Staycation

Sickness settled over our house like a March Malaise. First Ada got it - something nasty and contagious from pre-school that kept her fevery, up-all-night, and grouchy. We managed to keep her under quarantine for about ten days and then Jude got it. His normal, full-speed ahead activities were severely curtailed. We watched A LOT of television, and did our best to find things to do around the house.

Dad went close to crazy, but managed to pull back from the edge in time. Somewhere in the middle of spring break week we hit our stride. Kids were feeling better, and suddenly our time together didn't seem quite so grim. Here are a few from the highlight reel of our No Plans Spring Break Staycation. It seems like it lasted all month!


My grandmother gave me this giant chart for collecting quarters. I haven't looked at it in 10 years. This was a great one for a rainy day!


Board games with the children? I make up different rules to fit the occasion. Mostly we just snap the brown bear pieces in and out of the cardboard. There is also a lot of singing involved.


The Cornett and Company is getting back to it's roots as a general mercantile and seed delivery outfit. We started a small indoor garden that has grown a little each day. Jude carries the extra seed packets around in his pockets and uses them to make friends.


A big highlight of our week was a visit to Nini's secret fish camp on the banks of the Columbia River.


We hiked in a half mile in the pouring rain and mud, wearing nothing but our snowsuits and cute matching boots. Nini is the one in the background in full commando regalia.


Frank and John are kind of shy, but they are serious about spring fish. If you stumble upon this shelter, it may be too late for you. Just don't touch the lines, the bells, or the poles. They warm right up to blue eyes and pink snowsuits.


My guys eating their snack under a tarp in the pouring rain. We were there two hours and they didn't complain once. Fishing in the rain? Awesome.


We were treated to no less than 4 snowy mornings in the month of March. The last one brought in enough wet snow to build this snowman one morning. I snapped this photo as he starting listing. His head fell off by noon.

Last but not least, a fuzzy snapshot of something my children considered a major accomplishment of spring break. Ahhh, it brings back memories of the spring break year I built a card house 8 stories high. Those were simpler times!