Spring Break Day 3

We spent the morning and early afternoon at Pretend City in Irvine. My initial impression of the place was that it was overrated and overpriced. However, the kids LOVED it. It’s basically a miniature ‘city’… library, post office, gas station, grocery store, homes, theater, restaurants, doctor’s/dentist offices, the beach, a pond, farm, etc.

Juliet was a big fan of the stage. Aidric didn't set foot on it once. Love their different personalities. She literally had to be pulled off. 

Aidric did really enjoy controlling the music and spotlights. 

Pumping a little iron at the fire station. 

Aidric was not happy to be in the passenger seat.

 In the library, listening to a lesson on rainbows and then creating their own rainbows.

The art center. 

The stream. They built their own boats first and then sailed them around. This was probably their favorite area. 

We could have stayed a lot longer, but Mac woke up with a cold and he deteriorated as the morning went by. When we got to the stream, he just wanted me to hold him and lay with his head on my chest. This is sooo not like him. He barely ate anything for lunch, the runny nose got worse, his eyes looked horrible and he was just so lethargic.  I didn't manage to get any pictures of the remainder of the day there with him in my arms. We just snuggled while the other two explored the garden, grocery store, farm and workshop. Luckily, they were excited enough by the pool at the hotel that they were happy to leave despite how much fun they were having.

Of course, Mac fell asleep on the way to the hotel. I think he lasted about 45 seconds into the drive actually. Once we got our key and got into the room, I tried to get him to stay asleep on the bed, but he wanted nothing to do with that. I gave up and we went to the pool.

I got exactly two pictures taken at the pool and then put my phone in my bag so I could be on full-on Mac mode. He and I stayed in the jacuzzi and he made several attempts to face dive into the water. The other picture I took was of him, but his eyes were closed :)  

 After swimming for almost 2 hours, we headed back to the room to get ready for dinner. I was still hopeful that Chris would be able to join us, but knew that it was a real possibility he would still be working. We did a quick shopping errand and then decided to eat at Wahoos. Chris showed up just as we were finishing our meals. He took one look at Coramc and asked us to go home. He was only half joking :) Turns out he also had an phone call scheduled for 7:00 the next morning. Not ideal circumstances with us all in the same room. In the end, we decided it would make more sense for us to drive home. So, he helped me pack up the car and off we went. I took a quick picture of 3 very tired kiddos with daddy before we took off. 

Spring Break Day 2

We spent the morning at Adventure Plex with the Flemings.

This guy wasn't a huge fan of the "toddler/ 3 and under" section. He was actually pretty ticked off every time I tried to get him to play in there. Only exception was this slide..especially once he discovered going down head first, on his belly. 

Rather than climb anything you are supposed to climb, he decided to climb up on the window.

That's Juliet up there getting ready to go down the big slide. 

Aidric and Delaney stopping for a picture.

He was much happier in the "big part". 

 

 A rare moment when all 3 were together.

At one point, I was standing there talking to Michelle and Cormac was right at our feet. I looked down and he was gone. We both glanced around and he was nowhere. Michelle went out to see if he had somehow escaped the play area, I looked around in the other direction. Nowhere to be found. Knowing my son, I got down on hands and knees and looked UNDER the entire structure. Sure enough...there he was. This is clearly not a space for people. Trying to get him out, his head barely fit through! 
 

After going home and having naps/quiet time, we made the GAK I promised them we would make.



It was really cool.

They kind of loved it. 

And spent a good hour playing with it! 

After watering the garden and watching a show or two, it was dinner/baths and off to bed! Day #2 of Spring Break was deemed even more fun than Day 1. We'll see what happens next :) 

Spring Break Day 1

We're inadvertently having a little "staycation" for Spring Break. I planned a few new 'activities' for the kids to do at home and a few day outings. Quick rundown of Day 1.

Breakfast :)

Overnight oatmeal pancakes, strawberries from the CSA, morning star sausage, milk and fresh squeezed OJ.

Post breakfast activity. I wrote out the alphabet for Juliet and our address and my phone number for Aidric. (He really needs to learn these!!) They traced over with q-tips and paint. 

He just painted :) 

 After his "work" he painted this.

We headed upstairs to get dressed and I took these with my iphone. I love impromptu reading dates. Here, they are listening to a Christmas Hallmark book my mom bought them. It has her voice recorded, reading it to them and they looooove it. They've memorized most of it and often sing the Frosty song throughout the day, and then at the end, they say the part she added, "maybe when you come to Indiana this year, Juliet, we can build a snowman". So cute!! 

 Fave babysitter, Alyssa, came for a couple of hours and I ran some errands and went for a run. On this CRAZY windy day the waves were just insane!

While Cormac napped, I surprised these two with perler/fuse beads, which I had just picked up while they were with Alyssa. They used these during our Santa Barbara vacation with the Nords and really enjoyed them then. I was not expecting almost TWO HOURS worth of enjoyment from them though! 

When Cormac woke up, Aidric and Jules were still busy with the beads, so he and I headed out to water the garden. This is one of his favorite parts of our day. Each time, I only fill his watering can up with about 2 cups of water. He lugs it over to the garden and dumps it all in the same spot. Each time. I think I had planted cilantro there. Safe to say the cilantro might not grow this year. 

  

Juliet had dance class and then we came home for hot dogs on the grill. Read two chapters of The Box Car Children: Surprise Island and tucked them in. A day well spent!