I have been looking forward to Spring Break week all month. Having time off of work to be at home with my kids is something I really enjoy. Alarm-free and stress-free mornings are something everyone needs to get re-energized. Spending time with my family and friends ranks very high on my list of priorities. Devoting my time to them is exactly what the doctor ordered.
I can't believe it's Friday afternoon already... where did the week go? The old saying, "time flies when you're having fun" is definitely TRUE. I wish work weeks went as fast as this one did. Here is a recap of my mini-vacation:
SUNDAY
I can't be away from my co-workers for too long...Beth, Jill, Diane, and I had a wonderful supper at Granite City. We talked and laughed for a little over four hours! (Our waiter left before we did!)
MONDAY
Today was a very rainy day, so the kids and I made the most of it. We spent the morning at the library reading books, putting together puzzles, and playing with the train and Lego table. I took the kids to see
Hotel for Dogs at our local theater and treated them to Mc Donald's afterward. It was fun spending the day with them. Another highlight: the two hour nap we all took!
TUESDAY
I took the kids to daycare on Tuesday morning, so I could spend the day with my dear friend Kim. We look forward to our annual spring break shopping trip each year. Her and I left St. Cloud at 9:00a.m. and headed to Arbor Lakes and the Outlet Mall. Good deals were in every store, so we had to call our husbands at 4:00p.m. to let them know we wouldn't be home in time to pick up the kids from daycare. This does not surprise them...we manage to shop until we drop every time we're together.
Good thing Bunco was scheduled for the evening, or the Visa company may have called our homes to check if our cards had been stolen. (A lot of activity on a card, in a short period of time, sends a red flag to a lot of companies.) =0) We made it back to town in time for our monthly Bunco gathering. Brenda was a great hostess. I wasn't a lucky winner tonight...Denell walked off with the grand prize.
The fun stop didn't there... after Bunco, we headed to the late movie. New in Town wasn't the best movie I've ever seen, but it was a perfect girl flick. We had the theater to ourselves...which meant we could talk during the show! It was midnight when I arrived back home...what a great day!
One day of shopping just isn't enough for me. Grandpa Marty and Grandma Shirley came over to play with the kids, while my cousin Bonnie and I headed back out on the town. (thanks you guys) Her and I have also done our fair share of shopping trips over the years. Ours probably date back to our high school years. The two of us can do quite a bit of damage when we're together. We do buys things on sale, so in our opinion... we NEED everything we buy. Bonnie and I love a lot of the same things, so I think we went home with at least three matching shirts.
THURSDAY
After two days of shopping, it was time to devote myself to my kids again. So, off we went to Ridgedall Mall. I have been wanting to take Lilly to Build-A-Bear Workshop for quite sometime now. She is so into caring for all her dolls and stuffed animals, that I thought this would be right up her alley. Nolan is also into his Webkinz, so picking out a special animal to adopt was also fitting for him.
We called Bonnie and Owen to see if they too wanted to join us, and it worked out to pick them up in Becker on our way. We had lunch at Applebees and then went to create our furry friends...that's when the worst possible thing happened! The batteries in my camera went completely DEAD! This is a scrapbooker's worst nightmare! I ran across the mall to purchase a disposable camera from Ritz Photo. Luckily, Bonnie was able to hold off the production at Build-A-Bear while I ever so quickly saved the day. Those pictures are a mystery to us all and are unfortunately not available for posting at this time. I am going to have to create a CD when I go to develop them.
Build-A-Bear was a great experience. The kids had a blast stuffing them, adding their hearts, giving them a bath, and dressing them. They all named their stuffed animals and received adoption certificates before we left the store.
Introducing: Blackie
This is Nolan's creation.
He picked out the baseball T-shirt, collar and leash,
and dog house for his furry friend.
He has walked his dog quite a bit since we've been home.
Blackie is being well taken care of.
He is very loved.
Introducing: Cupcake
Lilly fell in love with this Hello Kitty the minute we walked in the store.
She really enjoyed picking out her accessories.
The pajamas have cupcakes on them, which was perfect since she has is in love with them (Pinkalicious book). We also slipped
on a cute pair of slippers and added the purse as a final touch.
Cupcake has not left Lilly's side since we got home.
She is super soft and very loved!
After creating our animals, we took the kids to the mall park. It is a step up from the one in St. Cloud, and the kids had a blast climbing, sliding, and playing on the equipment. (It will actually be fun to relive this when I get the pictures back.)
The kids weren't ready to leave, but we had to get back to get Nolan to gymnastics on time. Because it is spring break and ECFE is also off this week, Lilly got to go along and participate in the class for the first time. She loved being in there with her brother and did an awesome job. She was tumbling with the best of them.
Wow...what a day! The kids feel asleep the minute their heads hit the pillow tonight.
FRIDAY
Celina brought the boys over for a fun-filled day in the pool. We swam for close to two hours this morning and had a delicious pizza party in the community room. Great Grandma, Grandma Cindy, and Grandpa Bruce got to join us too! It was a lot of fun seeing everybody and hanging out together at our apartment. The kids came upstairs after lunch for Popsicles and some extra playtime. These kids sure know how to have a good time...plus, I got to have some quality time with my sister.
Hi Grandma and Grandpa...We love you!
I am now off to Jimmy's Pour House for dinner. Why start cooking now?!! This break has been a wonderful mini-vacation. I have valued every minute with my kids, family, and friends. It will be difficult going back to work on Monday, but my checkbook will be happy. =0) It is refreshing to think that summer vacation isn't too far away...soon we will be able to celebrate our alarm-free and stress-free days again.
Even though I am tired of it...these snow-covered trees were breathtaking.
Our family is SOOOO ready for spring to arrive, but unfortunately the snow clouds keep finding us on the map. When we were blanketed again on Tuesday, the only thing we could do to keep ourselves from getting depressed about it, was go out and enjoy it! We took the kids to the dam, had a snowball fight, and went out to our property to hike through the fresh snow. Even though I wasn't real crazy about another layer of it, the kids loved every minute of it. It makes me happy to know that whatever falls this time of year, won't be around for too long.
To cherish time with...
