Spring Break: installment II

Congratulations! You've made it past the first barrier of long-winded ramblings, and you've come back for more of the summary of my and my family's spring break. You WON'T be disappointed!

Leo, Jack and I hiked in the rain at Clinton Lake on the George Latham hiking trail for about two and one half hours. We all wore our rain gear because it had started raining right at the beginning of the hike, but then the sun came out intermittently for another hour and half or so. Finally the rain set in and didn't stop and we hiked back to the car where we already had all our camping gear packed up dry. It was to be the beginning of about five days straight of rain! I was aware it was to begin raining that day and that's why I chose to take the boys camping on the last night where rain was not in the forecast.

At home we took a hot, sudsy, full bath and cleaned ourselves of the woods and body odor we'd acquired. We only found one tick when in the woods, but were sure to double check for them when in the tub. After the bath we had a nice sandwich and soup lunch (thanks Mare), put in a Bob the Builder: How Skyscrapers are Built DVD to watch, then took a nice long nap.

We put the boys to bed somewhat early that night, Monday night, and Mare and I watched roughly the first part of Fiddler on the Roof. Now, I have to take a detour from Spring Break Wrap-up in order to fill readers in on this movie/musical.

 Fiddler on the Roof is a movie/musical from the 1970's. I'm not familiar with any of the actors, but they really did a great job.Fiddler is the story of a poor milkman's family of him and his wife and their five daughters. They live in the early part of the century somewhere near Poland. They are Jewish and their village is a Jewish community, but they must live while being persecuted by the Polish (I think it's the Polish). The girls all give their father fits due to their wish to decide for themselves who they will marry. It's really all about change. I recommend watching it. Be warned, it is close to full three hours long.

The next couple days we spent kind of picking up the house and playing indoors, as it was raining leprechauns and shamrocks. Thursday, though, we took the two oldest to their grandparents in Lawrence. We left them there for the night while Mare and I used our gift certificate to Buffalo Bob's, a barbeque joint in Lawrence. We walked around downtown Lawrence with Henry, ran into Mare's uncle Craig at a coffee shop, I went to a hair salon to have my hair styled, and we shopped for Mare some earrings. At home we enjoyed not having the two kids to worry about, and it was quiet...too quiet.

The grandparents brought them back on Friday and I attended a United Way meeting at noon. Mare helped out her mom and dad with some tax issues and we began to clean up the yard, since it was the first nice day we'd had, really, since spring break began. Thursday while in Lawrence, it was cool and trying to rain on us there as well.

Saturday and Sunday we spent trying to get the yard cleaned up a little. Every little bit helps. It is sure nice being at home with my family. I really enjoyed my spring break. It was tough going back to work on Monday, as I'm sure the students also experienced.

Jack's soccer practices are over and I've joined a group of writers that meet once or twice a month. Tee ball will be starting up for Jack in a couple weeks. Tomorrow is Leo's third birthday already. I just love him so much. I love all my boys so, so much. Henry is rolling over. Jack is figuring things out. We'll have a birthday party for Leo at the park, then attend an Easter egg hunt, then attend the Topeka zoo. Should be a fun, fun weekend.

Love to all. If you read all of this, I'm very impressed.