spring break 2016 :: the rest of us

it was me and the younger 4 left at home for the week.
i'm going to be honest. I wasn't jumping for joy in anticipation of the week.
BUT. I chose to embrace it and tried to think of some fun things that they would love.


so. pat and Joshua left at like 3 in the morning on Friday.
Rebekah left at 3 in the afternoon on Friday.
and then we hit our week off with a bang by dropping the car off at the shop to get new tires. and walking home. ha!

i don't remember anything else about that evening. I know that all I wanted to do was cry. I was worried about them all. and didn't want to be "having fun."

the next day, we went to the mall. it was one of the things bailey said she'd LOVE to do that week. it's pretty much one of my least favorite pasttimes. to just wander around the mall...

but we did it and she loved it.

this was her favorite store (seriously?!?)

sunday, we went to church then drove a couple hours to JMU!

the older 2 have been there a few times (for different reasons.)

but the younger ones hear about it, wear the shirts, and love it...but have never set eyes on it!

(I wanted them to feel like they went SOMEwhere...but didn't want to drive to far, or spend too much money...)

we stayed in a hotel with a pool and free breakfast.

watched a movie in a theater.

and then walked all over Harrisonburg the next day.

I showed them all the places Pat and I lived (wow...the memories that come back as you walk around your college campus are almost enough to take over your emotions!)

this is where I lived one year - the Barn House!

this is where pat lived one year - "625"

I could never have dreamed up the life i'd be living when I walked this campus all those years ago...

it was a fun little trip :-)

another day I took them all on a date.

just a little walk for a fun drink or treat.

bailey and sawyer slept on my floor every.single.night.

I didn't mind :-)

the cherry blossoms peaked during the week.

we made that into what ended up being the day I enjoyed the MOST of the whole week! (I also stopped crying so much about now...I missed Pat a LOT!!)

I fit all our bikes in the car.

we drove and parked in Georgetown. ate a packed lunch in the car.

then rode our bikes from Georgetown to the Tidal Basin.

the kids were NOT impressed with the cherry blossoms ;-)

then we rode from there to a new exhibit called the Renwick Gallery.

it was INCREDIBLE!!!!

that night we had a special service at church.

it was my favorite day. I love being active, and doing new things with my kids at my side.

the next day, we went to a fun playground and I just sat while they played. it's nice to be in a stage where I can do that.

then we met my parents and Ellie for lunch! we had the best time. laughed our heads off. I got to feed Ellie! it was so fun!

we left from there and went to Ikea for a couple hours...got some fun stuff for the basement guest room. it's almost done!!

I did my long run on Friday morning while the kids were still sleeping...so that we could all be home together on Saturday morning (pat and Joshua got home LATE Friday night.)

we also had some time just at home...and it was sweet to be able to let them just PLAY! they didn't have to do their cleaning chores this week. and it was just a good break in lots of ways for all of us.

it was a LOOONG week. but I hope we made some good memories together!!