Tuesday, December 29, 2009

If it's a vacation, shouldn't we at least be someplace warm?

Everyone beware, for we are about to enter the critical period of Winter Break.  Certain elements combine to make this a particularly volatile time:  It's several days past Christmas, and the kids have figured out all their new toys (and have been informed, to their EXTREME disappointment, that they will not be playing with the Wii for 8 hours a day)...they're already so finished with running around outside in the cold...within the four walls of the house, children and parents alike are grating on each others' nerves (or is that just me?)...the early novelty of not going to school has given way to the dreaded "I'm bored, what should I do?" (I have suggestions, but you won't like them. Clean something! Preferably outside!  And no, that does NOT mean hose your brother off in the driveway!)

This year, we are feeling it even more keenly than usual, since my kids had the 3 days of school leading up to vacation cancelled, due to a snowstorm (those who live someplace like Canada, or Minnesota, or anywhere that deals with winter weather better than Maryland, please feel free to go ahead and laugh at us).  That's right, they haven't been to school since December 18th.  Ugh, that sounds even worse now that I actually checked the calendar.  It's true, sometimes ignorance IS bliss (or at least...less irritation?  doesn't have the same ring, does it?)

Anyway, this morning they (okay, all of us) rolled out of bed at 8:30, ate a large breakfast (twice, actually; we are talking about Derek), played Super Mario for a while, did a little shopping and lunched at Costco, built a box-fort in the basement, watched some old college football game on ESPN Classic (that was them, not me)...in short, pursued a life of slow-paced leisure and fun.  The boys (and husband, too, for that matter) have quite a rude shock waiting for them on January 4th, when it's back to the cold, cruel Real World of work and school (that's just 5 days...five short, quick days...I can make it.)  Then I will receive my long-awaited, lavish reward for all the entertaining and refereeing and feeding (and any other "ings") I've been responsible for: 3 more weeks off, until my job starts back up on January 25th.  There will be peace and quiet...and the Wii all to myself!

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