Spring Break - Part 2

Our first day of rain for the week arrived on Thursday. Truthfully, the rain was very welcome. The pollen needed to be washed away and we hadn't had rain in a while. The kids weren't even that disappointed about the rain - it just meant more time to play their videogames and watch their favorite shows on T.V. After a visit with Grandma Margie, the rain began to clear a bit and they were able to go out for a little while before we had a small thunderstorm. Craig and the boys watched a movie while Cora and I napped. I also spent a great deal of the day reading. I've already finished the 3 books I got at the library on Monday! I told you...I get obsessed with reading and can't put it down until I'm done.

We decided to go out to eat that night at Chili's (gift cards, once again, rule where we go!) We also had a free kids meal coupon so that pretty much decided it for us. We went around 7:30 which is LATE for us to go out to eat but Ben had taken a late nap so....The trip to Chili's was a success! The kids were great, ate like champs, and so we had an after dinner treat of Brewster's Icecream (another gift card). This was a pretty big treat for us because we seldom ever go to Brewster's (usually it's Dairy Queen for a kid's dollar icecream or free icecream if we have the coupons). This may have been our most successful trip of all - it was completely FREE! Thanks to all who have given us gift cards....

On Friday, we really had to force ourselves to go do SOMETHING. We ate at the Station House for breakfast (can you tell we like to eat? We really don't usually eat out this much but it was our treats for the week...it is Spring Break, after all!) then we went to Sawnee Mtn. Preserve. We have never been before and had wanted to check it out (plus, it's free! Do you see a pattern here?) We weren't sure how long a walk it would be or if I should do it, but we decided to go to the Indian Seats. It really wasn't a bad walk at all. The kids seemed to enjoy it and so did we. The temps had cooled a bit and I was so glad to have a jacket! When we got to the top, it was so windy and cold! We couldn't have chosen a better day to go, though, because it was so clear! We didn't have a camera with us so no pictures but we will definitely do this again and be sure to take a camera with us.

Afterwards, we went to Coal Mtn. Park and let the kids play on the playground (FREE!!). We really love this playground for a number of reasons.

1. We were the ONLY ones there.

2. It is good for all of our kids. What I mean here is that little supervision is required. Most all of the playground has rails/sides at the highest points so you don't have to worry about them falling. It has stuff that big and little kids can do, the area around it is not bark or pinestraw, but that rubbery, in the ground stuff that can't get in your shoes or anything. It is also shaded which is great, too!

3. It's clean.

4. It has nice benches for adults to sit on.

5. You don't have to walk very far from the parking lot to get to it. (I admit it - we are a bit on the lazy side these days.)

In the afternoon, Craig and the kids planted our spring flowers while I took pictures. Aren't they bee-u-tee-full?

Notice that we have a VARIETY in each pot, but each pot has a PATTERN to it. And, each pot is the SAME more or less. Normally, we have all the same color in the pots or very little variety so we spiced it up a bit this year. But, we still have to have some sense of ORDER and SYMMETRY so that's where the pattern comes in. We're weird like that. We are working on it, though.

Our goal is to become a bit more spontaneous. I'll let you know how that goes.

Lolly