This is the first year we've really observed Spring Break because it's the first year any of our kids have been in any sort of organized school. I'm guessing it will be an even bigger deal next year when Eleanor is in school all day long. This year we headed up to northern Virginia sans Chris because he had to work and while we had a great time, it was a hard trip for me. I'm not sure about these solo trips until the kids get a little older. Thankfully Chris had to work in D.C. on Monday and Tuesday so I at least had his help on Monday night! On Monday we headed up to his parents' house to spend some time with Gaby and Papa Laser.
We took a walk, watched the NCAA championship game (though I went to sleep during it), and battled tired, fussy babies who didn't want to nap - which proved to be a theme of the entire trip. Jane's outfit (below) also was a theme of our trip which seemed much more like a winter break than a spring break. I almost hadn't brought jackets, but last minute while we were still in the driveway before we pulled out, I ran back inside and threw them in the car. I'm glad I did because we had snow flurries on Thursday and it was quite cold the entire time! I forgot tons of things (socks for the babies, burp clothes, enough clothes for the big girls), but thankfully I didn't forget their jackets.
The next day we headed out to Round Hill to visit my mom. My sister also flew out from San Diego to visit for a couple days. It was so good to see her! We have plans to get together there again this summer and then we will possibly get together some other time in the late fall/early winter near one of the holidays.
We took a little walk/hike nearby the Potomac River and the Battle of Cool Spring (Civil War). It was an old golf course! Jane hid a rock one of her friends had painted and given to her on the trail, we spied a heron rookery with binoculars, and skipped rocks in the river.
Despite the snow flurries, it was actually sunny and somewhat warm in the sun in the afternoon. We spent time playing outside and relaxing on the back porch drinking tea. Eleanor even got to go for a ride on the riding mower!
Because of the cold though, we spent most of our time indoors. We played cards and sat around visiting.
The morning we left, we went to a little park in Purcellville. It was a huge place with a pool (not open yet), tennis courts, a little lake, running/biking trails, soccer and baseball fields, and a small playground and we literally saw no one save one runner then entire time we were there (on a Friday morning!). It was unbelievable. I can't go to the playgrounds in our town on any day of the week and find them empty so I wonder where all the people were! We ended up playing a very elaborate game of survivor where our boat crashed on a deserted island and we had to make our own toothbrushes out of sticks, clothes out of leaves, fish for our food, and build our own fires. Hah!
Overall we had a great visit but I was glad to come home and have a day to recover before the regular week started again! Happy Spring/Winter Break! Now that it's April, I am really hoping to stop all this crazy bundling and wear warmer-weather clothes!
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