Spring Breaking It

Spring Break this year could be summed up with the following set of activities:  screen time, play time, and more screen time.  In roughly that order.  Because we didn't have plans to go anywhere or "do" anything, the week ended up being kind of a free-for-all, with the kids doing whatever they wanted around the house and shirking most responsibilities.  And even though I would NOT be able to handle that breakdown on the regular, I have to admit, it was kind of nice having such a lazy week this time around.  Especially since I've been trying to kick a head cold for the last couple of weeks without any success.  Between not feeling all that great and being woken up almost every night by the baby, I was super okay with not really doing anything during the day.  And thankfully, the kids were pretty okay with it, too.  Although -- hashtag real talk -- I was ready to smash all the chrome books by the end of the week because they were driving me nuts with this one dumb game they all wanted to play and which caused too many fights amongst the younger ones over whose turn it was on the family chrome book while Ethan and Grace were playing on theirs.

Enjoy the following photo essay of Spring Break 2017, where the "nothing" of the week included:

• Hanging with those dang chrome books.

• Grace inexplicably making a cake one morning after breakfast.  Although no one was complaining. ;)

• Having "sleepovers" and "camp outs."  Not pictured, but Sophie spent the week in Grace's room, where the two of them built a fort to sleep in, which prompted Jane to bemoan the unfairness that SHE never gets to do a sleepover with anyone.  And even though she and Alex (and Sophie) essentially have sleepovers every night of their lives (since they share a room) I decided to throw her a bone and pulled out the mattress from under her bed, so that she and Alex could have a slumber party of their very own.  Hahaha.

 Doesn't THAT look comfy.

• Making more YouTube videos.  Jane put Pinterest to the test on Monday through Friday -- first with her vegan cupcakes, then with an Easter decoration craft activity, followed by a science experiment, then another recipe, and finally a tutorial for making "slime" with glue and liquid starch.  While it definitely gave Ethan and Jane a purpose for the whole week, I think by Friday everyone was ready for a break.  Hahaha.  Short tempers and tall emotions were running wildly and I think they'll need to pace themselves in the future.  ;)

Playing with the "Galaxy Slime."

• Attending birthday parties.  Or at least Grace did.  One of her BFFs from school invited her to go horseback riding with her for her big day.  Grace happily and excitedly obliged.

• Putting on a play at the church.  Grace whipped up the script to "Tangled" on Friday morning, and by Friday afternoon/evening they were ready to put it all to stage with props and musical numbers in the gym at the church.  Scott met up with us after work, and after an excruciatingly long first half of the movie, I mean show, we convinced them it was time to move on, and to sweeten the deal we hit up Wendy's and McDonald's on the way home for dinner.

• Finally doing our "fun thing" for the week on Saturday!  This worked out MUCH better than trying to do it on Friday, because I was able to stay home with the baby while he napped, and Scott was able to take the others to Sky Zone where they jumped their little hearts out on the trampolines.  It was a huge hit.  Especially for Alex.

• And last, but definitely not least -- enjoying General Conference from the comfort of our own home!  I was blown away with how willingly and well all the kids sat through the Saturday morning session (the "prizes" and Conference packets I put together for them to fill out certainly helped) and they did REALLY well once again on Sunday, as we watched the morning and afternoon sessions together.  Of course, nobody's perfect, and by the end of the last session on Sunday we were having to pause the TV every few minutes to moderate meltdowns and fights, but overall I was pleased with how much better they did this time around than LAST time.

 {For the Sunday sessions, I put together some activities in brown paper bags to pull out during certain talks.  I've decided novelty is the only way to keep my kids engaged.}

 Nothing like a good mess to help your Sabbath day feel holy.

 {P.S. -- that galaxy slime kept the older kids occupied and entertained for almost the last 30 minutes or so of the Sunday afternoon session.}

 {As did giant coloring books.}

And that was our break!  Today's high dive back into reality went better than expected, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that tomorrow will be more of the same.  {And I'm REALLY keeping my fingers crossed that Isaac will sleep all night long...}