Spring Break 2018

Thirty-five. There are now 35 days of the 2017-18 school year remaining for my big two (and really, only 34 for my Lu Crew, as we're playing hooky the last day of school). And after the last week we've had together, I am even MORE excited for summer to arrive! The countdown is officially ON.  

 

I love spending time with my kiddos. Love.It. Are there squabbles and tattling and timeouts and tantrums? Absolutely. Are there moments I want to pull my hair out? You know it. Can it be exhausting and draining? Yup. But I wouldn't trade it. My littles will only be little for so long. So, we push through the hard moments and look for the good. And there was plenty of good to be had last week, during Spring Break 2018. 

 

Because my little fam always has a busy summer, we stay pretty low-key during Spring Break, and this year was no exception. But I also make it a point to make each day a little adventure for my Crew so that it still feels like a special week together. We typically venture away for a few days to visit with family, as was the case again this year. Here, a look at what Spring Break 2018 looked like for us:

Day 1: This was really Day 1 of Spring Break for Harrison (since he had a teacher workday, aka no school this day), but Banks and Raleigh had to go school for a snow day make-up day. Nonetheless, I still had four kids to hang with, as I took care of my niece and nephew all morning/afternoon. Although I was pooped after a solo day with two 2-year-olds and two 3-year-olds, we had a great time together! We decorated Easter cookies, played in the playroom, got in lots of outdoor play and walks, lunched, napped, and played some more! Have I ever mentioned I LOVE being an aunt and being around my nieces and nephews? Maybe just once or twice? Well, I do. <3 And then, that night, my hub and I headed out for a date night to kick off the rest of the Spring Break week. We went to one of my favorite spots, a Thai food place called Basil, and it was delish!

Day 2: This was a day filled with yard work. It sounds boring and bleh, but it was actually pretty fun! Working together as a family, and with the help of some dear friends (we love you, Graham fam!), we knocked out spreading 25 yards of mulch in no time flat (around 4 hours!). I also planted new flowers in our flower boxes, so we were feeling extra Spring-y. :) And then, it was time for the kiddos to dye our Easter eggs! 

Day 3: Easter Sunday! Hooray! He is risen!!!! We awoke and the kids were greeted by their waiting Easter baskets. They each loved their goodies, and we loved watching them dive in to find their own individual special surprises. After our usual daddy-made Sunday breakfast, the kids hunted for eggs before we got ready and headed out to church. After church, for the second year in a row, we enjoyed a traditional, delicious Easter meal of...Bojangles. Yep. A Bo Box (i.e., fried chicken, two tasty sides, biscuits, and sweet tea). Hey - you do you, friends. And we'll do us. ;) A big Easter meal is just not a priority for us, so we take away the stress, grab some fried chicken, and enjoy the meal at home together. Done and done! ;) We spent the rest of the day getting in some exercise and outdoor play (the group gift the Bunny brought the kids this year was Slammo. It's so fun and easy to transport for beach trips, pool visits, indoor or outdoor fun, etc. Highly recommend!). We played some ball and had a ball!

Day 4: I surprised my Big 3 on Day 4 by taking them to Carowinds for the first half of the day. Carowinds is 10 minutes from our house, if that. And the kids got season passes for a Christmas gift this year; so, it was free fun! And man, did we have fun! Banks and Raleigh went on their first rollercoaster! I was so proud - I didn't ride with them (even though I LOVE rollercoasters!) because I needed to stay with Harrison. So, they did it alone, and they loved it! After other rides and some ice cream, we visited Dino World within the park, and the kids dug for *real* dinosaur fossils. ;) Meanwhile, back at home, Bella was taking a nice long nap (while my hub worked at home). Once we got back, it was time for a fun surprise for Bellaboo: an afternoon with our water table! It was her first time ever, and she loved it! The beautiful weather was just an added bonus. :) 

Day 5: On Day 5, my Mama, aka Bammy, came to visit for the day/night! My Momma is one of my best friends, and I love our time together. She is a busy Bammy, with five other kids and ten other grandchildren (not counting my own!) whom she spends time with just about every weekend; so, we just love when we get our special time with our Bam (Digby had to work, which is why he wasn't able to join us)! We went to one of our favorite local spots for kiddo fun - Mr. Putty's Fun Park. It's where we hosted Banks' 8th birthday party last year, and the kids were so excited to go back! We played a round of 18 holes and for the first time, Banks beat us all! We grabbed milkshakes on the way home to cool off and then Bammy so graciously hung at home with the kiddos that night while my hub and I went to dinner at a new favorite dinner spot with awesome patio dining with two of our favorites. It was a great day and night!

 

Day 6: You know Day 6 was a good one for the kiddos when it starts with playtime with Bammy and ends with playtime with Nana/Pop! :) My littles were so lucky to see their grandparents from both "sides" of the family on this day! Bammy ended up heading home around lunchtime and then we drove off shortly after to Aiken, South Carolina, where we would be spending the next three days.  

Day 7: For the third year in a row, my hub, Banks, and Pop (my father "in law") headed out for their annual fishing trip. This is such a special tradition for my guys - they get to spend time with Pop, participating in his passion right alongside him, while having fun and making memories. And this year, Uncle Grady and Cousin Chandler joined in the fun! They left bright and early this day (Thursday), and the rest of us (Raleigh, Harrison, Bella, Nana, and me) wouldn't see them again until they were done fishing on Saturday! We had fun all over town in the meanwhile, heading to the beauty and adorableness that is downtown Aiken, making a pit stop in the cutest place, Cyndi's Sweet Shoppe, and then strolling around for awhile,  taking in the gorgeous weather and the Aiken scenery. We then headed back to Nana and Pop's for more outdoor fun!

Day 8: Our Aiken adventures continued, this time with Cousin Maddie in tow! She and Aunt Chrissy had a sleepover with us at Nana's, and we had fun all day leading up to it, basking in the gorgeous sunshine and playing outside for most of the day. There were also manicures and crafting and a pizza/movie night, of course! I am so very lucky to have the most amazing mother "in law," who is also someone I consider a very dear and valued friend. I am so thankful we were able to have so many hours to spend together, just chatting away about so many things - some deep, some lighthearted, all special. <3 Yes, this was a definitely a day that was great for all! 

Day 9: After a successful and fun fishing trip, our fishermen arrived back to Aiken just before lunchtime, and we headed back home to the Mill shortly after. It was a yucky, rainy day; so, we got home and basically just unpacked, played indoors, and took in a bit of the Masters before putting the kiddos down for an early bedtime and turning on some Narcos. We were all pooped!

Day 10: And then, sadly, Spring Break came to a close. Banks woke up with a tummy bug, and since I had church nursery duty, I took the rest of the Crew to church while my hub and Banks stayed back at home. Luckily, Banks was good as new by the time we got back home. The rest of the day was spent doing a bit of re-organizing, a bit of laundry, a bit of working out, a bit of party planning, a bit of playdating with friends, and a bit of early bedtimes for all. A great end to a great week. 

And now, we wait for Summer's glorious debut. We sure enjoyed our time together this week, and I am missing my kiddos already as we get back into the swing of things today. Thanks for the memories, Spring Break 2018! You were definitely a good one. :)