Weekends

Lately, I have been very intentional with my time. I would like to think this is part of an effort to be more mindful, or at least more organized, but in reality, it is just about survival. If I don't focus on everything I do and the reason I do it, I would spend all of my time running around like a chicken with its head cutoff. (As it is, I probably spend at least half my time that way, but at least it isn't all my time.)

This morning I carved out 45 minutes to spend writing before the kids got up, and I really enjoyed that time. Technology can actually be amazing, and I spent that time laying in bed, drafting a blog post on my phone. Of course, as soon as a certain youngest child skipped into the room at 7am exactly, she grabbed my phone, and everything I had been working on is now permanently "saving" and cannot be opened. So I am starting over with writing this. 

As I look at how I spend my time, I have been more intentional about carving out time to write and spend in the kitchen, because both things make me deliriously happy. (Even when they don't go as planned, they still tend to soothe me. I admit to having been a bit annoyed that this morning's writing disappeared, just like I was less than thrilled when I had an epic baking disaster last Wednesday night, but at the same time, it means I get to spend more time writing and baking as I do those things over. And I am generally okay with that.)

When it comes to weekends, my weekends must include three things. I am happiest when my weekends include time outside, time with my family, and time in my kitchen. (Writing is just a bonus.) Thankfully, the stars have aligned, and I have had plenty of time for all three elements the past two weekends.

Warmer weather means naturally getting more time outside, usually with the family. Overall, it's been a cool spring here (like it has been so many other places), and we've only made one trip to the beach so far. It was only in the upper 60s while we were out there, but that didn't stop the kids from finding a tidal pool and immediately jumping in. Personally, I kept my distance from the chilly water!

 
 

It's also that time of year when most of our weekends begin with berry picking. Currently, strawberries are in season, although there are already little green berries on the blueberry bushes around here. The kids have no idea how lucky we are!

 

Often, we spend our weekend afternoons just hanging out in our yard.

 

The kids have clearly surpassed my ability to draw with sidewalk chalk. (I am basically limited to hearts, stars, and rainbows.)

 

Sometimes, our family time involves indoor activities. Last Sunday it was a little chilly, but Jewel brought home passes to Cameron Art Museum the week before, and it seemed like we were just destined to go. We had never been before, and it wasn't until we were walking around that I marveled that we had not only considered taking our children to an art museum, but that we were there for at least 15 minutes before it occurred to me that allowing four children to wander around a building full of fragile items might not be the greatest idea ever. Thankfully, they did well and seemed to actually enjoy a lot of it. They only stumbled upon one piece intended "for mature audiences only" (at least that I am aware of), and they enjoyed finding this interactive sculpture of a camper that they could climb in. As soon as he sat down, Mike channeled "Magical Mystery Tour" and announced, "If you look to your left, ladies and gentlemen, the view is not very inspiring. Ah, but if you look to your right…"

 

When my weekends are like this, and I get to do the things I enjoy, on Sunday nights I can relax and get ready for the week ahead. And that is a good thing.

Spring Break

For six school years now, we have been spoiled with a year round school schedule, meaning our kids go to school for nine weeks and then get three weeks off all year. I cannot say enough good things about this schedule. It is better for the kids, the teachers, and at least for this set of parents. It is so nice to have that time off to recharge. We've also gotten very spoiled and used to traveling when most other kids are in school. Sadly, with Oldest Child heading off to middle school in August (yikes!) our days of this schedule are coming to an end since the middle school follows a traditional school calendar. Having kids on different school calendars comes with a different set of benefits, like more individual time with them and fewer lunches to pack on a single day, but I will really miss this schedule.

The kids are finishing up their three weeks of spring break. I had it all planned that I would take off a week over spring break so we could travel a little and catch up on things at home. And as we've done before, I wanted the week off to coincide with a time when most kids were in school. But then, without going into detail, life happened, and taking off a week was definitely not an option. Thankfully, I was able to take three days off from work and time it so it made Easter weekend six days long. The shorter schedule definitely prevented me from being able to catch up at home, but it did allow plenty of time for family fun.

Our break began with a trip to Defy Gravity, an indoor trampoline park. We received a gift card for Christmas  (thanks Grandpa Gene and Gran!) and it was our first chance to go. Everyone had fun, and we escaped with no serious injuries. (I'm not generally a worrier about these things, but ever since I heard business for the local orthopedic practice quintupled since the place opened, I am a little nervous.)

 

Next, we got ready for Easter. The kids love reading my Parents magazine, and this year they found a project for dying Easter eggs by covering a cookie sheet in shaving cream, swirling food coloring in the shaving cream, and letting the eggs sit in the mixture.We were not wowed by the process, but we didn't hate it either, and the kids loved experimenting with a new craft technique.

 

Easter morning we headed to Airlie Gardens. I know this is azalea season in southeast North Carolina, but I loved these tulips. 

 

And, yes, the azaleas were pretty darn spectacular.

 

The day after Easter, we headed off for a different sort of trip. Jeff and his best friend had been able to get tickets to go see a practice round of the Masters Tournament, and the kids and I tagged along. We actually stayed in Columbia, South Carolina which is about an hour from the tournament in Augusta, Georgia. While the guys were off watching golf, the kids and I headed to Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. We went on a gorgeous day during spring break week for local schools, and it was packed. It made us incredibly grateful that we had been able to go to Florida last fall in late September/early October, because the lines at the zoo were longer than any lines we experienced at Legoland or the Disney parks. Still, we had a pretty good time and we each consumed roughly our body weight in Icees. Mike loves turtles and Leon loves penguins, and both were thrilled to find multiple species of their favorite animals in real form as well as represented in statues and painted rocks.

 

Mike also found this brick at the zoo with his name on it! 

 

Because it had been so hot, after the zoo we went for a long swim at the hotel before heading to dinner. Dinner was nothing fancy, but the kids loved it. We had also received a gift card for Panera (gift cards for experiences are definitely our favorite presents!) that had been burning a hole in my wallet, and the kids were very excited to finally use it. We had planned to go swimming again after dinner, but between seven hours at the zoo and the pre-dinner swim, the kids were pretty zombie-fied, so we spent the evening just relaxing in the hotel room watching Chopped. While watching one of their favorite shows, the kids finally really relaxed, and it kinda felt perfect. Like a real break before life got insane again. Like a spring break.