It was decided in a spur of the moment fashion that my parents and I would go to Seaside, Oregon during the last week of June. My dad has been craving a vacation and loves the beach, my mom loves to fly kites on the beach, and I knew I would be out of a cast by the end of June and if I don’t have to go back to work, why the hell not?

I invited Diego on the trip so we can strengthen our relationship. He said yes and it should be fine to get the time off of work to go. We are planning on taking one car down, my Kia Sportage, since it’s a SUV and would be roomy enough for everyone. We are gonna share a hotel room, but the room has 2 double beds and a pull out couch, so there’s enough room for everyone. The room has a view of the ocean and a full kitchen, so we don’t have to eat out too much.

I invited Diego on the trip because he not only loves my family, but he is funny and fun to be around so he would add the perfect amount of spice to our trip. I am just excited I will be out of a cast and can crunch my toes in the sand. We’re going to eat a lot of good food and it’s gonna be a good time.

The last time I went on a family vacation, my mom was not sober and was a drunken mess. I am excited to create positive memories where the end of the trip was good for everyone, whereas last time, the end of the trip was much needed to escape a bad reality.

I am not worried about my mom’s sobriety now like I was 7 years ago, which is good, but I don’t remember the last family vacation, well, minus my older sister, that we have had where there wasn’t alcohol involved. I have done day trips to Portland with both my mom and my dad since my mom became sober, but never have 3 or 4 of us gone on a family vacation since mom became sober.

My parents have done trips to the beach without the kids, but trips with 3 of the 4 family members haven’t happened in over 5 years, which is crazy to me. I think it’s important to build our relationships up and try new things together. Now that my sister and I are in our twenties’, we must realize that our parents are in their sixties’; they aren’t getting any younger. I want to make the most of the time we have with them while they are still around.

My sister and I have a very complex relationship, so I would imagine even if we invited her on the trip with us, she wouldn’t go. I can’t name why that would be, but it just is what it is. We will all have fun despite my sister and her husband’s absence.

We have less than a month until go time. I better start making a list of everything I need to do in order to accentuate my beach body! LOL just kidding. I don’t give a shit about a “beach body” because every body has a beach body. Just some peoples’ shapes are that of a lopsided potato, like my body is, or that of a hourglass with abs, which is not me. Either way, I embrace my looks and am content with them.

Much love, ya’ll. Duty calls.

Dani