Spring Break

One of the benefits of homeschooling is that we can take "breaks" whenever is convenient for our family.  This year, however, we decided to align our Spring Break with most of the districts around us so we could play with friends.

Some of our favorite friends, the Franks, finally made it out to stay with us in Seattle for a couple days. When they told us they were coming, I made the mistake of telling Aubree just as she was heading up to bed and she was so excited it took her hours to fall asleep.  Every ten minutes she'd call out with some new plan or idea of things she wanted to do with her friends when they were here.

Tyler & Ashlee

Monday morning we met the Franks at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle.  With four kids a piece, we brought our own crowd.

We love visiting the Science Center and it was extra fun to go with friends.  We were even able to successfully watch a 3D IMAX movie all about monarch butterflies.  This was the first time Aubree and Bryce really "got" the 3D concept.  It was hilarious to watch all the kids reach out and try to grab the butterflies (Thane's ditched his glasses within the first few minutes).

After priming the pump by watching the movie, we took the kids to the tropical butterfly house.  They all thought it was great, but Bryce and Maggie (4) were the most serious and determined little scientists.  

Bryce hoped that if he stayed super still, a butterfly might land on him (it was a good idea, but no luck this time).

Aubree enjoyed the exhibit, but I think liked being with Gracee and Jaylen more.

Once Thane got over the initial novelty, he found new things with which to distract himself.

The rest of the afternoon, the kids found endless ways to amuse themselves.

Jaylen

Aubree floating away

By the end of a solid day of exploring the littlest ones (and some of the bigger ones too) were thoroughly exhausted.

So we packed up and headed home.  Having the Franks stay the night with us was almost more excitement than my kids could bear.  The only way I could convince Bryce to go to bed was to promise that he could play with Maggie the next morning.

Once we finally got all the kids comfortably settled, we adults returned to our Wymount tradition of staying up way too late talking about life and parenting and gospel principles.  As always, I crawled into bed bleary eyed, yet inspired.  

Of course, our kids didn't get the memo that we'd been up late and were tired.  They were fresh and ready to go at the break of dawn.  Seeing them all play so well together helped mitigate the weariness.  At one point I looked up to see Aubree, Gracee, and Jaylen sitting on the stairs reading.  "What are you all doing?" I asked.  

"Don't worry, Mom," Aubree replied, "we're playing library!"

 The time for our friends to leave came way too quickly, but we live close enough that we should be able to see them again soon.

 *****

Aubree relished a week with no official school work to complete.  When we weren't playing with friends, she returned to her favorite past-time.  Yep, you guessed it - reading.  That girl read well over 100 chapter books in March.  Seriously.  It's nuts.

One day she decided to wanted to recreate the image on her shirt.  Couldn't describe her better.

 

******

The weather decided to cooperate and give us almost a whole week of beautiful, sunshine filled days.  We spent as much time as we could playing outside.  As the neighborhood fills up, it's awesome to see how the kids come pouring out of their houses at the first glimpse of clear skies.

Fireman Thane makes sure to keep the sidewalks debris-free

Aubree is required to learn to ride a 2-wheeler this summer

Bryce will learn as well!

*******

For his part, Graham spent Spring Break cutting two bottom teeth and learning to crawl.  Oh, bother.  I was hoping we had a couple more months before reaching either of those milestones.