Once a year, we go to Naples for work. As that’s where mom and dad are while it’s icy cold at home, I always bring the kids and babysitter with so we can bomb around and enjoy the sunshine. This year, that felt more complicated as Tess is in first grade and she and Remy have a lot more going on in school than in years past. We decided to split the party, so Dave stayed in Milwaukee with the Bigs a few more days and I came down with the Littles.

All of us seem to be a bit shellshocked by how much quieter things are with only half of the family. Remy has voiced feeling alone without the rest of us at breakfast and dinner, and the Littles keep asking where Tess and Remy are. It feels weird to know they are in a blizzard as we enjoy the sunshine.

As fun as it is to come to Florida, it’s also great to get a change of scenery to help change our mindset. Over the last few years, we’ve had great strategic discussions down here, and the shock of palm trees and porches after sweaters and snow tires can’t help but jog all of our brains! This year more than ever, I welcome the opportunity to revisit, re-envision, and catch up on some of the bigger picture thinking that sometimes skips us in the day-to-day grind.

It’s also amazing to get quality time with my parents. The older I get, the more delighted I am with them as advisors, as friends, and as people who make me laugh more than almost anyone I know. They reaffirm my faith that life gets better and better, and that we can all grow and change at any age. Watching my kids lean on them and love them is such a gift. That said, our 2 AM night of crying with laughter on the porch was followed by an 8:30 PM bedtime for me.