Tennessee for us!

Pausing seems a bit harder

I’m not quite sure why but I’ve had a harder time slowing down and switching off this trip. I suppose it’s because over 2022 things for the most part got back to normal in this post-pandemic world. Mrs. Money and I have tried as best we can to keep our pace a bit slower and not get back to the 100mph life we felt like we were living in 2019, but I would still say that things are busier than they were last year! Also maybe now that the two kiddos are definitely no longer babies that my stress level and general busyness has gone up. Also the ‘economic headwinds’ are definitely starting to take a toll on me – thankfully I’m still employed but I have plenty of friends that have gotten laid off this year. Inflation still feels very much here and things are expensive!

But vacation is still good

I left my work laptop and phone at home and that feels oh so nice. It’s taken a few days but I do seem to be unwinding and relaxing. It’s definitely a muscle I haven’t flexed in a while – and one that requires practice. But having little to worry about aside from what hike or what roller coaster we’re riding next does help the unwinding. Going for a walk and reading are great things that I’ve gotten to do too. No matter what slowing down looks like for you – it’s still a worthy cause to figure out how and where to slow down in your own life!

Worries will still be there when I return

I think in years past I’ve been very focused on mentally slowing down – almost like a reset; trying to re-figure out my life and come home with a new outlook and plan. This year I think I’m finally just calling it what it is – a vacation. I’m not going to rethink my whole life, I’m not going to come home with a whole new plan, I’m going to come home to my normal life (which is really good, to be fair) and I’ll have plenty of the same headaches and worries when I return, but that’s how life is – it can be a grind but it’s the grind we’ve chosen – even people living at the beach full time have their own grind! So for the time being, I’m good just slowing down and resting!

As the Old Dominion country song “Make it Sweet” goes – life is short, make it sweet!