A week of working nonstop where the kids didn't have school and we did nothing fun...in other words, Spring Break!

It was spring break for the kids last week.  Unfortunately, it was also super busy at work so they stayed home and did nothing fun...and nothing productive either...working in an accounting office makes this time of year dreadful.  My dad says every year that he "just can't do it another year".  He's probably said that the last 10 of the almost 40 years he has been losing years of his life preparing tax returns.

Every once in a while, when I'd get to work, I could hear my dad playing music on his computer.  It was his way of relaxing and getting ready for the day.  Most of the time he has church/Mormon Tabernacle Choir music playing...the other day it was Mariah Carey (he has a thing for women with awesome voices--silly dad) but when he had me come into his office to show him how to create a new playlist on his itunes account, I saw the song that he likes the most.  You know how itunes shows how many times you have played each song?  Most of my dad's songs had played like 7, 8, 11 times...and then there was the Song America the Beautiful---by Mormon Tab---238 times.  My poor cousin Mark, whose office is right next to my dad's, also listened to that song 238 times!

Brought tears to my eyes and made me laugh inside all at the same time!

So I just hope that my kids forgive me for being an absent mother.  I had nightmares about what a horrible mom I am, and a couple of mornings where I had to wait a while to put on my makeup until I stopped crying.  The weather didn't really cooperate either, so any outside activities were squelched.  My girls even spent one day watching my beloved collection of Masterpiece Classics--they watched Little Dorit, a Charles Dickens classic. Either way, desperate for something to do, or too much like their mother!  And I have no idea what my kids find appealing about the community pool and why they wanted to go there everyday.  ick!

TIMBER!

Still part of spring break weekend...of course work must be done still!

Will had just gotten home from a 35 mile bike ride and had big plans for his Saturday.  Sometimes I gag when I think about how hard he works out.  I know working out isn't every really fun (unless it's a certain kickboxing class) but sometimes I think Will's exercise routines are bordering insane!  Climbing this tree and cutting it down wasn't exactly in his plans, but he said he had fun doing it.  Do I have to repeat my self to say that---Will does it ALL!  

This is a tree that my grandpa Strong planted in our/his backyard...according to my dad...way back about 50 years ago.  So it was kind of hard to see it fall, but unfortunately, it was in our neighbors yard and despite the better view of all the wires, we get a better view of the mountains now as well.

As I was spending my Saturday morning flat on my aching back on the couch, (poor me) I see Will out the backdoor climbing the tree to top it.  It made me so mad...I was sure that he would fall, so I refused to get my camera to catch the action.  They were so lucky that nothing got hit and our block wasn't without power temporarily.  In the end the urge to capture history got me off the couch.

Lauren and Emma were outside watching and I heard Emma say that the exhaust smell from the chainsaw smelled like boat gas.  A smell we know very well as a family!  It's funny how certain smells stick out in our minds so well.  Boat exhaust...wet dog...stinky girl at the gym...

So, kiddos, maybe next year we can do something fun.

Or we're going to spend the summer trying to make up for your lame week!