I totally agree with this. I don't have that many family memories from when I was younger. I still remember my parents promising us they'd take us to Chuck E Cheese and then bailing on their promise. (It was probably for a very good reason, but to an 8 year old...) We didn't grow up with fancy things, but I never missed them. Some of my fondest memories are from the crazy wackjob things my loony grandma and I used to do (one time we built a huge birdhouse and then tried to put up a telephone pole portion with it on top.... does anyone know exactly how hard and HEAVY those blasted poles are?? needless to say, it was an interesting experience.) I want my son to be like his dad - to look back on his childhood and laugh with his siblings (and us parents too) about all the great times he had, whether it's playing in the mud outside, going to the swimming pool, or visiting Disney. This is one reason I'm so anal about starting traditions in our family. I didn't really have that many in my family, and most weren't special things with fond memories, but instead were just the way we did things every year. (my mom hosting Easter dinner, etc) I want special traditions - I see DH's family laugh and smile about their memories from childhood and I feel left out and sad. I don't want my children to grow up and feel how I do now, so I try to make things special and fun -- not just for my son, but for me too (yep, I'm guilty!).


Hence the $84,000 trip to Tuscany with the private villa and tour of Michaelangelo's home estate ------- only one package available. Or the $50,000 trip to Kentucky for the Derby, complete with shots from some rare uber-expensive scotch, a pass to the horse stables before the race and an invite to the winner's party after ----- only one package available.

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We are big into experiences which don't cost a lot of money, like camping and going on hikes and such. We have too much stuff and this year we talked with the kids and decided that for Christmas we would buy tickets and go and visit Grandma and Grandpa for a couple of weeks instead of buying them Christmas presents. The gifts break and they get tired of them but the trip to Louisianna to visit grandparents created memories that will last forever.

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:love: married to dh 7 years
ds 6, dd 4, dd 3, dd 1