Family

Not big Facebook users, but we discovered the video chat. If any of you are FB users and the kids and grandkids are, you just hit the video call button. I use Skpye a lot too, but have found FB video chat much easier as all the younger ones have FB.

I love the snow, even more now that I can leave whenever I want. We are almost always home for turkey and Santa and grandkids but don't stay home long after that.
right now it's 17 deg. F and the power has been out 2 1/2 hr. A tree fell on the power line from the wind.

You find out as everyone grows old they tend to do their own thing, it's not how often you see one another but that you do and spend quality time together. We go several months without see our son and now that his kids are grown up it's when they have time. Our daughter and her son live in another state and we see them along with my brother and mother to and from FL. Usually a week at each going and heading back up north.

I am 42 and already bought my condo in Florida. I have been busy raising my 6 children for the past 23 years and I still have at least 8 years to go. I can tell you I will be more than ready to snowbird when the time comes. It will be fun learning to enjoy time with the hubby after so many years of work and sacrifice. I am sure I will miss the kids, but when I do see them it will be even more enjoyable. Time makes the heart grow fonder.

We spend the spring/summer and some of the fall near them and then travel south for the winter for 4-5 months. After 50 years of dealing with ice, cold, and snow, we just can't stand it anymore!! We gave away our snow shovel and ice scrapers. Where we go in the south TX area is full of grandma's and grandpa's. I guess it is just a personal decision....

It's still 6 years before a decision has to be made. Regardless though, you don't have to full-time and you can make shorter jaunts with your camper. Do 1-2 months at first and see how it goes. Just because there are kids/grandkids it doesn't mean you give up your travel dreams for them. They also have things that they'll want to do and they probably aren't going to consider whether you're there or not. Consider that families live apart all over this country all the time. Be thankful for the time you do spend with one another.

It's a time issue with us. Our kids work 12 hour day's and our grandkids are busy all the time so if we stay home we might get an hour or two a week and that leaves a lot of time starring at the walls hating winter. When we are home we run the roads all the time trying to catch up and be in the lives as much as we can. Winter, we have the computer and skpe to stay in touch. If the can get the time off they come to Fl for a week. Sure we miss them but this works best for us.

Skype is your best friend.

No doubt about it, if you are used to living close to those loved ones, you will miss seeing them. If your family were scattered all over the US, not so much a problem.

My kids and grandkids live close by, it's one reason that we could never full-time or snowbird. Even if we go for 10 days, there is inevitably a crisis at home or a birthday/event, etc.