This year we hadn’t planned on taking any vacations. My husband spent the last 8 month without a job, so we don’t have a lot of money to use for a vacation right now.

So we decided instead to create a vacation atmosphere at home.

The purpose of a vacation is to spend time with your family away from the daily troubles and pulls of life. It give everyone a chance to get to know each other on a deeper level. It also refreshes you so that when you do have to face the world once again you’ll be ready.

well I got to thinking and decided that if we couldn’t take a vacation, I would just have to create an atmosphere that was vacation like.

It hasn’t cost very much, and it seems to be working.

I just put up a pool we already had. Made sure to stock up on bug repellent and marshmallows. Bought a few lawn games on Amazon using gift cards I earned from SwagBucks. My mom brought me some lawn chairs she wasn’t using anymore. I also bought a tiki umbrella for $4.99 from Rite Aid which really add to the whole vacation feel. And that’s basically it for stuff.

The most important part is also the most challenging part as well.

We had to turn on the vacation in our minds when we went into the backyard. We had to kick out the nagging to do lists concerns of life and just be with each other. You would be surprised how hard this is to do at first. Going on vacation at your home means forgetting that the phone is ringing or your neighbors are screaming.

When we go into the backyard it is our vacation, and that works for me.

(On a side note, it turns out we will be able to take a vacation after all, look for complete documentation of my road trip here July 24-28)