We think this post from a few years back is worth a Second Glance, especially since it’s spring break and we’re off frolicking with our kids. Enjoy!
Ahhhhh…spring break is finally here. Seems like we’ve been waiting for it since the day after school began last year. A break from the routine of alarm clocks, bed times, endless homework, car pools, nagging. I am as excited as the kids are. It’s hard work to parent school children. A lot of stress. A lot of responsibility. A lot of effort trying to keep up with the perfect parents who are probably busy trying to keep up with a whole other set of perfect parents. It’s a vicious cycle…one from which I am ready for a break. I went to bed last night with “visions” of relaxation, going to the park, eating sand coated sandwiches at the reservoir, soaking up the first glorious rays of the summer soon to come.
It seems that my ‘visions” were slightly off, as I am now, on the first afternoon of spring break, staring forlornly out my window at snowflakes. Three inches of snowflakes to be exact, and I fear there is more to come. How could this happen? How could Mother Nature be so cruel as to single-handedly destroy MY spring break? MY time to sit outside and read a frivolous paperback while the kids frolic. There will be no frolicking this week, only whining bored kids and a frustrated mom. Snow has long ago worn out its welcome. That happens at about the same time as the after Christmas sales wind down. I have lost count of how many times I have already heard today, “Mom, what can I do?” It’s the same phrase I’ve been hearing for the past 3 months. I want to say, “Go outside and frolic in the sun!” Oh, wait a minute…there is no sun!
Thankfully, there is a little angel in the form of a 9 year old girl, who lives down the street. She came over minutes ago to rescue my son from the gloom and doom pervading my home. They are now outside in full winter gear: snow pants, puffy coats, snow boots, hats and gloves. I’m not joking! If I didn’t know better, I would think it was the middle of winter, not the first day of spring break. I can see them playing outside in the snow. Their cheeks are rosy. They are laughing, throwing snowballs and generally having a great time. Dare I say they might be frolicking?
Maybe I should take a lesson from the kids. Maybe it’s time to roll with the punches, even if the punch means one more blast of winter. If a couple of 9- year-olds can do it, so can I.
I say if Mother Nature can break the unspoken spring break rule of warmth, sunshine, and frolicking, well then it’s high time I break some rules as well. Drastic measures are now called for. I am now putting on a Michael Buble Christmas cd in an attempt to lift my spirits. This will mean breaking my set-in-stone Christmas music rule. (I made a rule years ago that Christmas music could only be played from Thanksgiving Day until New Years Eve in an attempt the keep the music “special”. ) Strains of “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” are now flowing through my house. Liz suggested presents and Santa cookies might be in order. I say “Let’s not go nuts, here.” Perhaps Liz does not realize what making sugar cookies entails. I mean it is Liz we’re talking about. She’s probably on a first name basis with the employees at the local bakery, so how could she know!
I think chocolate chip cookies are a suitable substitute, and perhaps I can find some hidden for a rainy (snowy) day dollar store treasures in a closet somewhere. Maybe we’ll even blow up a beach ball and toss it around in the snow. It’s spring break, after all…might as well have some fun frolicking!
-Kate
