Spring Break begins

which isn't all that bad. This is about the time of the school year that I look forward to a break. There isn't any need to get up early and rush around to be somewhere at 8:30 in the morning. The kids play with friends and the weather seems to be a bit warmer for them to ride their bikes and be outside. Its still too cold for parks though. I end up spending more time at the grocery store when their home and my house resembles a small disaster on most days. This vacation started with 4 out of 6 kids awake at 6:50 this morning when they asked ME to not wake them up...they wanted to lay in bed all morning. They played WAR and UNO before I even got out of bed. We also held our annual Easter Egg hunt in the morning. The weather cooperated as a tiny bit of sun came out to warm us all up but thankfully, no rain. This is one of my most favorite activities. Its quick, its fun and it doesn't leave a mess. Perfect, right?

Matthew didn't really care too much for collecting eggs. He wanted to eat the candy.

Spring Break Day #2

This year I was looking forward to the kids being home for Spring Break. I know this may be confusing and unlikely as usually I am excited (ecstatic?) when they go to school. The whole school thing definitely brings mix feelings. I love the quietness of the house. I love the freedom I have to do whatever I desire each day with roughly 1.5 children. I love how the house is always picked up. I don't have to break up arguments or explain for the 100th time why it's not about being fair but equal!

Then there's the benefit of no school...no schedules. I don't need to leave my desirable place to pick kids up from school or wake babies from naps. I don't pack lunches. I don't need to hunt down matching socks or frantically search for an item that starts with the letter of the week for show & tell. Every one can do what they want, when they want. The house is still quiet because the children play with the neighbors...fairly.

I accomplished so much today. So many items I crossed off my to do list. I hung shelves. I hung pictures. I washed moldings and doors. Ate a donut. Vacuumed under beds. Rearranged furniture. Picked up bedrooms. Ate a donut. The most exciting part of the day (not the donuts) was when I had to retrieve the snake out of the laundry room AGAIN because my husband didn't want to rescue me AGAIN. I was so brave. I was much less frightened this time as the slithering serpent didn't try to attack me from under the pile of clothes. It scared Isaac instead.

I am looking forward to sleeping in (well, not really, as I haven't done that in 12 years), wear my pajamas all day, hear the laughter of children through the windows, wash dirty feet  because I refused to find socks, and let the children forge for their own food as I am NOT making lunches.

In the next 4 days, I plan on stenciling the diningroom, sitting at the park, and start cutting Olivias quilt. Who am I kidding? Those things (except sitting at the park) will sit on my to do list until Summer.

This picture has nothing to do

with my post. Zach's grandfather sent it and I chuckled when I realized its a picture of 2 people taking pictures. Zach was taking a picture of me. Ha! We have some talented photographers in our family, let me tell ya!

day before the bunny

On Saturday we went to Zachs Moms house for an early Easter lunch. She hid 12 eggs for each of the kids. When I say "hid" I mean they were no where to be found. After 30 minutes of searching for these camouflaged eggs Olivia gave up, short 2.

Grandpop brought his motorcycle over and let each of the kids take a turn sitting on it. Cara, that lucky girl, got to take a ride.

It was a great weekend. The weather was beautiful. The company was good. The food was fattening.