As if the stakes were already high enough

Today we booked our next family vacation.
I am extremely excited even though it is 209 days away.

I am excited for two reasons. The first is obvious. In 209 days I get to go away on vacation. The second reason is that I am hoping that this vacation will be very different from those of years past.

We enjoy to vacation as a family, however I have previously limited the type of vacation to something that focues on the kids rather than hanging out at the beach or pool. Some may think that this is because I am such a good mom, but the truth is that I have sought vacations that limit the amount of time that I spend in a bathing suit.

This year however I plan to make use of every pool, beach, hot tub and ocean that I come across.
I will lay outside and read a book laying on my lounge chair instead of hiding in my cabin.

I will not make my husband seek approval for every picture that he takes and I will hate everyone else at the pool and beach who is smaller than me.

So the stakes are raised, I am bathing suit bound in 209 days and I will be ready. I may not be at my perfect weight by that time and I may still not love my body, but I will be proud of the progress that I have made and I will not hide in the shade.

I have a dress packed away in a closet that I wore 8 1/2 years ago when my husband and I cruised for our honeymoon. I wore that dress during the formal night. I would love to pull out that dress and bring it with me for our trip. Even better I would love to pull out that dress and it be too big and then have to go out and buy a new dress, but lets not get ahead of myself . . . one day at at time.

I am off to the grocery store to pick up some more fresh fruit and vegetables. I am also going to purchase some protein powder as I enjoyed the breakfast smoothie that I made earlier this week.