We leave for Mackinaw City a week from tomorrow. I'm starting to panic. Last week, I had a dream that we didn't even pack until the morning we left, and I couldn't find everything. I keep worrying that I'll forget something. This is the first time I've ever gone camping without the help of having some sort of family camping with me.
I just keep worrying that I'll forget this, or that, and be stuck without something we really need.
My list is growing by leaps and bounds, and it's all bare bones stuff, in my mind- things to cook with, things we'll need for sleep, toiletry items, our clothing, etc.
I called my bank- I have $850 in the account, and I'm waiting on a $25 cash out from the 24th from Gather. At this rate, I don't think it will arrive in time to be transferred to my bank account, so I am not counting on it. When it does arrive, I'll transfer it.
I've been going over the costs. I posted about them before, but I'm just finalizing stuff now, because otherwise, it's going to be panic time, ya know?
So- I paid up almost half of the campground fees already. We owe $52 when we arrive.
I have some groceries items (mostly snacks, plus cereal, and pancake batter/syrup) to take with me. I had budgeted out $100 for groceries, but there is no way we'll spend anywhere near that much. I did a list of things I want to buy, and came out under $25- and that was adding it in with higher costs, because the costs will likely be more up there. I dropped it to $50 for that budget.
I am giving the kids each $20 to spend. Chris has $5 on top of that that he earned when he was at his Grandma's house. We're going to attempt (once more) to have the yard sale this weekend. If we do, the kids have both soda & water to sell, and will be able to split the money from that towards their spending money.
Gas is up higher now than what I imagined it would be. I did my estimates using gas at $2.50/gallon, back when it was only $2/gallon. I estimated low on miles per gallon, to be safe, but I don't know if my $100 will be enough. That's what I have in gift cards. I'm allotting an extra $25 towards gas money now.
We want to visit the historical parks- that'll be $65 for a family membership.
We will visit Mackinac Island- that'll be $99.25 for me and 3 kids to get there, ride a 3 hour carriage tour (broken up into different chunks, not 3 hours straight!), and get back to main land.
I want to take them to St. Ignace. The tourist attractions will run us $25 even for 3 attractions for all 4 of us, so it's pretty cheap.
It'll cost $5 to cross the bridge twice ($2.50 each way).
So... counting all that, it's going to cost me $381.25.
Ok... now that I'm seeing the numbers, some of the panic is lessening. See, we need to get the van fixed before I leave. There's an electrical problem- we have tightened it, but after a bit of driving, it happens again. We figure the screw, or what it is screwing int, is stripped.
The problem, though, is that if it stays loose, the van dies. Sooner or later, we won't be able to tighten it enough to keep it running, and I have ZERO interest in being stranded somewhere over 200 miles away.
The money to fix it will be coming out of my budget, so we need to keep my trip cheap. If we can't get it fixed, Nick said I can take the prizm. That means I can pack less stuff (I have a list complete with an * next to things I can forego that take up too much space, such as the bed that goes under my air mattress, the TV for the kids, etc- stuff we don't need, but would make it easier).
The plus side, though, is that if I have to take the prizm, I will easily keep at or under my original $100 budget for gas, because it gets much better mileage than the mini-van.
The panic over the money is mostly gone. The panic over what I'll do with 3 kids, and no hubby, stuck in a tent for 6 nights... well, that won't leave till we're on our way home. I expect bumps along the way, and some bickering. But, they usually are pretty good when I take them camping, so I'm hoping for the best.
rate
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 27
You'll do great, as usual. :) What we should be worried about, is if you take the prism (which is kind of what I'm counting on at this point), is whether or not my escort will get me to and from work every day... LOL. I'll manage, even if Mike gets stuck taxying me. :) You guys are going to have a lot of fun!
That's my thought, too. I will try to poke by Jeremy's before leaving today. He has some buddies over, but he always does.
We relied on the taxi-service of co-workers for the better part of 4 months when we were in AZ, and Walker's truck died on the side of a mountain road (ever tried pulling over when the shoulder of the road is a @#$$%ing cliff, no guard rail? ACK!! That's Arizona, for you!). We had a whole carpool thing going. I used my MyPoints to send our main driver a $25 gift certificate from Shell, to pay for gas. Then we got a new (well new to us) car, and soon after I went back to Canada. Our main driver had problems with his car, and Walker returned the favour, being his taxi for a few weeks. As long as you have dcent co-workers, I'm sure there'd be a "taxi" there for you somewhere, Nick.
As for us, THANK GOD we live in Guelph! :) There are busses, and taxis, and limos everywhere for us to use, so we'll never be stranded again. :)
You are going to have so much Fun Heather, it will be so worth all this stress and worry. I can't wait to see all the pictures and video's when you get back. You have thought this out very, very well and its going to go perfectly, I just know it!
I am going to try and bring the laptop (if it'll fit), so I can post some photos during the vacation. Not sure, though, yet. Depends on the vehicles! If I do, I get free wifi in parts of the campground, but not the part where I'll actually be putting my tent (i picked the cheap section- it's $10 cheaper per lot, but no wifi, and no lake view- which to me, means it'll be warmer!).
Hey, its a vacation sweetie!!! Enjoy it first lol. We will be here when you get back. However, I will be on the lookout for your pictures if you do choose to post them during your trip. I think its extra cool that a campground would have wifi!!! How far is the walk to the section with WIFI?
I will definitely enjoy it!
I think the nearest wifi is at the pool (it's on Lake Huron, but the lake is cold well into August, so, pool instead), so while the kids swim, I can do some gathering. Originally, I was hoping to be able to use it at night to chat with hubby, but that won't work.
It's going to be great! No worrying, ok? Can't wait to read about the excellent time you guys had!
I'm trying not to- I can't wait, I know we'll have fun!
I often have nightmares about travelling right before it's time to leave. They are too real for comfort, that's for sure!
Ugh...yard sales. I missed out on a good one over the weekend. It was in a neighborhood that has very expensive houses. In the driveway was the "Mystery Machine" from Scooby Doo! It really looked just like it. I wanted to stop (we passed by a bunch of times during our errands) but we just didn't have time. I really need to have a yard sale too but I really don't want the hassle. We don't live in a good traffic neighborhood so I'd have to post signs and with my luck they will blow down in minutes like they did the last time we had one (we had the highest winds of the year on the weekend of our last yard sale and they came without warning).
You are going to be so busy! Your vacation is going to be lots of work!! But it sounds like it will also be loads of fun.
Just remember that if you forget anything you can always pick it up at a store. I always try to make lists, but I'm still afraid that I'll forget to add something important or cross it off before adding it to the packed stuff then forget to add it. I drive myself insane with worry. I've only actually forgotten things a few times and mostly it's things I don't really need that bad or things I can buy later.
I wish you luck on your trip and I can't wait to see and hear how it went!
I'm going to Maryland by myself for a week or so. I will have all three kids and no Jason in a house with VERY expensive antiques and other items that were collected from all over the world (one item in particular was sought and aquired after long hours and lots of money- and it's my younger son's favorite thing in the house. That one is going in a closet!). It's going to be great, but very stressful. I might be lucky to get in a shower here and there, and a few hours of sleep a night. I need at least 7 hours of sleep and a shower a day to be a nice person.
I think what I'll wind up doing is packing according to the type of thing- like toiletries first, then anything we need from the kitchen, then clothing, then bedding, then fun stuff. That way, hopefully I can stay organized. Otherwise, I tend to just grab things as I see them, and that's where the problems arise (did I pack that? I think so... Maybe not... Huh...).
It sounds like you and Nick have a plan A, B and C, so relax and enjoy the preparations. I hope you do get that yard sale up, and that the kids earns lots of spending money.
I too am in a packing mode, and I will be writing our to bring list today. It will not be nearly as long as last year, as we won't be camping this year.
I hope you guys have a great time, and you can get some relaxing in before baby E comes to visit!
I would relax and just get ready at this point. Gas prices are something you can't control, and what will be, will be. Have a great time on your trip, it sure sounds like fun.
I'm not too worried about gas- I was just hoping to get by for "free", since I had $100 in gas cards I earned online ;)
I hope that you have a great trip! I am a worrier too when it comes to vactions. Have fun and enjoy!
Sounds like you have everything all planned out and under controll so try to relax, it sounds like it will be a great time!
HAVE FUN!
Just try to keep your mind on all the fun you'll have :-)
Ummm...Spanks. You left the kids home. (Not a bad idea, huh? LOL!)
Oh, boy, don't tempt me! ;)
It sounds like you have a handle on your plans. I wouldn't know where to begin a camping trip, but I'm good at co-ordinating a lot of other things. LOL I remember the trips that Mom used to plan for us, and she went through a lot of the same planning stuff you are going through. We had a trailer, though. I did see the picture of your tent, and feel that tents have come A LONG WAY since I was Rae's age. :) Your tent, and electricity, and bedding etc. sounds like the tent-trailor we had at that age. You have some pretty high-tech camping equipment there, and you really sound prepared for this trip.
Tents have indeed come a long way. They are a lot bigger, lighter, easier to put up, and roomier. We had an old canvas tent, but it was horrible.
I want a trailer some day :)
We had a little tent in the back yard at the cottage, where my sister and I would have our buddies over for sleepovers. This was from 1986-1992, so you can imagine how far tents have come since then.
In 1992 when my parents separated, Mom and I bought a new car and a tent trailer. It was pretty cool. We went to Thunder bay in that thing, and had loads of fun. A few years later we bought a regular trailer, and went to MO in it, and then a few years after that Mom and Dave bought a bigger trialer.
The secret is, never buy 'em new. They're cheaper! Dave is handy, and knows what to look for, to make sure that "used" doesn't mean "piece of crap" and if there are problems, he knows how to fix 'em. Mom and Dave still have the second trailer, and use it all the time.
I had a good enough time camping when I was younger, but I much prefer a hotel. LOL
I drool over them in Craigslist all the time! That's my goal, to buy a cheap used tent trailer first :)
Trailers are a pain....tent camping is much more fun. We always went camping for vacation...I had never been in a hotel/motel until I was a senior in high school.
Have fun and enjoy the trip!
You'll be fine Heather...and you'll have a lot of fun. A disposible camera (try Big Lots) for each of the kids would be well worth it too.