Weekend Getaway - Without the Kids
Memorial Day Weekend Getaway without the kids - Whaaaaat??? (LATE POST)
Since we've had the boys, we have not gone away on vacation without them as much as we would have liked. I can't believe it's been about 7 years since it was just hubby and I. We love our boys. Don't get me wrong, but this vacation was way overdue. As a special needs parent, it's never the "right time" to get away for too long. The mom guilt kicks in. We didn't completely unplug from my kids. We called them daily, but it was nice to be able to do what we wanted, when we wanted without having to cater to someone else's needs. To some it may sound selfish but what it truly is - SELF CARE. See, we cannot be someone's support system if our own foundation is cracked. Which means, whether it's an hour to get a mani/pedi or a spa day or a getaway, we all need some time to take care of ourselves. We too, need. Need to be cared for, need to relax, need to be carefree even if it's only for a few hours or a few days.
I read a quote the other day "If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans." Boy did I make a lot of plans when I was a kid. God sure had a good laugh for a while. It's not that we shouldn't make plans. We shouldn't make plans and expect it to happen verbatim. Nothing is set in stone. I planned to be married and have children. I planned to have one boy and one girl. I did get married, I did have children but I had two boys and one of them with special needs. See God made an amendment to my plan. I'm pretty sure he's not quite done. So I make adjustments as needed along this journey.
This weekend we went to South Beach. I have not been to South Beach since before the kids were born. I will say, it's totally different at 43 than at 23. Long gone are the days of drinking and dancing at the club, on the beach with more drinks - rinse and repeat - 4 -5 days in a row. Ah, what a difference a couple of decades make. Don't get me wrong, I am not old. I have matured.
The last time I visited South Beach it was before iPhones, Facebook and Instagram. I had a pager (possibly a flip phone) and wait for it.... disposable Kodak camera. Which meant you had 12-24 chances of getting that selfie just right. Taking the film to the drug store to get it developed was always a delightful surprise! You either caught the best moments OR your camera was jacked up and didn't get not one. single. shot. Technology has come along way in just 2 short decades. However, I am forever grateful that the only proof of my younger years are on Kodak paper. None of it is living in the "cloud", disappearing on Snapchat or being brought up on Facebook memories. I'm ok with that.
Visiting South Beach now at 43 brings a new kind of fun, joy and excitement. No it's not the crowds, nor the clubs. It's enjoying the beauty in everything. I've always loved the sound of the ocean, the sun warming my skin as I hear the waves crash on the beach. The salty smell of the ocean mixed with the coconut / sweet smells of suntan lotion with my feet digging in the sand and the soft breeze has always been intoxicating. That never gets old. This time around, we wanted to watch the sun rise, meditate and doing yoga on the beach, spending quality time with my honey parasailing or enjoying delicious food and drinks. Taking in the art and different parts of the city are the things that makes this experience enjoyable.
We had an amazing time despite the weather not being cooperative. It rained most of the time. There went the beach plans - no yoga, no sunrise, no parasailing. We did walk on the beach nonetheless and got into the pool for a little bit. We did make the very best of it. The first night we went to dinner a Pubbelly Noodle Bar - amazing food! It was so nice to have a date night and eating a meal without having to think about everyone's food aversions. After dinner we took the trolley to Lincoln Road and walked down to Ocean Drive. We strolled the streets. Thankfully it wasn't raining and there was a nice breeze flowing. We took in all the art deco hotels made popular in part by Scarface. We headed over to Wet Willie's for some drinks - the iconic Call A Cab. And yes, we did have to call one after!
The next day we walked on the beach again, followed by a little pool time until it started raining again. We made our way to Lincoln Mall and then headed to brunch at Habitat - again, delicious food. Soon after we decided to head down to Little Havana. Glad we did! We wandered into the shops, bought some cigars, a Panama hat and a lady's guayaberas for yours truly! Live music was playing from Ball & Chain - couldn't resist! Two for 1 Mojitos, live music and queso frito - what a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. After a couple of hours we headed to Wynwood Walls to explore the outdoor artwork. Simply amazing.
Our time was brief in Miami but it was just what the doctor ordered. Quality time with my hubby, exploring and just enjoying each other's company. He said in Miami I was his girlfriend. Back home I'm his wife and "baby mama". LOL. Lesson learned: Don't wait another 7 years to go away. We will try our best to getaway at least once a year or every other year. Can't wait to plan the next trip.
Since we've had the boys, we have not gone away on vacation without them as much as we would have liked. I can't believe it's been about 7 years since it was just hubby and I. We love our boys. Don't get me wrong, but this vacation was way overdue. As a special needs parent, it's never the "right time" to get away for too long. The mom guilt kicks in. We didn't completely unplug from my kids. We called them daily, but it was nice to be able to do what we wanted, when we wanted without having to cater to someone else's needs. To some it may sound selfish but what it truly is - SELF CARE. See, we cannot be someone's support system if our own foundation is cracked. Which means, whether it's an hour to get a mani/pedi or a spa day or a getaway, we all need some time to take care of ourselves. We too, need. Need to be cared for, need to relax, need to be carefree even if it's only for a few hours or a few days.
I read a quote the other day "If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans." Boy did I make a lot of plans when I was a kid. God sure had a good laugh for a while. It's not that we shouldn't make plans. We shouldn't make plans and expect it to happen verbatim. Nothing is set in stone. I planned to be married and have children. I planned to have one boy and one girl. I did get married, I did have children but I had two boys and one of them with special needs. See God made an amendment to my plan. I'm pretty sure he's not quite done. So I make adjustments as needed along this journey.
This weekend we went to South Beach. I have not been to South Beach since before the kids were born. I will say, it's totally different at 43 than at 23. Long gone are the days of drinking and dancing at the club, on the beach with more drinks - rinse and repeat - 4 -5 days in a row. Ah, what a difference a couple of decades make. Don't get me wrong, I am not old. I have matured.
The last time I visited South Beach it was before iPhones, Facebook and Instagram. I had a pager (possibly a flip phone) and wait for it.... disposable Kodak camera. Which meant you had 12-24 chances of getting that selfie just right. Taking the film to the drug store to get it developed was always a delightful surprise! You either caught the best moments OR your camera was jacked up and didn't get not one. single. shot. Technology has come along way in just 2 short decades. However, I am forever grateful that the only proof of my younger years are on Kodak paper. None of it is living in the "cloud", disappearing on Snapchat or being brought up on Facebook memories. I'm ok with that.
Visiting South Beach now at 43 brings a new kind of fun, joy and excitement. No it's not the crowds, nor the clubs. It's enjoying the beauty in everything. I've always loved the sound of the ocean, the sun warming my skin as I hear the waves crash on the beach. The salty smell of the ocean mixed with the coconut / sweet smells of suntan lotion with my feet digging in the sand and the soft breeze has always been intoxicating. That never gets old. This time around, we wanted to watch the sun rise, meditate and doing yoga on the beach, spending quality time with my honey parasailing or enjoying delicious food and drinks. Taking in the art and different parts of the city are the things that makes this experience enjoyable.
We had an amazing time despite the weather not being cooperative. It rained most of the time. There went the beach plans - no yoga, no sunrise, no parasailing. We did walk on the beach nonetheless and got into the pool for a little bit. We did make the very best of it. The first night we went to dinner a Pubbelly Noodle Bar - amazing food! It was so nice to have a date night and eating a meal without having to think about everyone's food aversions. After dinner we took the trolley to Lincoln Road and walked down to Ocean Drive. We strolled the streets. Thankfully it wasn't raining and there was a nice breeze flowing. We took in all the art deco hotels made popular in part by Scarface. We headed over to Wet Willie's for some drinks - the iconic Call A Cab. And yes, we did have to call one after!
The next day we walked on the beach again, followed by a little pool time until it started raining again. We made our way to Lincoln Mall and then headed to brunch at Habitat - again, delicious food. Soon after we decided to head down to Little Havana. Glad we did! We wandered into the shops, bought some cigars, a Panama hat and a lady's guayaberas for yours truly! Live music was playing from Ball & Chain - couldn't resist! Two for 1 Mojitos, live music and queso frito - what a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. After a couple of hours we headed to Wynwood Walls to explore the outdoor artwork. Simply amazing.
Our time was brief in Miami but it was just what the doctor ordered. Quality time with my hubby, exploring and just enjoying each other's company. He said in Miami I was his girlfriend. Back home I'm his wife and "baby mama". LOL. Lesson learned: Don't wait another 7 years to go away. We will try our best to getaway at least once a year or every other year. Can't wait to plan the next trip.
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