I have been looking forward to Winter Break for longer and with greater intensity than Christmas. It's not like I ever get the house to myself anyway, but I would finally be able to put aside our homeschool materials and take a break from Wesley's reading, 'riting, and 'rithmatic tantrums.
And then Monday started. Along with half of mankind, I had to go to Costco as soon as it opened. (The other half of mankind was waiting for my parking spot when I finally got out.) I got home to Piper and Wes half-heartedly pounding each other. Spontaneously announcing we would be going on a hike, the fighting broke up so Wes could have a tantrum. But I know two things about my children--sometimes they don't know when they are hungry and sometimes they don't know they are craving fresh air and exercise.
I write all this so that you are not fooled by the pictures of shiny, happy children. Yes, Denny Park in Kirkland was just the right place to go and the kids had a great time while we were there.
Piper lasted almost a minute before she got her butt wet jumping across a flood-enhanced stream. She gets that from her mama. Oddly, it made her more cheerful. All my kids, in the right mood, are great at laughing at themselves and enjoying dirt-laden adventures.
Wesley's alter-ego, Calvin, can't take a decent picture to save his hide, even on a kissing bridge.
But they couldn't help themselves at the spin toy and Kyla found a very knobby tree to tackle.
After hiking about 3 miles, we left to warm up at Molbak's with hot cocoa (though Wes thinks he likes black drip coffee now).
All this lovely adventuring was followed in mere minutes by a second pounding between Piper and Wes. They both started it, and Mama, for the first time in years, pulled the damn car over.
This was all on the true first day of Winter Break, long before school would be out on a regular day. Not having cancer, overwhelming poverty, or great personal injustice, I can afford to hate petty bickering above all else on my vacation.
How did those two resolve themselves? Wes came home and did helpful and kind things for me and Piper. Piper, in hateful silence, went to bed...and actually fell asleep for the rest of the afternoon. May she be blessed and cursed with a Child. Just. Like. Her.
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