My family rents a cottage for one week in the summer....same week every year and we all plan on being there. The first few years we were married, my husband came with me and about the 5th year told me that he didn't think we'd be going that year (he has a very small family and my big, loud, boisterous family was more than he could tolerate for a week). I told him we'd miss him but understood his reasoning. Every year since, we've been there (sometimes the whole week, sometimes only a long weekend)....there is no other time during the year when I can stay up half the night talking with my 23 year old niece, ride the waves with my 10 year old nephew or just sit and laugh with my sisters. Go....take your boys...enjoy yourself....they need to be with your family as much as you need to be there. Sometimes, now, my husband will drive up for the day to spend it on the beach...sometimes he skips the whole event...it's his choice...