I do not think I could name one specific memory of vacations from my childhood that would be able to answer that. We took family vacations, via the car (ROAD TRIP!), and thus I was able to see many states and visit so many different places of interest. I do remember that while travelling, we would eat cereal out of paper bowls, with milk that my mom had stored in an ice chest. For lunch, we would stop at an appropriate place to picnic and have sandwiches, and all that went with them. I remember the ice chest (in fact it is in my garage). It was a red "Coca Cola" ice chest, the old, sturdy kind made of metal. They don't make them like that any more.

At the end of our day, when it was time to search for a hotel, we always had to find one with a swimming pool and my poor father who had been driving for most of the time would take us swimming. We always got to go out to dinner, and I remember we were allowed to have soda!

There were several times that we made the trek across country, starting at California and after various stops along the way, landing in Indiana, where the majority of my parent's family resided. Inevitably, there would be huge family reunion, in which I would meet various relatives and eat good food. I remember "Uncle Carl", who in my mind was HUGE (tall) and completely bald. He let me ride on his shoulders and I don't think you could have found a happier child. "Aunt Minnie" was elderly and in frail heath, confined to a wheelchair and unable to communicate. For whatever reasons, I was enamored with her, and continually would run up to her and give her kisses. Her grin would spread from ear to ear.

I remember the sweet, white corn on the cob that my Great Aunt would make. Huge pots filled to the brim. It was one of my favorite things, even beating out the barbeque beef. I remember my Great Uncle, having a large garden, filled to the brim with all things fresh. We would eat green onions, as if they were red licorice. For whatever reasons, they tasted so good, and I didn't even like green onions back then. On either side of his driveway, there were many different varieties of peppers. My brothers and I used to have contests, seeing who could eat the hottest one, without going for a drink of water. In the evening, the big thing was catching fireflies. My Great Aunt would give us jars, with holes poked through the lids and we would catch them down at the end of the driveway, by the mailbox.

After visiting in Indiana, we would head on out to Florida to visit my Grandmother. The beaches where she lived were everything a child could dream of. We would collect all of the shells our bags could hold. It was a veritable treasure chest. My Mom was always the one who found the best shells, and I would imagine it was because she possessed patience, and the ability to stay focused and search for them. When she wasn't busy making sure we were safe. The water was so clear that you could see all the way to the bottom, and it was nearly as warm as bath water.

Even though I can't pin point one particular vacation that was better than any other, I have enough memories to last a lifetime. This is what my husband and I are striving to do with our children. Perhaps some day, they will share the same type of story I am sharing with you here, to their own kids. If I'm half as successful as my parents were, my children will be very lucky indeed.