Spring Break - Part 2

My friend, Beth, moved not too long ago to a home with a property that is a perfect for boys...and tomboys...and princess-fashionable-dainty girls who aren't afraid to get a little dirty. All around her house is a wooded area, complete with bugs and frogs and turtles and snakes (that is a another post). The kids can go on an adventure of their own, all while being within earshot distance. It's great...cuz then the moms of those kids can pull out a couple chairs and have some catch up time. Another fun feature is Miss Beth's driveway...it is a sloping, circular driveway, which just so happens to be perfect for driving miniature jeeps and ATV's and bikes. Miss Beth just parks her car at the end of the driveway, so no kiddos go extra wild and wind up in the road. But perhaps the biggest draw for Jake and Lydia is the fact that just across the street from the Riddell's house is an even bigger wooded area where the kids can go on a short hike. We went exploring spring break week and kept following this little stream. Finally, (it took a bit of time with the little ones), we made it to Bear Creek. And to the delight of 6 kids and 2 excited moms, it was not deep. We waded in the creek for a while (while Beth and I reminisced our own creek days - only it was Raccoon Creek - at her Grandpa's farm in Galipolis every summer). Let me tell you...we have plans for this summer!

Spring Break - Part 1

Figured I'd better put some spring break pictures up before summer vacation arrives! Dan subbed 3 of the 5 days of spring break and while we missed having him around, the kids and I made some fun memories.

Here are the kids at Orchardly Park (my favorite park). While digging in the sand in a beach setting would have been grand, Jake, Lydia, and Claire had a fabulous time diggin' away in good, ol' Oakwood, Ohio! (there's that tongue...)

Call me crazy, but I let the kids have some friends over one day during spring break. Why, you may ask, is that crazy? Well, the plan was to divvy up the days, but logistically, the day that worked the best was the same for everyone. So...I had em' all come over the same day. Six kids...not so crazy, but throw in dress up clothes, a karaoke machine, and paper mache projects, and there you have it. I was one tired mama at the end of the day. Thankfully, I had my own mama around to help me keep my sanity.

Jake and his buddy making paper mache dragons.

Lydia, her girl friends, and Claire serenading mom and grandma.

Lunch time and some brief, quiet, munching moments.

Two-legged carrot.

Having fun with the two-legged carrot!