Day 1-Spring Break

Well, we started spring break with the "Springiest" of weather. In response to all the Pacific NW sloppy weather, we decided to have a slight bit of snow. It didn't even stick, but it was cold enough to impede our outdoor activities.

Getting Emma's hair cut topped to "to-do" list for the day. The goal was short and fuss free, I think we achieved it. Emma is slightly disappointed with the cut, but I'm sooo ecstatically happy to have it manageable I keep giving Emma the thumb's up on her haircut.

(She is kinda looking like Laura/Dora the Explorer)

Spring Break

"Begin as you mean to go on." This is my mantra this week. I'd like to think that the kids and I will have a fabulously relaxing week filled with gumdrops and licorice. In reality, I will try and keep the sugar at bay and not let Lily con me into fruit snacks for breakfast. (Yes, I have caved and let Lily have fruit snacks for breakfast, they have fruit in them, right?!)

My plans for the week include many hours spent at the rec center and hopefully going to the park if it warms up. I'm not opposed to going if it's cold, but I need it to be worth my while if I actually drag bikes and scooters.

We might have a board game marathon. The kids keep asking to play games to which I keep making excuses not to play. I'm not sure it was such a good idea to teach Jack how to play Monopoly. Too many competitive games of that played in my childhood to ever make that a "fun" game. I should replace the Uno cards, I washed the last set. There's a game that I can handle for a couple rounds.

Like I said; "Begin as I mean to go on."

I suppose I should start the week.

Yellow Dresses

I'm all my haste to zip through the Easter festivities I forgot to post a picture of the "Easter Dresses".

I have a picture from my childhood where I am wearing a VERY yellow dress. As soon as I saw the dresses for Emma and Lily I was reliving my childhood.

So, Deb, this picture is for you. If you have a picture from your wedding reception scanned you must post it.

Creative Cooking

I'm kinda in a cooking rut. I make the same meals over and over because it's easier to go on autopilot and just get food on the table. I don't mind trying new things, but it's a safe bet that the kids will not like something until I've made it 200 hundred times..at least. By then, I'm tired of making it.

To mix things up a bit this week we had "Chili Dog Thursday" and "Flank Steak Friday". Quite the culinary expedition at our house. It is fairly comical to get to an end of a meal and see what the kids have deemed edible. Emma decided that she liked the chili. Lily, I'm fairly sure is a Tyrannosaurus Rex, she ate three pieces of the steak.

Both meals were ready in under 20 minutes, which makes them a big hit in my book. Perhaps the one thing that would make them even better would be a grill. We opted to not move our grill as it was getting too small for our family and it did not make the "keep" list when we were editing our stuff to move.

I'm looking forward to summer and the season of the grill. Nothing makes a meal better than grilling and having fewer dishes to wash.

Book Fines

The last time I returned books to the library I was a couple days late. I knew I had a fine, but I wasn't sure how much. I don't have any cash in my wallet, but the need for some new books outweighed the fine issue. I was ready to plead my case or use one of the kid's library card if the fine was over $.42, the exact change in my wallet.

I browsed the books and found a couple for me, one for Michael, and a couple movies for the kids. I chanced it and handed my library card to the librarian. "Oh, you have a fine", she says, "That'll be $.30." Nice. I paid my fine, got my books, and all was right with the Longmont Library system.

Just Keep Swimming

In another attempt to keep the kids entertained we did it all today. We left the house at 6:35 AM and had a few minutes to spare before our scheduled time at the Denver Mint.

Shh, don't tell anyone, but Sherri and I were looking forward to getting a bag of shredded money. Well, they don't have that at the Denver Mint. We did find out that a Federal Reserve bank is located not far from the Mint. Next visit, we'll have to go there for some shredded money. We did watch one cents being made. I can't call them pennies, apparently, they only have pennies in England. Also, they didn't have a flattened penny machine for souvenirs.

Next we went to the Butterfly Pavilion. I think everyone held a Rose Haired Tarantula named Rosie, except Sherri and I. We did not get the "I held Rosie" sticker. We did splurge and buy the $1 guide and saw a lot of butterflies that we were able to identify. The kids loved this, but it was hot and humid and we moved on to the next room. I think that we only forgot that Emma was in the Butterfly room for about 10 minutes. She was happy to see Aunt Sherri when we realized she was missing. At least we hadn't left the building yet.
We grabbed some lunch before we hit the Rec Center. The kids were prunes by the time we left the pool this afternoon. Right now we're watching Enchanted and the kids are mellow as can be. Let's see if this holds up until bedtime.

The Rec Center

Admittedly, when Sherri said she was coming to visit, I was a little concerned about what to do. Sure, she and I could do nothing and be fine with that, but the kids would protest loudly.

Today I introduced her to the wonders of our small town; the Longmont Recreation Center.

For two hours and $11 dollars, the kids had a blast playing in the childcare area and swimming. We stayed just long enough to go down the waterslide multiple times. Nothing wears kids out faster than climbing up stairs to go down a waterslide.

Sherri went out this afternoon for a bit while I watched her 3 kids. I have NEVER had four kids at home and had it be so quiet. I think we might go swimming tomorrow.