Back in the saddle

It is Day Three of Spring Break and I'm losing my mind. I think, perhaps, that it's difficult to live your life at mach speed and then come to a screeching halt.

I'm battling an inner panic: I've been working so hard in my classroom all winter and it's finally spring break. I want to have fun! Lots of fun! Fun, fun, fun. Oh good golly, the pressure to have fun. The clock is ticking. Only four days left now? Am I having fun yet? Um, sort of not!

And then there's this: I have a whole week to get my lessons ready for the rest of the school year. I could finally re-sort the classroom library by genre. I could create the homework packets for the next 11 weeks, making the rest of spring that much easier. I could grade the stacks of papers that are sitting on the dining room table.

But, oh no, what about the fun?!

So I'm paralyzed. J asked if we should drive to a lovely park nearby today and I said no. I want to do something BIGGER than that. I want to hop on a train or a plane or strap myself to the roof of an automobile and scream down I-5 all to way to frickin' Disneyland.

But, wait. I broke the garbage disposal last week when I poured Bo's first grade science fair project down the drain. You know, which liquid makes a penny the shiniest? Well, the glass of water with purple food coloring in it disguised the fact that there were still coins inside. Despite my attempts to retrieve the change, one stubborn nickel managed to jam the grinder (not the technical term. You know, the turny pointy choppy thing).

$368 later ...

Ugh.

So, since that money went (forgive me) down the drain, we won't be strapping ourselves to the roof of anything this week. The battle between gettin' work done and having fun rages on. Did we go to that lovely park today? No. We shuffled around the house grumbling a grouchy grumble sound and ate rocky road fudge. (And by "we" I mean "I," as you might have guessed.)

But that's just me. If you were to listen to our daughters right now, you'd think we were in Wonderland. For the past three days, this house has been giggle central. It usually goes something like this:

Bo: "OK, so pretend you're a horse and I'm a teenager."

Magpie: "Yeah ..."

Bo: "And I'm going to use this string and you have to gallop. OK?"

Magpie: "Yeah ..." (voice steadily rising with excitement over the plot.)

Bo: "And then I see Justin Beaver (sic) and he says, 'Hey, nice horse.'"

Magpie: "Yeah ... and we then we say poopy poopity poop. I haven't changed my underwear since yesterday night!!!"

Both: "Giggle giggle giggle OH! That's hilarious. Ah ha ha ha!!!"

(Roll around the floor doubled over with laughter.)

Bo: "Hey, let's do handstands now."

So, once again, it takes a 4 and a 6 year old to remind me just how good life is. But I do think next year I'll book a trip somewhere warm, and use a mesh drain cover in the sink from now on.

What else is happening in Penny Carnival land? Let's see ...

My sister's having a Hawaiian-themed Easter party Saturday night. Of course she is. What theme does your Easter Eve party have this year? Oh, wait, you mean you don't ... never mind.

Easter brunch follows the next day. My belly feels full just thinking about that.

I sewed a dress for myself yesterday. I pretty much just copied a drop-waist dress I have from the Gap and used some dark red jersey knit I've had stashed away. It's a bit too big right now, so I'm going to adjust it and will show a photo later.

Other fun from our corner of the world ...

This is what you get when you ask the kids to wrap a gift with whatever we have around the house (I loved it!):

My ballerinas:

 

And tap (not my rear end, but I would take it ... and the pink shoes):

 

Bo, in a scarf, getting all grown up on me:

 

Holy crud. I think my grumpies are gone. Maybe I just needed to write a blog post. What a novel concept ... maybe I'll do this more often.

;)  

Good to see y'all here again.

Comments

[twirling betty]

Well hello lady. Good to see you back. Your recounting of that giggling sister exchange made me grin and rang bells. We're not quite at Justin Beaver (sic) stage (thank god) but we are totes into poopity poos!
PS: your babes should go into professional party wrapping.

[Megan]

Thanks so much for still being here, TB! I missed this space. I'm still following your adventures. Hope all is well. :)