I can’t believe no one has mentioned this.
You are cranky because you haven’t been able to exercise because of your foot. Once you’re able to exercise again, those endorphins will be flowing and the other issues will recede into the background.
I do hope you start feeling better and can enjoy the time with your family, but I totally get how the pressure and anxiety sometimes just don’t feel worth it. Do let us know how it went when you get back.
OK, I’ll beat you up a little…poor thing. The beach just stinks, all that sun and sand. And I hate free stuff, and not being able to work!!
;). Once you take off, you’ll exhale and enjoy it. Just suck it up and have one of those umbrella drinks on the beach, while you dig your toes in the sand! Before you know it will be over…
It is really easy to get all caught up in work drama and work stress and second guess yourself for taking time off. I know I do the same thing but I also tell myself that life can be short and family time will be fleeting. At the end of the day I know that I do not want to be the person with the regrets that I would’ve, should’ve done something… such as relax and enjoy myself. Stay out of the sun… there are lots of shady spots and less crowded pools to enjoy. Bring lots of good books. We always rented condominiums when our kids were younger and always brought a brand-new 500 piece puzzle to work on. It is a also a favorite snowstorm activity.
OP, I can relate. We’re going on a vacation in a few days to a place that wasn’t my choice. DH and the kids plan to golf and surf. I don’t do either activity. I’ve loaded my iPad with books to read and packed my walking shoes (because my goal is to beat my friends in our fitbit challenge). It will be interesting to see how much DH will be able to stay disconnected from his phone/email. With wifi available everywhere, it’s tempting to keep checking in.
Before you know it, your kids will be off on their own. Our oldest lives and works a few hours away and hasn’t vacationed with us in two years. I hope your next post will be a recap of a wonderful family vacation.
I no longer ski, H no longer skis, but somehow we ended up going skiing with two other families for a week. I could do this for 3-4 nights. 7 nights is going to be trying. And because skiing (we have 2 kids) and the rental place is so expensive I cannot go to a spa day or shopping. I have to vaca on the cheap while everyone else has fun. But I plan on trying to figure out how to make it fun. I will be that glass half full person.
Ok, I’ll try. My DH and I are workaholics. When the kids were little, we never took vacations. But then I thought back to my childhood, teen years and even after college graduation and I realized that much if my happy family memories came from our twice per year trips. So I commited us to do some type of trip once or twice per year. Spend time bonding and exploring another country and culture with your kids. They will definitely remember it after you are gone.
I’m sorry about your foot. I hope it feels better soon.
The island non-adventure vacation is probably the best thing for your foot. You can sit on a beach, read a book while resting. And if temps are high, I’d prefer to suffer on the beach over the asphalt and concrete city.
I understand the competitive workplace environment. I had a boss who fostered that type of attitude - thank goodness I outlasted her. I work to live, not live to work, so I turn off the phone and never read email on my vacations. That’s MY time, not the company’s. (I’m also probably not as far along in my career as you but everything has a price).
My biggest regret this year is not having the big vacation before my daughter goes off to college. It’s lost opportunity to relax and have fun with the whole family one last time.
Go and (try to) enjoy!
If people at work insist on hearing about your vacation, really play up the family togetherness aspect. That will make them jealous and also have them questioning their own priorities regarding whether is it “better” to hike the Inca Trail so you can tell everyone about it vs. hanging out and bonding with your husband and kids. Then, they will be thinking about themselves and their mind will be off of your vacation. Really, people just want to think about themselves 
This might sound silly but I do believe it is true.
I would suggest getting as much benefit out of the hurt foot as possible. Make your family serve you, bring you drinks, adjust your beach umbrella, etc.
I just got back from the Caribbean so let me address the temperature. We were next to the beach and there was a wonderful breeze everyday. In fact, it was even a tad chilly at night. I was rarely too hot while there. Between the breeze and finding shady spots on the beach, we were fine temperature-wise.
Focus on your kids during your time away. They will fly the coop all too soon.
So, you want to get beat up? Let me tell you about my recent “vacation.” H failed to get out of work. I drove (only driver) 11 hours with 3 kids to my hometown (boring medium-sized midwestern city) to visit my elderly parents. I cleaned my dad’s house, took him grocery shopping, visited my dying mom in the nursing home, etc. Stayed indoors mostly due to daily heavy rain/flooding.
Tried to go to a concert which was cancelled because musicians couldn’t get there due to storms. Went to a local art museum one evening–we were in the basement at closing time and got locked in (briefly). Spent a very sad Father’s Day with my recently-widowed s-i-l and her kids. The last day I was there the weather cleared. Kids guilted me into taking them to an amusement park/water park. Spent 12 hours at the park with a migraine/no medication. Next day I still had a migraine. Visited mom one last time. Drove 11 hours back to my house.
Feel better now? 
(I would LOVE to go to the beach! Enjoy!)
Oh no, atomom, that is AWFUL! Not a vacation, but a chore.Now you need to go on vacation after that “vacation”!
atomom, there is an awful vacation thread.
Thanks–I posted here before I saw that one. . .maybe I’ll just copy this one over there. I have a couple more, too.
If they have the same current as the US - save money by packing a Magic Bullet, buy rum and fruit locally, put them together, puree and relax!
Sometimes I have a moment or two of feeling bad about my chilhood. I remember only once that my family had a vacation. I was around 8 yrs old. A simple cottage on a lake ,sis rushed to the hospital for wasp bits and a strange memeory of my Dad explaining how not get out of a sandpit.
No other vacations.
yet we travee
Our Kids traveled as much as we could monetarily.
Just don’t do rum shots and chicken in cream sauce on the flight back.