Spring Break fun, part one.

Whew, what a Spring Break week we had!+

I started off my week with a fun Girls Night Out at the movies.  Audra, Jana and I went to see Oz, the Great and Powerful.  I liked it, but thought that the main players tremendously overacted.  I had a renewed respect for the subtle but powerful performance of Margaret Hamilton, the Wicked Witch in the original film, after seeing Mila Kunis scream out, "Seize them!!!" for the tenth time.  The side players (especially the sidekick flying monkey, voiced by Zach Braff) stole the movie, in my opinion.  But I'm trying to remember that this is aimed more at kids than adults.  I think.  I wish the good folks at Disney could figure out that they don't have to dumb down movies at all for kids.  They don't do it for their animated movies, so why do it for the live action ones?  But we had a great time, as we always do when we get together.  We even had Abner, our mascot, at this get together.  He especially liked when the sidekick flying monkey pretended to be a cow.

Saturday night we went to Family Movie Night at Gabriel's school.  It was the first time they've done one, and it was fun.  They need to work on getting a bigger screen, though.  They wanted everyone to bring blankets, pillows and sleeping bags, but there wasn't enough room for everyone to see really well.  But the movie choice of Brave was a good one, even though I was amused that a Catholic school- sponsored event showed a movie with a bit of Celtic lore and a witch in it.  Way to be open-minded!


Sunday morning we decided to take the boys out for breakfast, something we don't do very often.  We ended up at Marquez Bakery, a favorite of ours.  One day we'll try someplace new, but since Joel had actually eaten a breakfast taco for the first time the week before, we were emboldened to take him somewhere and see if the miracle could happen again.  We also let them pick out one item from the pan dulce selections as a "dessert", something we never let them do after breakfast.  Then we went to Half Price Books so they could use their gift cards they got for Valentine's Day.  They picked out a huge Transportation book together.  I got a Louis Armstrong CD.  YAY!

Monday morning, my brother dropped off Cade and Macy to spend the night.  After I planned it, I was telling Jav about it and he informed me I was on my own that night because he was going to Sherman for business that night.  So I decided to just think of a bunch of fun things to do around the house and in the backyard.  I thought I would let them eat all kinds of great junk food, let them watch movies and stay up as late as they wanted.  

I made up an invitation, even, and listed some of the things I hoped to do with them.  They were so excited when they got it in the mail they called me right away.  I decided to name it the first ever Tri-Annual*** Cousin Indoor Campout and Lock-in.  Tri Annual because if it went well I was already thinking we should have one during Spring Break, one in the summertime, and one sometime in October to celebrate Halloween and all things spooky.  

First up, I started teaching them poker.  Just 5-card draw (the only kind I can remember now), but for prizes.  We played with our cards turned up, and everyone got a price on this first learning day.  Joel wasn't into it so kept sitting on our poker table.

Then we had a jam session.  Gabriel, Joel and I have been listening nonstop to the last Foo Fighters CD that came out.  It turns out that my brother, Cade and Macy have been listening nonstop to the Foos CD that came out before that one.  Who knew they were just as big fans as we are?!?!  My niece and nephew are both musical, and I hope one day will get to pursue some music lessons or something a little more.  They both have great voices.

Next we played outside with one of their prizes:  a giant bubble wand.  What fun!!!  Tucker even played along, romping around the yard trying to eat bubbles.  For our first fun lunch, I had them pick out toppings for individual pizzas.  Then for dessert, I had icing and sprinkles so everyone could decorate their own cookies.  This really went over well and we'll be doing it again.  Then I had them each pick out movie so we could get them all watched while they were visiting.  They watched the first one while Joel was taking his nap on Monday.

Monday afternoon we went back outside for our Backyard Decathlon, something I made up during the Summer Olympics last year.  It ended up being a Septathlon, since we got tired after seven events.  But it was still really fun!  Shown are the Jumping on a Trampoline, Running Across the Backyard, and How Far Can You Throw This Stick? events.  

I forgot to take any pictures while the Decathlon was going on, so I had them reenact the events. These pictures crack me up.

My parents came over to join us for dinner, which was grilled hot dogs (go me - grillin' by myself!).  We also tried to make S'mores for dessert on the grill, but it had cooled off too much so I cheated and used the broiler.  But they were still yummy, ooey gooey.  The kids took turned being pulled around the yard in the wagon afterwards.

Isn't this picture fantastic?  

Then it was time for quick baths and showers and PJ's so we could watch a movie or two.

I had borrowed sleeping bags from my friend and neighbor Helen.  I laid them open and let the kids camp out with blankets and pillows on top.  I had to separate the sets of siblings because, of course, they kept bickering.  We watched Night at the Museum.  They all seemed so tired I thought I would get out of making the popcorn I had promised.  But Macy remembered and shouted it out, so everybody caught a second wind just for popcorn.  I've started making it on the stove top in my good Calphalon saucepan.  I add my own melted butter and Parmesan cheese.

After the movie, they all wanted to go to bed.  I think I finally collapsed on my own bed a little after 11.  I was going to go to sleep, but started checking just a few channels and caught The Breakfast Club, only about 30 minutes in.  Well, it's against the law to turn off certain movies if you catch them towards the beginning like that, so what was I supposed to do?  I didn't make it far, though, before nodding off.

I had promised chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, but I'm not sure why.  I've never made them before, but thought it couldn't be anything too tough.  I managed to pull it off, even though they were sloppy with melted chocolate chips all over.  I figured out that next time if I stir them in the batter ahead of time instead of just dropping them onto the cooking pancakes, I won't have such a mess.

Our fun thing to do Tuesday morning was to go on a walk down to the neighborhood duck pond and do a Scavenger Hunt while we walked.   I was going to give everyone the same list, but at the last minute changed my mind and gave them all different lists.  This ended up being a great idea because the kids helped each other to find things on his or her list.  It was a beautiful day, and we all enjoyed ourselves.  More playing outside when we got back, then lunch and another movie while Jojo napped.  I made them wait until he was sound asleep before they put in Willie Wonka, because he would have gone crazy about them watching his favorite movie without him.

They had another hour or so of backyard bubble time before my brother came to get them around 4.  I had done it!  And even though we made so many happy memories and all had a great time, I was TIRED.  A couple of days at work all of a sudden didn't sound too bad!