Cottage family vacation

We recently came back from a week's vacation at a rented cottage near Bancroft, with our friends Andria & Kevin and their 1 year old twins. I've longed for a cottage of my own for a long time. I love the idea of having a place where we can vacation every year. We'd spend the winter looking forward to early July when we'd pack up the car and head down to the lake for a summer of fun and relaxation. We'd spend our days swimming, lounging in the sun, and enjoying bbq meals. On rainy days we'd curl up in our PJs and watch movies or play board games. On weekends when friends and family would visit, we'd drive into town for an ice cream cone, or to shop in the local tourist boutiques. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?





The cottage we rented was a perfect cottage, in my opinion. Warm cedar siding wrapped the exterior, the interior was entirely covered in wood paneling and hardwood flooring. A wood burning stove in the living room, I imagined would keep us warm on those chilly fall nights. The kitchen was functional, but nicely done, with a dishwasher and a large table. The cedar deck over looked the lake below. The water was sandy bottomed and shallow, perfect for swimming with the little ones.





The days melted into one another, in a mix of sun bathing, swimming, cooking and eating, reading, lounging and sipping pina coladas while babies slept. Our days started off with leisurely breakfasts, enjoying coffee on the deck. Mitch would take Joel down to the lake to search for fish and splash around. Mieka would play with the twins in the playard on the deck while Andria and I sunbathed.


It sounds relaxing, and parts of it certainly were, but in reality I was more exhausted coming home from the week, than before we left. There were some rough patches, mostly dealing with trying to get Mieka to sleep in an unfamiliar environment, and Joel's explosive meltdowns and misbehaving, which all took their toll on me. And here's the thing about cottage vacations, someone has to do the cooking (thank you Andria!), and cleaning, change diapers, entertain kids, put them to bed and wake up in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, most cottages I can afford don't come with a built in housekeeper/nanny.

I did enjoy spending time with my dear friend, and it was nice having the kids together, since Andria and I don't see each other that often. I know in a couple of years they'll really be able to play together, splashing into the water or exploring the woods together. I look forward to more vacations with her family and being able to see how our kids have grown each year.

That being said, the all-inclusive family vacation isn't sounding so bad. What do you say Andria, how about that Disney Cruise?