I just love this thread!! And planogirl, you're right, we have to be Responsible with our money. Taking a trip and not paying the mortgage - that wouldn't be a good thing!! But we choose to spend our hard-earned money on memories with our kids. We don't have big screen or HD TV's, or any gaming systems. We don't have a laptop, take trips without the kids, or spend money on alcohol every weekend. Our house is comfortable, but way less than we can "afford". It's not a showplace. We don't replace our furniture or redecorate often or in "fancy" ways. I know lots of good people who do choose these things, it's not wrong, it's how they want to entertain their families and maybe they're making memories that way. We like to travel to family-friendly destinations - Disney and the beach primarily, also an annual weekend in Frankenmuth, MI that my kids just love!
One other thing - sometimes the memories are SO precious even if the kids won't remember them! You hear that a lot "but they won't remember it" Our first trip, DD was almost 3. Will she remember that trip? Probably not. But will I always remember the joy she had, the looks on her face, the pure MAGIC that she experienced? Definitely!! The characters were REAL to her, the princesses - oh my!!! She may not remember it forever, but the JOY was Real and DH and I will always have those wonderful memories !