Spring Break Fun

This week J and I have been on spring break all week. This is one of those times that is a huge perk when both of you are teachers! We're lucky to have the same break so we're able to spend a lot of time together and as a family during weeks like this.

The week started out pretty normal with some spring cleaning in the garage and doing some yard work. J and I got to go to one of my favorite breakfast places-the Original Pancake House. The main reason I go there is because they have chocolate chip pancakes. I've never had anything different when we go there. They are the best! Plus, it is the only place I know of that has pancakes where the chocolate chips are actually in the middle rather than just on top. This is very important, you know... So that was a lot about breakfast, but that was really the main point of our day!

Tuesday was a very fun day with our kiddos. It started out with smoothies, which is always a hit. Then we went to Build-a-Bear Workshop and "built" a stuffed animal! Thanks to Aunt Lindsey, Uncle Jake and Cousin Liam, we were able to go there with gift cards A & C received from their third birthday.

This greeting made with Smilebox

As you can see, they had a lot of fun! I loved it too! It was perfect because they could pick their own animal and watch it get stuffed. They also put in the animal's heart. The kids were also able to pick out one thing to put on their animal. A picked a pink dress (of course!) and C chose a Twins shirt. A perfect match for both of them! After that we went to the Rainforest Cafe. Now this is a restaurant that I have been walking by for 10 years, but have never been to. I think part of it is that it seems too "touristy." Pretty sure I just made that word up! When I think touristy, I think expensive and over the top. Well, the restaurant is a bit over the top, but it was GREAT for our kids!!! Ok, and it was great for me, too. Who knew it rained and thunderstormed inside the restaurant?! A & C loved it and were really good, too. That always helps. To end the day we went to Chutes and Ladders which is a play area by our house. This is a place I remember going to as a kid, and it has certainly changed. There are a lot of climbing places and slides. There is one original slide left from what I remember as a kid. We had a picnic dinner and played until sunset. The day ended with a trip to DQ. Whew! What a day!

Yesterday was a good day with J. We went to the Macy's flower show downtown. I love the fact that when you get off the escalators on the 8th floor you can smell the flowers. Mmmm! We ate outside because it was 75 degrees. Yes, March 30th, 75 degrees. Crazy!! After lunch we went to the Linden Hills neighborhood, which we love and wish we could live in, and walked around. We went to Lake Harriet, then back to a local ice cream shop for the best Oreo ice cream ever. I really can't complain about that kind of day!

Today...well, let's just say I could have fallen asleep around 4:00! I took the kids to the Como Zoo to meet up with some girlfriends and their kids. This was the first time I had seen everyone together since October! My how life gets busy when you have kids! We had a great time, enjoying the weather (it got to 81 degrees, according to my car), seeing the animals, having a picnic lunch and catching up with friends. This afternoon it was off to my mom's house to go to the "Red Park" as our kids call it. We met up with some friends-Jodi and her kids Lillian and Gavin. We played and played and played today! I can't believe C didn't nap, but hopefully he'll sleep for a while tomorrow morning. Again...whew!

So, it's been a busy week! But, if you know me, I wouldn't have had it any other way. Busy is what I like because I would hate to look back at this week and go, wait! I wish we would have done that! We'll see what tomorrow brings to end our week. What do you do when you have a week off?