Growing up, I didn't realize how much parents rely on school. I didn't realize it because both of my parents were teachers. If school was out, then they were out. To me, the whole world just sort of ...stopped moving during holidays and vacations...or something like that. I never gave a second thought to all the rest of the people. The ones who had normal jobs that didn't allow for 3 week Christmas vacations or random snow days without warning, or lengthy summer vacations, or spring breaks extended on both ends by "faculty training days." The fact that normal people had to work on these days, while at the same time finding ways to take care of their children, was completely beyond me.
Fortunately, Rachel's job is super flexible and allows us to handle these times with relative ease. We have it better than most. But still....it's not super simple either.
Anyway, as you might have guessed, the kids just had their annual spring break. I am wiped out. In the past week I have gone skiing three times, rock climbing twice, and on one long road trip to visit my parents with the kids. Rach stayed back for some time to herself which included; shopping, time out with friends, taking herself out to breakfast, lounging around, and going to the movie theater. On top of this, I have maintained my regular schedule at the office, actually gotten a workout in at the gym on most days, kept up in my online college course as well as in my guitar lessons/practice, and held down the house mostly on my own while Rach had some down time. It was exhausting, punctuated by brief moments of actual fun and relaxation. But mostly exhausting.
Today was the first day the kids were back in school.
It was heavenly.
Rach and I resumed our standing Monday breakfast date. I got to sit on the couch for a few minutes and read my book. When the kids got home I made burgers on the grill and we celebrated the coming of spring with a nice outdoor BBQ. Once they are all tucked in, Rach and I will pour some nice drinks, sit on our deck, and talk into the night watching the sun set behind the mountains. Really, it is a wonderful time of year in a beautiful corner of the world that we happen to live in. Things are back to normal, but only here could "normal" feel so extraordinary.
Even if the schools are out to get us.
Enjoy the pictures, and have a good week!
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| Watching the pond skimming and ski jumping competitions at Silver Mountain. Jack wants to try to be in it next year. We'll see. |
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| Evelyn was so cute helping Lindsey. Skiing as a family is one of my favorite things to do right now. The four oldest kids are good enough that they can ski pretty much the whole mountain on their own. Lindsey still needs a little help, but she is getting it. The rides up the lifts provide some of the best one-on-one conversation time that I have had with the kids. |
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| Green canyon hot springs near Rexburg |
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| These two are besties. Here, they were caught steeling chips while the rest of us were swimming. |
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| A walk around the BYU-Idaho gardens. This is probably my favorite place to visit in Rexburg. Jackson had fun climbing on top of all of the buildings. Where would he get that from...? |
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