Scrapbooks love vacations

I wish I had the scrapbook gene.

Lots of my friends do. They create these glorious, lavish scrapbooks with all kinds of cool layouts and embellishments to remember the major events in their lives. I, on the other hand, have only ever managed digital scrapbook pages. And only then because there are really cool digital scrapbook programs that cost less than $30 each and require you to simply drop pictures into an already designed page and do a bit of journaling.

That I can handle.

But I decided that I want to create a real album for my husband and my first ten years together. This is partially because I would like to give traditional scrapbooking a try and partially because all of our photos from that time are (gasp) actual photos and the idea of scanning them all in (even if my scanner was working) makes me want to pass out.

About five years ago, I did the laborious task of sorting through those first ten years of pictures and putting them into labeled envelopes with the date and event. Apparently, I had to go take a nap after that because that's as far as I ever got.

But in pulling out all those envelopes again, I've discovered that pictures--at least for me--fall into one of three categories:

-- Holidays
-- Major life events (birthdays, weddings)
-- Vacations

And really, vacations is about 80% of them. It appears we do nothing noteworthy in the slightest the 345 days a year when we are not vacationing. :-)

It's fun though, this nostaglic look at vacations past. So I thought it would be fun to note my top three favorite vacations from the first five years of marriage. If my scanner was working, I would even include pictures. But alas, Miss Scanner is a finicky girl.

3. The great California trip

Back in the late 90s, my husband and I took a weeklong vacation in California with another couple. We flew into LA and did the Tinseltown routine (and Rodeo Drive) and then drove up the coast to Carmel. We ate at the Hogs Breath Inn which Clint Eastwood owned at the time (perhaps he still does) and then stayed the night in lovely Monterey. Then it was up to San Francisco for three days where we did Fisherman's Wharf, saw Phantom of the Opera and ate. A lot.

2. Grand Cayman

My husband actually won this trip through his work! A week at a gorgeous resort on Grand Cayman. This was the first trip we'd taken in a LONG time where I wasn't obsessed with work. (I actually took my laptop on our honeymoon - no lie.) We sprinted across the Miami airport trying to catch our flight... which left five minutes EARLY even though they'd been alerted to our airplane's delay... but managed to get rerouted on Cayman Air. I hate to fly. I'd rather walk, but the Cayman Islands are, well, islands. So that wasn't really an option. One thing I will say is that Cayman Air served us Cayman punch (I think it was called) out of a gallon jug in these little plastic cups. And it was GOOD. Turns out it was also laced with Cayman rum. Live a little, learn a little. Anywho... we ended up having a nice flight despite the chaos. My favorite memory is sitting out on our balcony with the scent of barbecue floating into the air and chilling out to the sound of steel drums.

1. San Juan, Puerto Rico

This is hands down my favorite vacation ever. We stayed in a bungalow right on the beach with a hammock outside the door. We ate Monte Cristo sandwiches and ate luscious seafood and watched the waves crash over the rocks outside our favorite restaurant's window. I also managed to get a horrific sunburn while snorkeling and spent two solid days on our covered balcony with John Grisham (in book form, not the real deal). But it was still by far the most relaxing and wonderful vacation EVER.

What about you? What's your favorite vacation ever?

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