Ahhhhh....vacation!

We just got back from a 3 day get-away. It was vacation for the kids and me but work for hubby. He likes having us along though. We like tagging along, especially when the hotel is paid for! We went to beautiful Panama City Beach! The place we stayed in was right on the beach: Sandpiper Beacon. It is a big spring break destination for the college crowd, but everything had been freshly painted. No evidence of crazy goings-on! But let me tell you, I KNOW why they call it the Redneck Riviera! Whew...

Annie said about this place, "This is the best hotel we've ever stayed at!" And she's stayed at some pretty nice ones! Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Gaylord in Orlando...The reason? the lazy river. Not because the decor was top-notch (it wasn't) or because it was brand-new (nope). She LOVED playing in the lazy river. It was small and it was indoors but it was fun!
Our room was quite nice (again, nothing fancy!). We had a two-room suite with three beds and a pull-out couch, so everyone had their own bed! (yey, no grumbling!) It also had a kitchenette which was great for breakfasts, drinks and snacks. We liked being on the top floor because the view was great!

Despite the view, the pools, the beach and the hot tub, THIS is vacation for Tommy:


He did manage to go out for a few runs. He is training for his first triathlon and Michael had hoped to do an open-water swim with him, but alas, there were jellyfish and both Tommy and Annie were stung. They looked more like jelly-worms. We saw quite a few of them washed up on shore. Strange looking things...

We did enjoy the beautiful sand and played around in it quite a bit. The water too was the perfect temperature and so clear. Darn those jellyfish!

I relaxed and enjoyed myself, but I'm in no rush to return. Not my cup of tea, I guess. I prefer the Atlantic, murky water and all!

Keys to Fighting Fair

1. Replace “you” statements with “I feel” statements.
2. Don’t say “You never…”, “You always….”, and “I told you so…”
3. Don’t dredge up the past in the current argument.
4. Really listen.
5. Don’t say things you’ll regret later. (accusatory things).
6. No name calling or cursing.
7. Watch your body language (eye rolling, etc).
8. No disallowing the other person’s feelings. Understand that how you feel is more important then how they intended it.
9. Figure out how your partner handles anger.
Sheila: needs time to cool. Can’t think clearly.
Michael: wants to talk it out, discuss the problem.
10. Don’t go to sleep angry.
11. Your partner cannot read your mind.
12. Don’t say “NOTHING”. You can say, “Yes, something is wrong but I don’t want to talk about it right now.”
13. Pick the right time to discuss things. (not right as you are walking in to church).
14. Don’t add fuel to the fire.
15. Diffuse anger with humor when appropriate.16. Say, “I’m sorry. Do you forgive me?” when it’s your fault. Own your share.
17. Be forgiving, kind.
18. Don’t hold a grudge. GRACE! (This eliminates scars and bad memories in your memory bank.)
19. Go to God to grumble and complain about your spouse; do NOT call your mother or even your best friend.
20. Look at your own part in this. “Log in your own eye before the speck in the other’s”
21. Expectations can set up for failure.
22. Hurting your spouse hurts yourself. (“The two shall become one flesh”)
23. Self-talk (a running conversation in your head). Can be from Satan. Causes discontent. Take every thought captive.
24. Ladies, be aware of what time of the month it is. You may be being particularly sensitive when at other times it wouldn’t bother you. Guys, you be aware to!