After a delightful week hosting my 14-year-old granddaughter here in Virginia Beach, the three of us drove to Truro on Cape Cod to meet up with her parents and sister from Michigan, our two sons and our daughter-in-law from Boston. We rented a beautiful house (pictures and stories to come) and had the most amazing week together. Nine people in a house out in the country, sharing every waking moment together, and not one cross word. No hurt feelings. No misunderstandings. In fact, we couldn’t get enough of each other and were very sad when the week was over.
Yesterday morning, our first morning back in our own home, I had this notion that if I duplicated one of our great Truro breakfasts, I could prolong that Truro feeling. Didn’t happen. I didn’t have the right chorizo or tortillas. I was out of cilantro, and I forgot to use the Sriracha chile sauce on the eggs. Most important, my son wasn’t the one making breakfast, and we weren’t in Truro with all our kids. We are back to reality, and it stinks.
Making breakfast tacos on vacation. Click to enlarge.
For years we all have dreamed about renting a house and spending a week together on Cape Cod, and this is the first time we were able to make that happen. You know how you dream about something and plan and plan and plan, and when your dream finally comes to fruition, you find that the experience doesn’t quite meet your expectations? In fact, sometimes you build it up so much that you are bound to be disappointed. Well, that didn’t happen with us. This past week was everything we had hoped it would be. In fact, I think it exceeded our expectations.
Of course, that makes it harder to return to our pre-vacation lives. But we have our wonderful memories and great pictures, and now that we know just how fabulous our Cape Cod vacation together can be, we will have to plan another one in a few years. Meanwhile, I’m really missing those chorizo and egg tacos my son and daughter-in-law made. I have a feeling that my son-in-law is, too.
Coming East 
How wonderful that it exceeded your expectations! As you already pointed out, that isn’t always (usually?) the case. Your breakfast tacos sound similar to something I make (although I use Soyrizo because I’m vegetarian).
Do you eat eggs, Robin? Mexican cooking is great for vegetarians because you can use beans and rice for so many things.
I do, Susan. It’s one of those things I can’t seem to take off the menu because I like them so much. Huevos Rancheros happens to be one of my favorites. I’ve been playing with Mexican food a lot lately (now that I’m almost out of my playing with Indian curries phase). 🙂
Since we lived in San Antonio for nearly thirty years, Robin, we developed quite a taste for Mexican cuisine. We make it pretty often around here, and many times we don’t use meat. My youngest son’s eggs are not to be equaled, though.
I’m so glad that your holiday exceeded your expectations, sometimes pipe dreams never get to reality or if they do, they tend to meet the real world a little much. There are foods and tastes that take me back to trips but it is never quite the same, is it? 🙂
No, it isn’t the same, Eye, but my pictures help a little, and phone calls from the kids.
It’s so true that vacations don’t always measure up to our dreams of them. I’m so glad yours exceeded your expectations. I can’t imagine my family on a vacation where everyone behaves. 🙂
I have to say, Shary, that I think my family is unusual about how well we get along. Mod course, it was only a week. Who knows what a second week would have brought!
What a great place and time you had! Think you could stand a short unexciting weekend visit from us?
Yes! How about next weekend? We need to get caught up on some things this weekend, plus I know you are going to want to spend time with your kids.
Breakfast tacos at Cape Cod? Now there’s a family with Texans in the group. So glad you had a wonderful reunion.
Ah, you know us Texans well, Georgette. And believe it or not, we found a fabulous Mexican restaurant in Provincetown!
Welcome Back. It sounds like a wonderful vacation. The memories made during family get togethers like that are so precious. I look forward to your future posts about it. 🙂
Thanks, E.C. I’m sure Truromwill give me several more posts.
Only tow things: Welcome back and tacos for breakfast? good lord!
OMG, GCB! You’ve never had breakfast tacos? You don’t know what you are missing! Come for a visit and I’ll make you some!
I’m so glad to hear you had a wonderful time! Where has the summer gone? Let me know when you want to get together again! How’s your foot/ankle coming along?
Foot is doing much better, Patti, but I can’t wait until I get this boot off forever. Maybe we could do lunch next week? I’m ready!
coming home is tough, so glad you had a delightful visit. Cape Cod is beautiful, but I am certain the view of family together, sharing stories and laughter beat the views of the ocean any day. The vacations sounds wonderful, glad to see you back and I love this post. DAF
Thanks, DAF. As Single Cell said, you can’t stay in that mode forever because it diminishes your enjoyment of it. Because those moments are so few and far between, they are all the more precious.
Glad you had a good time Susan. We rented a cottage with our kids three summers in a row and had a good time too, although I can’t say we managed without any cross words the whole time. This summer the kids did not want to do it and we really miss it.
Maybe the kids will want to again in a few years. Our kids are older than yours, and we don’t get to see each other very often.
Glad you had a good trip and sounds like the foot did not hamper your enjoyment at all. Look forward to seeing you both again.
Thanks, Al. If we didn’t live in such a great place, coming home would be harder, but I love Virginia Beach. Hope to see you and Patti soon.
My brother is heading to Cape Cod this weekend, I won’t even do the body count including the ages… let’s say that the kids easily outnumber the adults.
I really wanted to comment on the wine selections in your picture! Great shot to capture the love for sure 😉
What part of the Cape, Blue? It’s such a great place for a family vacation.
I’m not sure but I know the house they are renting this time will be bigger cause last year the well went dry!
I’d be interested in hearing where they stayed, Blue.
(Hope you weren’t holding your breath for an answer, ha!)
From some clues I pieced together from Facebook, I’m guessing Barnstable MA. I noticed it’s close to Sandy Neck Beach Park.
Barnstable is on the upper Cape, closer to Hyannis, on the opposite end from Truro. Nice community, though.
Welcome back, Susan! Your post cheered me up! Looking forward to seeing more beautiful photos of Cape Cod and your family.
Thanks, Amy. I need to get motivated to start writing again.
Welcome home. I suppose if we could duplicate those times, we wouldn’t find them as special when we lived within them. A good reason to savor the moment – glad you did just that!
Yes, that is so true, SC. But we still wish we could live in those moments more often, don’t we?
Absolutely. It’s what matters most.
So glad you enjoyed your week together. It must have been wonderful (wistful smile here). That was one of the things we always planned to do but it wasn’t to be. Still I can dream of the vacation but this time without my husband.
Judith, you always inspire me because you have faced one of life’s great sorrows and have come out strong. But I know there will always be moments, many of them, when that sorrow surfaces and seems overwhelming at times. My heart aches for you, my friend. And I celebrate these family moments because I truly appreciate that life is fragile, and we never know what lies around the next corner. I have heard that voice in your blogs many times.
Welcome home! Sounds like you really had a wonderful, perfect Cape Cod, Family vacation. It’s those memories that count, but keep trying the chorizo and egg tacos and when you get it down pat, let us blogger friends know the recipe. 🙂
I need my son to walk me through it, Dor. We’ll see them in Boston in October, so maybe he’ll show me. I suspect, though, that we need the Truro air to make it perfect.
I have goosebumps over all the joy this vacation provided for your family. We had a vacation like that 5 years years ago and the kids still talk about the fun and laughter. Life is good when we can savor those moments.
ps. Your son is adorable, more so that he knows his way around the kitchen.
So glad you had a similar experience, Life. Thanks for your comment about my youngest. He and his wife are gourmet cooks. Great to take on a vacation!
What a wonderful vacation you had! Anyone who can start a blog using the phrase “14-year old” and the word “delightful” in the same sentence has created a special family. I’m not surprised there were no cross words exchanged. I suspect that span of time is one that will create forever memories for all of you and spark the commitment to “do it again.” Awesome! Can’t wait to hear and see details, welcome back!
Your comment made me laugh, Carol. Spending a week with a 14-year-old granddaughter is a piece of cake. Raising one is another story!
Renting not raising …. that is brilliant!
LOL, Life! Renting means you can give them back any time you want.
I’m not familiar with Truro, but we vacationed on Cape Cod with friends a couple of years ago. What a beautiful place!! So glad that your dream vacation didn’t let you down. Sounds like a great trip: No cross words???? What a family!!
Truro is the wildest, most undeveloped part of the Cape, Dianna. It’s in the lower Cape about twenty minutes from Provincetown. The sign of a great vacation is one where everybody hates to leave each other and wants to do it all over again. That’s what we had!