This week was spring break, otherwise known as a trial run for summer.  It makes me re-evaluate things a little bit and make a few more plans before kids are out for the summer in 6 weeks.  For example after a full day of a doctor's appointment with Taylor and going to the zoo, we pull in the drive-way to have kids seriously ask me, "so what did you make for dinner, we're hungry".  So good practice at pacing myself, letting the days be spent enjoying kids and keeping a little time and chocolate in reserve for mom's sanity.

Half this week was sunshine and half was rain - a typical spring.  Monday the kids enjoyed spending the day outside with a water party next door and working in the yard.  Last fall I decided to just stop working in the yard when it got cold thinking everything could wait until spring.  I think I may have made a mistake with that decision.  But weeds are gradually getting under control as I fill up garbage cans every week.  (FYI - while kids were gone I quietly disposed of our cat who was gradually rising out of his grave - disgusting, gross and unmentionable - the things a mom does)

Tuesday Taylor had his appointment with the ortho surgeon.  I love Primary hospital as they take my kids playing catch in the hallways all in stride.  It has to be one of my kids' favorite places to go as long as the appointment isn't for them.  Taylor's left hip which wasn't healing very well before is now almost completely healed while his right hip which was making great progress before has now slowed way down.  The doctor has no idea why his hips are healing so slowly even for a disabled child but its still getting better so we just keep pumping in the multivitamins and milk and practicing his walking.  Then with the temperatures getting up to almost 80 degrees we hit the zoo.  It was packed with us having to go clear up the canyon to park but we had a great day.  Outings are getting easier although the gloomy gus's and negative speech keep popping up.  Definitely room for improvement there.  Best part of this week was that Taylor genuinely enjoyed all the outings and was happy, chirping and interested.

Allison brought a friend to the zoo with us

We put together a book list after much discussion to read together this summer.  We got a jump start this week with Spud Murphy.  It always surprises me how much we all enjoy reading together despite everyone's different ages.  We finished our first book (very short one) this week with kids begging to start another one right away.
Wednesday we went to a park to play and roller blade and then off to see a matinee.

The good weather disappeared that afternoon but kids were persistent that until they had actual frostbite that it was still a great day to play outside.  Spencer filmed Taylor enjoying the grass.



Wednesday we also had an appointment with Spencer's psychiatrist.  Nothing new just a routine check-up.  Most of Spencer's issues now are behavior based that he just needs to learn to deal with - or should I saw we.  But he did bring up an interesting point that kids who get bi-polar before puberty will also get some form of ADHD 80-90% of the time.  He said that usually it doesn't become a real issue until they are 15-18 years old.  Does make me stop and think.  Spencer is just stoked this week that he grew another inch and is now 5'7" and can look Jeremy in the eyes.

Thursday with another friend of Allison's in tow we met up with cousins and Kelly at in-n-out for lunch and then hit the indoor pool.  Everyone else must have thought a rainy day was a good day for the pool as well but Taylor and I just hung out by the hot tub and enjoyed the chaos from a distance.  Garion came home with us to play for awhile and they played Risk for a few hours until we cut them up at 9.  I never thought our kids could happily play a board game for a few hours.  Really, never, ever thought it was possible without bloodshed.

Friday we met up with some friends for ice skating.  Robyn now has it down and just does laps around us.  If you have ever seen Spencer have issues with shoes you can imagine the issues he faces every time we go ice skating but he pulled it together and had a great time.  Taylor loves to get pushed around the ice and I love holding onto his wheelchair for balance.

Friday night we had a two-fer date.  We took Spencer to do baptisms for the dead and then dropped him off so we could go out to the movies.  Date night is wonderful.  Just being somewhere without kid voices is wonderful, I really don't care what we do together.

Saturday we spent the day with Jeremy's family.  His sister Jonnalynn came into town with her husband Erik and their baby.  We ate brunch, walked around in rain and freezing conditions through Thanksgiving Point and the tulip festival and then came back home for pizza and to visit some more.  The highlight for our kids was riding around on Erik's golf cart that he procured when the rain got a little miserable.  It was good to spend it as a family just hanging out and getting to know Jonnalynn's family better.

Jeremy is still fitting in photography where he can.  He had a smug meet up this week where he learned about lighting and then he had a studio night taking pictures of a fire eater.  He invested in a fog machine for that event so Halloween should be cool around our house this year.

So tomorrow I am going to clean and re-group after this last week and send the kids back to school a little sad and a little bit happy that I have 6 more weeks before school is out.

love, Heather