Lost Lilian!

At first, I didn't think anything was wrong. Lilian is well known for her tenacity in searching out friends for play. When I came home and Julianne told me she didn't know where Lilian was, I was more irritated by the fact that she had fallen asleep on the job rather than the fact that Lilian was missing. In fact, so certain was I that Lilian was doubtless just down the street, I didn't immediately try to track her down. I had been home a good 10 minutes before I instructed Brandon to find and bring his younger sister home.

But he arrived home empty handed after knocking the doors of the most likely candidates. I was surprised but still not too worried. I called both Rebekah and Julianne, each of whom had left for the evening to be with friends....Rebekah earlier, Julianne shortly after I arrived home. I grilled them, trying to get clues as to where Lilian might have gone. Think hard, I told them. What had she been doing, who had she been with, what had she said? They didn't shed much light on the situation. In fact, if anything I just became more irritated with them for not taking better care of their sister. And so with that irritation dissolving into the first pricks of worry and fear, I gave Brandon more suggestions for houses to check while I started the rounds of text messages and phone calls.

Time passed. Brandon made the rounds on his bike. Texts came in from neighbors by the dozens expressing concern and offering suggestions of houses to check. Lilian's primary teacher drove his car to check the park and other areas throughout the subdivision. Other neighbors came out to help me search on foot. It was cold and getting dark. We had been pounding the pavement for a good 45 minutes with no luck. And with each knock and the subsequent, “No, we haven't seen Lilian...she's not here” the grasp on my emotional control would slip a little further. I was settling uncomfortably into panic and despair, trying desperately not to cry when my friend Mirissa made a comment. “You know,” she said, “we once lost my niece. We looked all over and were so panicked. But it turned out she had hidden under a bed and then fallen asleep there. Is there any chance Lilian might have done something similar?” In my head I doubted it. Lilian doesn't nap easily...and she had slept in this morning. But the emotional side of me grasped onto that idea like a life line and I hoped...oh, how I hoped! 

We joined up with Brandon who was coming back on his bike and told him we were going to check the house. The three of us walked in the front door and Brandon ran down the hall to Lilian's room. “She's here!!! She's asleep in her bed” he yelled triumphantly. I could see the little lump of sleeping Lilian and my legs wouldn't hold me anymore. I slumped against the wall in the hallway and slid to the floor, my head in my hands while I bawled out of sheer relief. Mirissa let me cry for a minute or two, then gave me a hug and slipped away. I made the necessary texts and calls to let the concerned neighbors and searchers know that Lilian had been found and to thank them.

Lilian seemed a little confused as to why I wanted to love on her for so long. Sleep befuddled notwithstanding, she knew she hadn't been lost. Why was mom so freaked out? Apparently she had been cold. And when she found Julianne asleep on the couch, she took matters into her own hands...put on her pajamas and climbed under the covers in her bed, eventually falling asleep. When Julianne woke up, all she knew was that Lilian was gone. It didn't ever cross our minds to check the house because why would Lilian put herself to bed at 6:30-7:00 in the evening? Especially when we knew that she had been out and about with friends just slightly earlier. Chalk it up to a life lesson learned. Check the house first, when a child goes missing. You could save yourself a lot of emotional grief...

Wishing on a star

Star light, star bright
First star I see tonight.
I wish I may, I wish I might
Have the wish I wish tonight.






Lilian was super excited when she realized that we were outside as the sky was darkening. 
"Mom," she said..."I can wish on a star tonight!"
She's been anxious about wishing for days now but usually by the time she thinks about it the sky is already full of stars.  And as everyone knows, the wish is only good if you wish on the first star that appears.
Excitedly she made a wish.  And then another and another and another.
"It's okay if I make lots of wishes, right Mom?"

I wish....
That I could be a princess
That I could be a fairy
That I could drive when I am little
That I could have red eyes like a vampire
That I could go to Disneyland again someday
That I could be a superhero and have hot lava come out of my hands

I didn't have the heart to tell her that the "star" she was wishing on was really an airplane....

Wherein I tell my short, young-looking teenaged daughter..."Someday you will be glad for your youthful look when something like this happens to you..." (Title by Julianne)

I'm going to paint you a picture:

I'm at the high school in the hall outside of the choir room. 
(Rebekah is inside at an audition...but that doesn't really play too much into the picture other than the fact that she isn't with me.)
I'm sitting on the ground leaning against the lockers with my knees bent and my feet on the floor.
I'm wearing knee-high brown boots.  Gray skinny jeans.  A funky, colorful t-shirt.  And my cropped, blue levi jacket. 
My hair is long and pin-straight and I'm wearing big gold hoop earrings.
My arms are leaning against my legs and I'm holding my iPhone which is open to facebook.

Can you see the picture?  I only start with this to point out that apparently in the way I'm dressed and sitting, I look somewhat young.

A high school boy...most likely a senior, comes walking down the hall and takes in this picture of me sitting there.  He has no idea who I am but obviously is friendly and outgoing because, after realizing what classroom I am sitting outside of, he calls out a hello and then, "Good luck on your audition!"

I smile and correct him by saying, "Oh no...I'm not auditioning."  But it is only as he gets closer to me that he says, "Oh!  You're the mom of someone auditioning!!"  And then as he continues down the hall he calls back, "Well, good luck all the same...sometimes auditions are just as hard on the parent as they are on the kid!"

I laugh.  And feel really good about myself. 

Because there is no doubt in my mind that as that boy rounded the corner into the hallway and saw me there, he totally thought I was a teenager!  He realized his mistake fairly quickly.  But still, to be 38 years old and look young enough to be mistaken for a high schooler, even if only for a few seconds...I'll take it! 

First World Problems

Yesterday evening I was snack-y.  I stood restlessly in front of the pantry for quite some time (there wasn't much to choose from since I hadn't been to the store in also quite some time...) and finally settled on pistachios.  But as I pulled out a handful I made a comment to Bryan...something along the lines of, "I really enjoy pistachios but sometimes I purposely choose not to eat them because it's such a pain to shell them."  Bryan laughed out loud and said, "That sounds like a First World Problem."  And then he pulled up a website of internet memes....

Just for uninitiated such as myself:  The term Internet Meme is used to describe a concept that spreads via the internet.
And according to the Urban Dictionary, First World Problems are defined as:  Problems from living in a wealthy, industrialized nation that third worlders would probably roll their eyes at.

And yes, my comment would've fit right in.
Here are a few of my favorites:
(Not only did they make me laugh...but I related a bit too familiarly with them.)

If you are laughing really hard and want to see more....click here.

Airports....the good, bad and the ugly

The Monday morning security/TSA lines at the Denver airport were long and slow.  Bryan took my place in the full body scanner and spared me the indignity so I could be the parent accompanying Brandon through the regular metal detector.  Apparently children under 12 can't be required to go through the scanner...too much like child porn, apparently.  Seriously, what freedoms have we given up in the name of security?  I'm not sure it is worth it!  But once we re-packed our suitcases of laptops and liquids and re-dressed in our shoes, jackets and metal jewelry we made our way through the airport on the little underground train system that transports people between terminals.  Brandon found a spot at the front of the lead compartment and leaned up against the window for the speedy ride.  Luckily we were in the terminal furthest away because that boy whooped and laughed (and provided entertainment for the rest of the train) the whole way there.  He thought this picture was cool because the lighting makes it look like he has a fireball shooting out of his hand.  :)

Regionals Gymnastics Champion!

I didn't expect it.  I didn't see it coming.  But Brandon took 1st place All Around at REGIONALS!!  After a season of consistently taking 1st place at all local meets, it wasn't too big a stretch to expect a 1st place at the state meet.  Not to diminish that win, because being the level 5 state gymnastics champion is a pretty big, brag-worthy deal!  But regionals...well, that's a bigger to-do.  Our region includes all mens gymnastics programs from Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico and Colorado.  I don't know the official number of gyms that sent competitors but trust me, it was a lot!  So I had been prepping Brandon.  This was our first regional meet and I didn't want the pressure to get to him.  I wanted him to just have fun.  I told him that it was totally okay if he didn't get 1st place...to not even expect it, really.  To just go out there and do his best and enjoy the last meet of the season.  I figured he'd do well.  But with the sheer numbers of competitors and judges who were more than likely a bit more strict, I guessed Brandon would come away celebrating 3rd or 4th place.  And celebrate we would, because 3rd or 4th would be huge!  But though yes, the judges were more strict and Brandon got his lowest scores of the season, he STILL took 1st place!  Brandon's newest Best! Day! Ever!

Regionals were held in Colorado Springs at Air Force Academy so though we were only there from Saturday afternoon to Monday morning, it was still a fun little trip for the three of us...Bryan, Brandon and myself.  Is it weird if I admit to the little thrill I get walking through the airport, wheeling my carry-on suitcase behind me as I prepare to board an airplane that is taking me to a new city?  Those of you who are rolling your eyes are obviously either home-bodies or businessmen who travel far more often and for far less exciting reasons than I.  I have to admit though, the tiny little tube of an airplane we traveled on this weekend was a little bit claustrophobia inducing.  And when the storm clouds over Denver had us bouncing around wildly, I nearly lost my breakfast which is unusual for me.

But driving the hour from Denver to Colorado Springs was beautiful.  And the Air Force Academy campus is absolutely gorgeous, all tucked up on the side of the mountain surrounded by wooded areas.  We ate at some fun restaurants that we don't have at home.  (Elephant Bar?  So yummy!)  Brandon had an awesome (and LOUD) waterfight with a few of his teammates in the hotel pool.  (I soaked in the hot tub...much nicer, in my opinion.)  Brandon and I saw "Titanic" in 3D at a nearby movie theater.  We even found an early Sacrament Meeting to attend on Sunday morning.  It's always fun to walk into a church meeting filled with people you've never met before but still feel completely comfortable and welcomed.  I need to unpack and Lilian refuses to leave my lap...I guess she missed me.  But yay for a fun weekend!  We've returned home happy, proud and (amazingly, somehow) relaxed and ready for a new week.   

  

Brandon's level 5 team took 2nd place.  The whole team, gym-wide....spanning the whole weekend of region sessions took 5th place overall.  Meaning that the older boys from our gym did darn well also!  WOW!  I think Coaches Adam and Gabe were pleased.  (I also think in this picture they are relieved and very ready for their long and exhausting weekend to be over!  Level 5 was the last session Sunday evening of this Regional competition that started early, early Saturday morning.)

100 Years

100 years ago today the Titanic hit an iceberg.  And then a little less than 3 hours later she broke into two pieces and sunk to the bottom of the ocean.  So many things contributed to that ship going down.  From ignored ice warnings, to pressure to beat speed records.  Complete and unshakable faith in the new and modern construction of the ship leading to arrogance of its "unsinkable"-ness.  A lost pair of binoculars for the crow's nest.  A perfectly calm night which meant no tell-tale signs of waves frothy and breaking against the base of an iceberg.  Trying desperately to turn the ship at the last second to avoid a head-on collision...which instead lead to the death gash in the side of the ship.  Tragically, if the Titanic had continued on directly into the iceberg, she most likely wouldn't have sunk....or at least hung around long enough for other ships (the Carpathia specifically) to come to the rescue in time.

I've been a Titanic buff for over 20 years.  My love of history started manifesting itself in high school and one of the first subjects that wrapped hold around me was the story of the Titanic.  I borrowed three books from the local library one day and read them voraciously, even taking them with me to a family Easter egg hunt.  My mother was suspicious.  "Why are you reading that?" she would ask.  "Are you sure you don't have to write a report on the Titanic?"  So baffled was she that I was reading a non-fiction history book for fun, she worried that I was working on a research paper but didn't want to tell her for fear of parental pressure.  I did indeed end up writing a research paper on the Titanic...but not until college.  When Bryan introduced me to the world wide web and told me that I could look up anything I wanted, my first search was for Titanic sites.  If you come to my house today you will find at least nine books relating to the Titanic on my book shelves...and that doesn't count the many that I've borrowed and returned to the library.  A few years ago when the traveling Titanic artifact exhibit came through Salt Lake City, not only did I go, but also bought replicas of the 1st class Titanic china which I proudly display in my china hutch in the kitchen.  So, yes.  You could say I'm a little obsessed.

When the big James Cameron "Titanic" blockbuster movie was originally announced, I had mixed feelings.  I'd seen other made-for-TV movies...all or which were decidedly cheesy and not entirely factual.  I was a little worried this would be more of the same.  And yet I followed closely all updates of movie production and had high hopes.  Could they do it justice?  Would they get the details right?  (Because trust me, I would notice!)  The hype, along with my expectations, were rising and I had worries that I would be disappointed.  But amazingly enough, the movie met and even exceeded those expectations!  I was beyond thrilled that James Cameron had taken such pains to immerse himself so fully into Titanic...even going down 2 and 1/2 miles below the ocean to view her for himself and using some of the footage from that trip in the movie.  And I fully admit that I sobbed.  The movie brought it all to life for me.

So today, I took Brandon to see "Titanic"...re-released in theaters in 3D format especially to commemorate this 100th anniversary.  The date has been on my calendar for months...and has been on my mind all week long.  So I thought that seeing the movie on this particular day, at least for me, would be very appropriate.  The fascination surrounding the Titanic that started for me, all those many years ago...the sinking, it's discovery by Robert Ballard in 1985, the continued updates on the deteriorating conditions of the ruins...the essence of the Titanic...apparently still has me in a very firm grip.

Favorite Photo Friday

Rebekah, June 1997
What does it say about me as a mother....that when my curious 13 month old climbed into the media cabinet and then got stuck...instead of immediately rushing to her aid, I grabbed the camera first?

Birds and Bugs

This doesn't bode well....

Flocks of birds searching for worms in a rain storm is not all that uncommon.  But this big of a flock...and MY yard being the ONLY yard they are flocking to indicate a bigger bug problem.  And it surprised me.  Because this is what my back yard looks like right now:

Very clearly we have some bug problems there.  A fact that has been verified by my local Trugreen representative.  If the birds had been flocking to my backyard I would not have been surprised.  The poor lawn had a very traumatic summer last year as a result of all the constant Man Cave construction in the back yard.  Some of the sprinkler lines were cut and capped which made for less than ideal water coverage.  And then remember the sad, sad day when a backhoe cut a wide and deep trench from the front of the house clear across the back yard?  (See here.)  So I was not surprised when in the early fall I started seeing evidence of bugs taking advantage of my poor defenseless lawn.  Needless to say, this summer will be more of a recovery year rather than a lush and soft, thick and green lawn year. 

But the front lawn too?  Really??  Sigh.  

"And this I know, He comes again!!"

Easter is rather magnificent, isn't it?  A holiday that not only welcomes and glorifies spring but then also...and most incredibly important...we remember and both reverently and triumphantly celebrate our Savior's resurrection.  My favorite of all hymns, "He Is Risen," was the first I ever learned to play on the piano when I was a young teenager.  And I still remember my Dad insisting that this was no quiet sacrament hymn.  This song was all about joy and triumph and that the dynamics and feeling in my playing needed to reflect that.

I'm sure I've made frequent comments about favorite holidays.  Thanksgiving, mostly...but then in the summer how much I adore the 4th of July.  How I love my Irish roots on St. Patrick's Day.  And of course how wonderful Christmas is.  This past Sunday I would've vehemently insisted that Easter is without a doubt my favorite.  I think that I just throw myself so fully into special days that each and every one is my "favorite"....at least in their season.

Easter, though.  Easter always leaves me so spiritually rejuvenated and this year was no exception.

We've always tried to keep the Easter egg hunt part of things on Saturday so we can focus on the Savior on Sunday.  Normally we hunt eggs at Bryan's parents house.  They've annually, since Rebekah was 3 years old, hosted a huge egg-stravaganza with cousins and second cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents.  But the the hunt had grown so much over the years that Bryan's parents as of last year declared themselves done.  (Probably also due to the sheer number of teens that maybe don't care so much about hunting for eggs anymore?)  The thing is, our normal neighborhood hunt didn't happen this year either.  Which meant it was up to me.  Lilian being only 4 years old, a hunt was still a big deal to her...even a make-shift one in our backyard.  She not only insisted on helping me choose the candy at the store but also filling the plastics eggs.  And then I think she even did a little bit of peeking out the window when I was hiding them.  Funny enough, her older teenaged sisters also insisted on hunting for eggs.  I guess they're not too old after all.
       

Baskets filled with things like church books and CD's, temple pictures, some ties and a scripture case for Brandon, etc. greeted the kids when they woke up Easter morning.  (See here for the explanation of why we don't really do the traditional Easter Bunny at our house.)  Early church and all, they only gave their baskets a passing glance as they rushed around trying to get beautified for Easter Sunday.

Lilian was the only one with a special, new dress, though, seeing as the older kids have long since outgrown that sort of thing.  She strikes a pose well, doesn't she?  :) 

Still....don't they ALL look nice?

The ward choir did a big program for Sacrament Meeting so not only did I get to sing but also play the piano for the two singing contributions from the primary kids.  After church I put on my apron, got Lex de Azevedo's "Hosanna" playing on my CD player, and began to work on our Easter feast.  I have to admit, I had tears rolling down my face as I made the funeral potatoes.  Not from the onions I was chopping...although I'm sure that didn't help...but from the glorious music.  I almost always listen to music as I cook.  But listening to "Hosanna" on Easter...an oratorio that means more to me than any other music I have ever sung or listened to....the tears flowed readily. 


Julianne, as she always does, helped with the fancy table.  And by the time my parents arrived to share our meal, we were ready with a ham, the aforementioned funeral potatoes, roasted carrots and green beans with a lemon vinaigrette.  My mother added homemade rolls to the mix and with the promise of strawberry shortcake for dessert, we had quite the feast.   

But the main point of the day, at least for me, was the performance that evening.  For many long months our stake had been putting together an Easter celebration.  An Easter oratorio written specifically for this day by an extremely talented woman from our stake was to be performed.  Members of the stake were encouraged to bring other such expressions of their feelings and testimonies of Christ for display...things such as art work, quilting, etc.  As part of the stake choir I had been in rehearsals for this day since early January.  I was concerned though.  Would people come?  On a day where many people gather with family or are still out of town as part of spring break, would we have anyone in attendance?  My concerns were for naught.  Oh, did people come!  The building was packed.

The music and narration was glorious.  I found myself dangerously close to tears during the final two numbers...to the point that the choir director even gave me a somewhat stern and pained look...and mouthed something up at me...something to the effect that I better not cry!  I'm not sure if he was worried that my tears would make it harder for him to hold it together (which, apparently he WAS actually having a hard time with) or if he was concerned that if I was bawling I wouldn't be able to get out those high notes that he totally depends on me to do.  Maybe a little of both.

It's hard, actually.  Because, yes.  If I've spent that long working on a performance then I surely want to sing it well.  And heaven knows, I cannot sing well when I am crying.  (You know Snow White's warbly little vibrato that is so irritating?  That's more or less what I sound like when I'm crying and singing at the same time.  Except even worse.)  But at the same time...if I've spent that long working on a performance then I surely am invested and want to let myself really FEEL the music and the message.  I don't want to be so entirely clinical that I don't appreciate what I'm actually singing about!  But I pulled it together.  I sang that finale with all the best that was in me.  And then I sat down and let the tears flow.  And flow they did...I was wishing mightily for waterproof mascara.  Because I wept.  And for the rest of the evening I had the lyrics of that final song running through my head:


He comes again with outstretched arms,
"Come unto me," He pleads.
To all of those who labor
And those with heavy cares.
For I will ease your burdens
And you will find your rest.

Sorrow will be turned to joy,
Happiness will find all
Who see His face,
Who touch His hands,
And feel his warm embrace.

The power of His healing touch;
His love doth conquer all.


He came to those with weary hearts,
He strengthened the feeble knees.
He came to those whose hands hung down,
And he did succor the weak.

And this I know,
He comes again!  

Easter eggs

Every hour.  All day long.  "Is it time to color Easter eggs yet, Mom?  Huh, is it?  When can we?"  Unfortunately I had planned the dyeing of eggs to happen after Brandon came home from gymnastics at 7:30...and dinner which happens even after that.  Which means that I got really very weary of this line of questioning from my 4-year old.

But by 9:00 (!!!) we finally had everything ready and the coloring of eggs commenced.  Rebekah, who despite her advanced age really still did want very much to dye eggs with us, all the same decided that when push came to shove she'd rather go to Jayden's house ("It's his birthday, Mom!").  But that ended up being a good thing for us.  Because despite the fact that I had boiled 32 eggs (!!!) dividing out to 9 eggs per child, Lilian was nowhere near ready to be done at just a measly 9 eggs.  So we let her color the 9 still white eggs that had been meant for her older sister.  Plus 4 of Brandon's that he generously donated.  And even then, Lilian re-dyed some of her eggs that she decided weren't dark enough color.

    Can you say egg salad sandwiches....

Downtime

Well....downtime for the kids, anyhow.  I finished reading Hunger Games to Brandon on Wednesday night.  So this morning I agreed to read to him ONE CHAPTER of Catching Fire.  I read seven.  Which meant that I didn't get dressed till noon.  (Also due to the fact that not a single one of us got out of bed before 10:30.)  Then Rebekah hung out with friends.  Julianne hung out with friends.  Brandon hung out with friends.  All of Lilian's friends are out of town on vacations so she hung out with me.  I had anxiety attacks while realizing that the week was going by far too quickly and I wasn't making even the slightest dent in the my list of things I wanted to accomplish.  So I cleaned my messy house.  And grumped.  And cried a little.  One of the things on my spring break list was to go to the temple with Bryan.  I decided that this was the night it would work out best.  But I didn't want to go.  Truly, deeply, and completely did not want to go.  Because I was grumpy.  And anxiety ridden.  Which is all the more reason why I decided to go regardless....even though I grumped all the way up the mountainside to the temple.  But after our session some sweet temple workers took some time out of their schedules to walk the two of us around and show us some of the artwork newly hung.  It was neat...the artwork itself but also wandering around in areas of the temple that normally I don't go.  Such a beautiful building.  And when we walked out the front door it was twilight with some clouds coming in which made for such interesting lighting around the grounds.  So pretty.  It made my heart feel a little bit better.

And then when we got home (because I had made it clear earlier in the day when I was grumping about all the things I wasn't getting done so I could go to the temple) Bryan helped me make a menu and list and then accompanied me to the grocery store.  At 10:00.  With kids in tow.  We ate dinner at 11:00.  I don't think the kids have been to bed before midnight this entire week.

Seriously, these quick shots I took on my iphone don't even do it justice.  But it's kind of cool how you can look out and see the Great Salt Lake, yes?

iFLY (again)

After enviously watching mine and Bryan's pseudo skydiving experience at iFLY a few months ago (see here) Brandon was absolutely positive that he wanted to try flying himself for his birthday.  But though his actual birthday was last week, it worked out best to wait for spring break and an easier going schedule to make it happen.  Joined by one of his best friends (and gymnastics teammate) Andres, Brandon had a rip-roaring time in the "wind tunnel."  With hair slicked back from the wind, a big smile on his face and an enthusiastic hug for his friend, Brandon exclaimed, "That was the most awesome experience of my life...and it was only two minutes!"
Some photographic evidence of it all...

    

Swimming

We spent our second day of spring break with my good friend Heather and her family.  It was a beautiful day with the sun shining and the flowers blooming.  And even if it wasn't as warm as I wished, it certainly wasn't cold.  And besides, the pool was indoors so swimming worked out perfectly.  We set up a little campfire on the patio just outside the pool house and had a BBQ when we all got hungry.  (My hair STILL smells like smoke.)  So despite the fact that I was a little stressed out on my way over about the fact that I was leaving my house a disaster and was wishing mightily to whip it into shape....I have to admit that the down time with Heather and the kids was truly glorious.  I can clean my house any time, right?

 Feeling brave with the goggles on her face Lilian mastered her nerves and started going underwater.  I guess this was a big deal for her.  I don't remember her having issues with putting her head underwater before but she seemed pretty proud of herself....so, yay for Lilian for corralling her courage and overcoming!  The girl spent so much time in the water that her feet got dramatically prune-y.  I wish I had a picture to show you...but trust me, it was bad!  She couldn't even walk, her feet hurt so bad.  The poor girl was in tears.  Even hours later, there were parts of her feet that were still wrinkled.  Crazy.

 Remember how I am easily entertained with taking pictures of myself in window reflections?  (See here.)  One whole side of the pool house is windows and numerous sliding glass doors leading out to the grassy area and patio.  Yeah, I know.  Cheap thrills. Whatever.

Julianne, Liberty, Morgan and Rebekah....all waterlogged and having a great time.  In fact, because they couldn't stand the thought of ending their time together, I ended up throwing Libby and Morgan into my truck and bringing them home with us for a sleep-over.  I guess that's one of the perks of spring break.  Impulsive and unplanned extras. 

Spring Break Sushi

It's Spring Break around our neck of the woods.  Although half our neighborhood is out of town this week, we've opted to make our spring break a "stay-cation."  And although we don't have anything truly spectacular planned, we're looking forward to some down time, some family time, some fun time, and hopefully lots of sleeping time!
Some pictures from our sushi dinner at Happy Sumo this evening...