With two kids out of the house and mostly on their own, the prospect of a family vacation seemed to be a relic of the past. Not that we had many of them once our son (the elder of the two) reached adolescence. Getting three of us together in some combination frequently worked, but all four was an elusive goal.

Sam lives in Portland, Maine, and Hannah lives in San Antonio with her boyfriend Matt. So when my wife Carol proposed that we all fly to Disney World on Christmas Day 2006 and later drive to San Antonio for New Year’s, I was elated.

Actually, I thought she had lost her mind. Elation didn’t come until much later. Where Carol saw fun and adventure, I only saw complications piled upon complications, not to mention the added expense of a one-way car rental and split-trip air fares.

But guess what (surprise, surprise): she was right! We reunited in Orlando with many family members; had a memorable road trip through the south; and spent a super New Year’s Eve in San Antonio with Hannah and Matt before flying back home in early January.

Follow the links above to read the dirty details, check out the photos of the trip, and watch a short video of the spectacular New Year’s Eve fireworks!

-Jeff Frankel
Windsor, Maine