Spring Break Week

Day one of our spring break has commenced, and most would think a spring break week filled with dentist appointments, closet cleaning, science fair projects, and filing taxes, would be uneventful and rather drab. Not in this house.

For starters, we are on week two of our marathon Monopoly game. See? I told you. The excitement is really unbearable. I had a chance to go bankrupt last Thursday night and didn't. I don't know what I was thinking when I "accidentally" moved 10 spaces instead of 9 and totally skipped over Park Place and its $2000 fee. At that moment, for some unknown reason, I just couldn't lose. So I cheated. I justified it by saying the bonding time we experience over board games is worth it. I have kicked myself all weekend for that decision.

We bought new tennis shoes today. This is a very rewarding experience for a parent of a tween who hates to shop. Of course, both boys selected shoes with price tags nearing $60. I said, "Absolutely not. I am NOT paying that kind of money for some shoes." And then Evan pulled off his current pair of shoes, and I saw that every stitch of lining had worn away from the heels and the cushioned sole revealed daylight. I did what any responsible parent would do. I asked for a size 5 and 12 and we left with two new pairs of shoes.

I have also mediated two knock-down drag-out fights over a lost bouncy ball, and I made seven grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. I was thanked with, "Is that all you are going to make?"

Let me remember that the beach is awaiting our arrival. Only two more days and we will leave board games, tennis shoes and grilled cheese sandwiches behind for the sun, sand, and surf!