Home Sweet Home

I'm home...heavy sigh :)

I love to travel...I really really do...

But I love coming home too.

I'm a little bit of a baby when I travel.

The Head of My Household would gasp at that statement.

Things that bother me (hotel room bathrooms, the way a room smells, etc.) just don't bother him.

Over the last 21 years, he's just learned to put up with my neuroses.

I need to know where my stuff is...

I need to have a place to put my stuff...

I need to have a room that looks and smells clean (I've seen all those 20/20 episodes)...

I need to have food (regular/normal food preferably) available at all times just in case I need it.

I need to know where I am and where I'm going.

I need a plan when I travel.

My friend Missie would gasp at this statement...not because the it is an understatement, but just the opposite.

I'm pretty laid back at home...but when I'm away, I want to know what my future holds.

I need to be able to relax.

and I need to not be exhausted.

I need to have some semblance of control...I don't have to make all the decisions, but I don't like the "fly by the seat of my pants" method of decision making when I'm in unfamiliar territory.
In other words, I'm not your "backpack across Europe" kinda gal.

While we had a great time in NYC, I learned on this trip that I'm not a fan of traveling in large groups.  We had 115 people in our group...55 of those people were teenagers.

2 of those teenagers were mine.
There were times when I felt like I knew more than the tour guide, and that in itself was a little scary.

We were planted right in the middle of Times Square also.

Can you say crowds?

Can you say tourist trap?

Can you say a mess?

Can you say long lines?

 I've been to New York 4-5 times.
The New York my kids experienced on this trip was not exactly the New York I had hoped for them.
They came away thinking New York is dirty, loud, rude and chaotic and so much different than their familiar surroundings at home...

 Um...Ahem...

 Anyhoo...

I'm going to take them back to NYC.
My Way!
At Christmas.
In time to see the Macy's Parade on Thanksgiving Day.
And the lighting of the Christmas tree and ice skating at Rockefeller Center.
The city all dressed to the nines in red, gold and green and sparkly lights.
To see The Lion King and Mary Poppins on Broadway.
And stay far, far away from Times Square.

That's how I first experienced NYC...
and it will forever live on in my mind as a city of magic.
I even have a shrine in my home devoted to that first magical trip :)

I'll share the highlights from our trip over the next couple of days :)