Spring Break

Yippee!  It is spring break!  Time to throw out the schedule and have a relaxing week together!

We started off the week doing some chores.  Here's what we called them and how they work...

3 Chores on the Hour Every Hour

So, at the strike of the hour, we pass out 3 chores to each person.  Then each person has a whole hour to complete those 3 chores, or they can get them done as quickly as possible and then return back to their activity until the clock strikes another hour.  We did it for about 3 hours and felt like we accomplished soooo much while reading, playing or just relaxing in the meantime!  This was a great way to do chores!

Ten Minute Tackle

This chore is also very effective and a nice change-up.  We take a timer and set it for 10 minutes.  We work together as a family in each room for 10 minutes.  When the timer goes off, we run to the next room to see what we can tackle in 10 minutes.  Everyone has their basket to gather things that need to be put away in another room.  We can clean up the whole house in about 30 - 60 minutes.  It is fun to work hard and together to get a big job done.

Monday night we took the kids to Skateland to roller skate.  It was a first time for all of them except Carter.  They had a blast and I had a real workout holding on to Josie.  Mason was quite determined to figure it out and he did very well.  Carter and Chloe are naturals, of course.  They both were courageous and when they called for all boys under 13 to go out and race, Carter and Mason both went out.  Mason came in last and Carter was ahead of him.  Their competitors were all much older and more experienced than my sweet boys, so they didn't stand much of a chance.  Carter was discouraged by this, but I know if he works hard and practices, he will be a great speed skater.  Chloe jumped in to race with her age group and to our surprise, she won her race.  She received a free soda at the snack bar.  We were all so thrilled by her determination to win.  They all pushed their mother out with the old ladies to race and I finished somewhere in the middle of the racers.  So, I balanced things out a bit.  It was a very fun evening!  Aunt Margie, Uncle Kris, Riley and Madelyn also went with us.  Daddy didn't skate because he said it is difficult with his pigeon toed feet.  We aren't going to let him use that excuse again, because we want him to join the fun.  We can't wait for our next rollerskating adventure!

Tuesday afternoon, we went to see the movie We Bought a Zoo and we really enjoyed it.  There was some language that wasn't appropriate, so Chloe and I would just look at each other with raised eyebrows and try to ignore what we just heard.  Afterwards, Carter said he was disappointed because he liked the movie but didn't like the language.  He said he even cried a couple of times.  We went with Aunt Margie, Riley and Madelyn.

On Thursday, the kids started their Alpaca 4-H group.  Carter, Chloe and Mason will all participate.  Mason will be a clover bud for beginners.  It was very muddy and wet, but we still walked out to look at the alpaca's to try and decide who the kids wanted to choose to work with for the year.  The owners of the alpaca's rent them out for $1 per child per year.  We don't have to purchase an alpaca or buy their food.  I think it is quite a deal and they are only about a mile and a half from our home.  We are all excited to get started.  The kids will make their final decision next week and then seriously start to learn about and work with their alpacas. 

On the last day of spring break, we decided it was way past time to cut Mason's hair.  So in the midst of shaving it...we decided to give him a mohawk since he has been asking for one for months.

 It was pretty short lived...there for several hours and then gone by the next morning.  My kind of mohawk.  :) 

Mason surely enjoyed it while it lasted. 

Doesn't the smile speak volumes?

We surely do love SPRING BREAK for the chance it gives us to spend time together as a family and just relax a little.  Life is so busy and hectic!  We are grateful for the fun we had this week!

Saturday and Sunday was General Conference and we will post about this next....