My husband and I are coming up on our eight year anniversary next month, July 16th to be exact. Every anniversary we’ve had, has been totally different than the one before. Our first anniversary, we were stationed in California which was 1500 miles away from our families in Texas. So, we spent that time flying to see them, eating our old wedding cake, and frantically trying to see all of our friends in a short time. Needless to say it was hectic!
The next few anniversaries were also while we were stationed in California. We celebrated by visiting new places in Southern California, cramming as much as we could in. Then my husband got sick, so we spent a couple in and out of hospitals (read more of that here). The last few years, we haven’t been able to celebrate since my husband has a very tight work schedule forcing him to work at odd hours and days.
So, for our eight year we wanted to do something special. We’ve spent weeks trying to find the perfect place to go, and then it hit us, the perfect place to go was home. Yes, we will be celebrating our anniversary vacation at home! July is going to be so busy, so we decided do it in June so we can really have a stress free, low key, enjoyable time. Bonus, we will even be knocking out some stuff on our Summer To Do List!
Here is how we will be preparing for our staycation and what we hope to do 🙂
1. First, prepare for this little vacation like you are really leaving home!
- Clean and tidy up the house so it will be inviting to hang around in, plus I don’t want to have to do that while we are taking some time off. I want to make sure all the laundry is done, rooms are clean, and the house smells crisp and refreshing.
- Plan out your meals beforehand and grocery shop!
Now, on to what we plan on doing. We want this to really feel special, so many things we are going to do are things we enjoy on a destination vacation→
2. Make some awesome breakfast!
- This is one of our favorite things when we travel, so I want to recreate it at home for a few of the days. Huge homemade waffles one day and maybe some fancy omelets with the works on another.
- Enjoy it leisurely too! On vacation, you usually linger over breakfast forever reading or talking, so we will be doing that as well.
3. Enjoy some activities in your town that you don’t normally get to do or love to do!
- We will be going to the drive in movie, the zoo, dinner at a nice restaurant, antiquing, and golf.
4. Picnic in the backyard!
- Pack a picnic basket with a fun lunch and have it outside! We actually do this often, but not formally with the basket and blanket.
5. An awesome themed movie marathon!
- We are huge movie fans and we love having marathons involving a certain theme. Like 80s movies, war movies, black & whites, or even a series. We don’t always get the chance to just sit around all day and night to do that, so this is the perfect opportunity to camp out in the living room, make a ton of snacks, and watch hours of movies back to back (without feeling guilty since you’re on vacation 🙂 )
6. Lay out in the sun or by the pool, just be lazy!
- The epitome of vacation for me is lounging around in the sun with a book, not doing much of anything…so we will be doing that often! Some pool time, catch up on reading, and sit on the back porch with a book!
7. Hang out under the stars and lights!
- Stars, fireflies, and outdoor twinkle lights are my favorite summer combinations! We will be enjoying some of that with a fun drink like this slush or this float! Just enjoying the summer night 🙂
So, those are all the elements of a relaxing staycation for us! Spending quality time with your spouse is so important, and I think a staycation is the perfect chance!
I’d love for you to follow on instagram so you can see what we are up to next week 🙂
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Are you going on vacation anywhere this summer?
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Alexis is an investigative chemist sharing her expertise in cleaning, skincare, gardening, and home hacks. She personally tests out products like the best skincare products or home products then shares not only the science behind how it works, but also her personal results. She is the mom of two living in Texas with her husband. Find her on Instagram for fantastic videos, tips, and behind the scenes.
Great idea. Sometimes we’d rather stay home together for a date than go out somewhere. I think #1 would be key. Get all that done ahead of time, so you don’t feel like you ought to be doing it!
You’re right! That is the key for me otherwise I can’t relax if things need to be done inside!
Such a great list. As much as I love to travel – I also love my home. I agree with making special breakfasts, there’s just something about having a nice breakfast!
Us too! We love traveling, but it can be stressful, so with all the health problems going on, we decided this would be best! And yes, breakfast is the best meal!
Aw. These are awesome tips.
I think the idea of a stayvaction is awesome. And I agree that breakfast is one of my favorite things on vacation!
Thank you! Breakfast is just so awesome when you go on vacation!
That bulldog! Oh my goodness!
My grandaddy has one. They are so cute!
They are really precious! Ours is a handful, but we love him 🙂
Hi Alexis! I love your staycation ideas – sounds like a lot of fun! Getting the house all spiffy-ed up first is a great start! I’m sure Ruger will love having you around – other than the pool and the slide, what else would he be doing with you?
We don’t have any vacation plans per se. Hubs will be heading to the East Coast for a work and baseball thing (he has a goal to visit all the major league stadiums – this year is Atlanta). I will hold down the fort with the Golden Retriever – she can’t be kenneled or left with others. I do enjoy having time to myself when he’s gone – a cleaner house (wink wink), my kind of meals, and especially the remote control! LOL.
We do have passes to take a glass blowing class and to take a chocolate factory tour, locally. We have to schedule those. We bid for these at our local food bank auction recently. Maybe the Gilroy Garlic Festival in July?
A chocolate factory tour sounds like so much fun! You will have to tell me how it goes! We plan on taking Ruger to the drive in movies with us if he is on good behavior that day 🙂 And for sure lots of park time with him! He loves the park in the mornings when it is nice and cool.
That is so neat your husband wants to visit all the major baseball stadiums! But your right, having alone time is sometimes a vacation in itself! I will be sure to do a post on all the things we end up doing! Have a great day!!
What a great idea! I keep a list of local places to visit….making the time and actually doing it is another thing. This is the perfect way to make it happen.
I’m the same way! I have a long list of things to go do, but I never get them done! I’m hoping we can knock those out for this vacation!
Oh yeah I so get this, it is nice to have a holiday at home, I like the breakfast ideas, as that is something I enjoy when I am on holiday nice breakfasts
Breakfast is always so much fun on a vacation!
Great ideas. My sister in law found some tiny solar powered lights and has them draped over all of her shrubs in the back yard. At night it is magical. Thanks for sharing during the Thursday bloghop. Sue
Oh cool, I need to find some of those! Ours are electric, but solar would neat to add all over the yard! Thanks Sue!
I love this! I’ve always been a big advocate of “living where you live” and treating your location as a vacation destination. I love the ideas of cleaning up first, preparing meals, and star gazing.
By the way, I’d love to have you post on my new blog hop—The Weekend Blog Hop at My Flagstaff Home (www.myflagstaffhome.com). It begins on Thursday evenings and lasts through the weekend, if you’re interested.
Jennifer
Thank you Jennifer, I would love to join your blog hop! See you this evening!
I love hanging out at home with the boyfriend but he’s a big traveller so we’re usually off somewhere for special occasions. Great ideas, especially a nice picnic in the back garden and i wish it were warm enough in the UK to hang out under stars. Another fun activity is to grab some porcelain paints, a couple of heart shaped plates and get painting, we’ve had loads of fun getting creative 🙂
xxx
Bobbyanne
PromisingBeauty.blogspot.co.uk
That’s a great idea! We love DIY projects, so that sounds like fun! I’m glad it’s warm enough to be outside, but in Texas sometimes it is too hot so we have to wait until night to do anything! Have a great day!
Alexis,
These are some great ideas! A vacation really is a state of mind. Thank you, so much, for joining the #funsummerfinds linkup!
Shellie
http://www.thefabjourney.com
Thanks Shellie! You are right, it is definitely a state of mind!
Home is often the best place! Have fun – and find even more attractions in your locality.
You’re right, home is sometimes the best place to be 🙂
What an awesome way to have a staycation. I could actually picture everything you wrote. Love this and hope that you and your husband have a wonderful anniversary. Nice meeting you over at while I’m waiting. 🙂
Thank you so much! We are really looking forward to it 🙂 So glad to meet you too, thanks for coming by today! Have a great weekend!
Hi Alexis! First off, “happy anniversary!” Never ever forget to celebrate that. And what great reminders that we can definitely enjoy ourselves at home and take a “vacation” any time we want. My favorite is #3 because there are ALWAYS things right where we live that we can enjoy if we take the time. Have an awesome Staycation! ~Kathy
Thank you Kathy! It’s funny how many neat things we’ve discovered so close to home, we look forward to enjoying them 🙂
What a great idea for your anniversary! I hope you have a wonderful time on your stay-cation! Thank you for linking up to Summer Family Fun! Hope to see you on Tuesday at 8pm!
Thank you so much! I will see you again Tuesday 🙂 Have a wonderful week!
Sounds wonderful! Congratulations on your 8 year anniversary too! I’m sure you will have a great time on your staycation!
Thank you Pamela!
Awesome, awesome ideas!!! Happy early anniversary – I hope you guys have a great stay-cation! Looking forward to following along on IG! 🙂 Thank you for sharing with us at Waiting on…Wednesday! Hope you’ll link up again tomorrow!
Holly @ http://www.iwillservewhileiwait.blogspot.com
Thanks Holly! We are enjoying it so far 🙂 I will see you tomorrow at the link up! Have a wonderful day!
Sounds absolutely perfect, Alexis! I believe you and your husband will have a beautiful time together and may you have a most delightful anniversary 🙂
Thanks for sharing these wonderful ideas with Roses of Inspiration. Hugs to you!
So far, it has been wonderful! Thanks Stephanie!
I love the idea of a staycation! Definitely getting the house in order ahead of time would be crucial for me….only way I would be able to actually sit down and focus on our time together. Hope you guys enjoy it and Happy Anniversary!
I’m the same way! I cannot sit still if things need to be done 🙂 Thank you Shelly! Have a great day!
Okay, your dog is the best! Great post! Thanks so much for sharing with us at the Creative Inspiration Link Party!
Thank you! He is definitely the cutest thing I know 😉 Have a great day!!
These are great tips- I am all about being a tourist in your own town. Love the breakfast idea!
Thanks Keri! The breakfast thing is definitely one of our favorites so far 🙂
My hubby and I also go away every year for our anniversary, and I remember the year we did the exact same thing, we stayed home realizing it was the perfect place! Love your ideas of what to do! Thank you so much for sharing this on MMM! So glad that you came! See you again on Sunday night! 🙂
Cathy
It really has been so much fun, I am glad we decided to do it! Thanks so much Cathy, and I will see you Sunday!!
This looks like such a great, relaxing & low-stress plan! I hope to be able to plan a staycation like this some day. 🙂
I am featuring your post this week at Tuesday Talk.
It was so much fun Emily! I’m so glad we got to do it! I will be recapping soon all the fun things we did 🙂 Thank you so much, see you at Tuesday Talk!
Some of the very best vacations are staycations and your ideas are great! I also really love your dog! 🙂
Thank you! You’re so right, they are some of the best vacations! Aw thank you, he’s a sweetheart 🙂