I was just remembering... When I was 6 my father passed away. We didn't have any exteded family to speak of so it was just the 3 of us. We didn't have a lot of money but every summer my mother made sure my little brother and I had at least one special trip. We would go to the Zoo or to visit a tourist attraction, or to visit a friends cottage on the lake. Always the 3 of us with the neighbor lady and her kids. Always no more than 2 hours away (because the neighbor lady got car sick) and always fun!!! Day trips can be as memorable as the 2 week vacations to a far away place. It's the spirit of the trip that counts. So many great memories.

I am also sometimes surprised when my grown children talk with the most fondness of the day or weekend vacations we took as they grew up. It just goes to show that it's the quality of the time shared that makes a difference.