A Day Out

Since we have spent most of our Spring Break hanging around the house, I figured we should probably get out today. Especially since it wasn't raining, finally, and the temps were pretty nice. We started out with a trip to the home improvement store to buy one of these:

I've been wanting one for several years, and since this year we don't own a working lawn mower at all...I figured it would be the time to pick one up. Mary is so excited that she can mow the grass with this. We will see how long that lasts. I remember my time mowing the grass with a push mower as a kid. Of course I wasn't as fortunate as Mary, mine was an antique from my great-grandparent's estate, I had to be careful about getting splinters from the wood handles.

But, like hanging clothes, mowing the grass with a push mower is so centering. No noise, no fumes. It no longer feels like a chore, more like an experience. I can actually take the time to smell the freshly mown grass.

Even though that was our one errand that needed to be done, we were not ready to head back to the house. So, we stopped and asked some friends to come meet us for lunch at Chick-fil-a. Playtime for the kids, visiting for me. For a bonus, we scored some language CDs; Chinese, Russian and Italian. I'll add these to the German and Japanese we got a couple of years ago. Getting the Chinese language CD was so appropriate since we will be starting our China unit in a couple of weeks.

After lunch, since we were so close to the shopping center, I decided to run over and pick up the new umbrella stroller my mom had decided to buy me. The one I have had since Mary was a baby finally fell apart recently, sniff...sniff. That stroller had been everywhere with the kids. But after 8 years of constant use it gave up the ghost. While we were there we saw the pottery wheel Mary had been talking about for so long. And, since I can't buy just one child a craft project, everyone else got something. Katie a stuffed doll she could decorate with all sorts of beady, shiny things and Emily some more of her Color Wonder kits that she loves so much. For the homeschool supplies I found letter & number stamps for a really good price.

Everyone had something to occupy them for the afternoon so we came on home, where the kitchen was transformed to a studio:



I tell you, if you want something that will occupy a 3 year old quietly for a period of time the Color Wonder kits are the thing. They are magic according to Emily. And the markers don't dry out like normal markers.

And, so there ends our Spring Break. I am embarrassed to admit how little of my list was completed. But the week was a good break. Next week we are traveling to visit my family and will be finishing our Colonial America unit with some field trips. We will start back up on some of school work, but nothing too heavy.

Peace,

Amy