I'm in the same boat you are. But I keep reading....
There is a possibility we might be able to swing the London-Paris trip if it falls after Oct 1. This Cali trip would be way less expensive- but DH will not have any vacation time until 10-1-11.
)
It's Monday.....business contacts should be able to be signed. Just sayin'
My kids are too young for the California trip and it's during school holidays so we won't have a great babysitting solution. (The one instance where planning around the school schedule makes things worse for us!
Amanda
DH and I did the ABD CA trip this past April. We also had childcare issues as our DS10 and DD7 were in school the week we were gone. I am a SAHM and take care of DS4 in the daytime. We ended up hiring a Nanny to help out while we were gone. She took the older kids to school and watched DS4 in the daytime and did carpool in the afternoons. Then, my Mom stayed with the kids in the evenings when she got home from work. It honestly worked out great! If we do the London/Paris trip, we'll probably hire a Nanny again for the kids.
I hope you are able to do either trip. For us, the CA Tour was a "Once in a Lifetime" trip. For a moment, we thought about doing it again next year. But, we really enjoyed our experience with all our travelmates and a lot of firsts for ABD. We don't want to re-do the trip and start comparing the two. Hopping the pond would be a new Adventure for us. I hope we are able to swing the $$$$$. Right now, that would be the only obstacle stopping us from booking it when they do finally come out with a cost. 
I KNOW it is going to be expensive! We already have a Daughter and Mommy trip planned next year and DH and DS10 are suppose to take a Boys Trip. I really don't want to cancel those, just so DH and I can travel without the kids. We'll see. I don't play the lottery. But, I may start! 
Jennifer If we do the London/Paris trip, our nanny will just stay with the kids. They'll be at their respective schools during the day so she'll only have to sleep at our house at night. The problem is going away on a week without school and expecting the nanny to entertain 3 kids all day and night! The kids wouldn't be terribly happy since we try to use the school holiday weeks as family time.... We also have a couple of financial question marks in the upcoming future (including a possible house purchase and possible DVC purchase, etc.) which would make this the wrong time for any expensive ABD trip!!!!
Sending lots of pixie dust your way on a new house. It is still a buyer's market! The interest rates are still decent too. Take advantage while you can. 
(or for those going on the Knights and Lights Tour ... Bonne Chance! ) JenniferIt's Monday.....business contacts should be able to be signed. Just sayin'
Aww shoot- am I going to go have to buy a bunch of lottery tickets after we find out what this is???
Now I need to know
Does that mean the signatures are drying on the contracts right now !!!!!!!???
I think I know what it is too . . . I guessed Club 33 the last time
We'll see.............
Oh.....you assumed I meant this week's podcast.
Does that mean the signatures are drying on the contracts right now !!!!!!!???
I think I know what it is too . . . I guessed Club 33 the last time
We'll see.............
