You'd think with a Staycation for spring break, I'd have time to get caught up on all the things. Alas, it's been 2 weeks since a blog post and I have too many of the things. I try not to glance at May because it stresses me out. I have learned though, that if I don't take those peeks and start planning then life happens and is more stressful because I'm unprepared. Hello to future me when I am sitting in a boring, quiet house....reminisce about this insane time of life and send back some of those zenful vibes! Marly turned 12! I did make her Birthday video so you can see that on the videos page here. I met her at school for a Wawa lunch after tennis. That night, I was invited to go with my friend, Anne to the TPC kick off party. I hadn't been to that on in years (back in my Arena days) and it's still such an amazing party! I saw a few blasts from the past. Tuesday was Marly's actual Birthday. I had a painful loss all the way out at Hugenot at the beach. Kerri and I just couldn't close. I was doing some poor poaching. I broke a string. I did swing by the town center (hate that place) and got Marly's coveted lulu fanny pack she's been wanting. Seeing her face was the happy of the day. That afternoon Ellie threw a temper tantrum over the photos I chose for her yearbook ad and kicked the windshield breaking the glass! Fast forwarded to me being out a van for the day while she's galloping around London. Hoping she learned a lesson (not by galloping around London but by the wrath of her father later that evening). We did have a Birthday dinner for Marly at TCC (where Abby got left at home after math club and Phil and Voss dashed out early for baseball practice). Night cap at the school board meeting (our first one!). I spent Wednesday with my mom taking her to the TPC for an early Birthday celebration. We had perfect weather and walked about 10 miles all over the gorgeous course. The next day we took the younger two to school and then got the older two all packed up for their big spring break trip. We had breakfast at the Fox then took them to the airport. Phil was a nervous wreck but chilled out after a trip to Walmart to buy snacks for the middle school movie night. Yes, awkward that I didn’t have middle schoolers there. I borrowed my nephew, Alex (while Suzanne had Owen at a swim meet [2nd in the state and Olympic cuts!] ) and Abby, Voss and I watched Goonies for the outdoor movie night. Ellie and Marly flew to Chicago (and hung out with Dude Perfect) then London with the school travel club. They were with a group of 21 students and 17 parents and teachers. I'm hoping they can do a special spring break post or video for their trip. They were in London for a few days and then took the train to Paris. It was an incredible trip. I was bummed we weren't able to do a spring break trip with the younger two. By the time we agreed on what to do everything was either sold out or too expensive to stomach. So we did a staycation. You know how I feel about that idea. It didn't seem to bother the younger two and I think that's Phil's ideal vacation. They had Play Day on Friday but the volunteer slots filled up so I volunteered for Pi Day (rounded down) at the middle school. We did a Friday night with Keith & Chris having pizza and wine. Voss had his first baseball game that morning. First time up and he got a hit! No more pitching machine so it's a learning curve. Way more real time! We took the boat to the pool that evening. The weather was perfect and spring (still too cold for the pool for me). Abby is into mermaids now; watching them on TV and becoming them in the pool. The Strassers met us up at the pool. Monday we met the Nixons, Hollands and Agrestis out for ice skating to kick off the Staycation. I took my mom out for manis and pedis. My saintly neighbor took the kids to an indoor bounce park. Abby had a sleepover with the Suter sisters. Voss had a baseball game. I took the kids and friends to an indoor playground. My neighbor took the kids to St. Augustine. I finished reading Firefly Lane. On my mom's actual 70th Birthday we took her to dinner via boat and then home with a sunset cruise. Phil played in the Pirate's Cove Cup- match vs FYC. Suzanne came with me to watch. That night we picked the girls up from the airport at midnight. Ellie accidentally threw her passport away in Miami. We were so lucky she made it home. I guess that was the best time to loose it. Friday was a low key day. It was so nice to have the family together again! It was Jess' Birthday. We did an adult lunch at the Julington Creek fish camp and saw the Michiganders come to surprise her. We had crab legs for dinner to celebrate. Sunday we taught religion class after mass then celebrated Zachary's Birthday. My parents took the older two on base for Birthday shopping sprees. So many Birthdays! They all had one more day off before going back to school. I went to tennis clinic, took Spot for a check up then to book club to discuss Night Tiger. Here are our pics from the two weeks around spring break.