the break, part one

Well that went fast. I'm sure I'll be eating my words during our second week of winter break, but the first week came and went before I even realized what was happening. Gone is the toddler/preschool vacation when your days are endless and your brain is mush (I suppose my brain is still mush but for different reasons). The children have finally reached an age where our days are wild yet interspersed with moments of relaxation...if you can count nine seconds of zoning out as "relaxation."

Honestly, though, here's my laundry list of things we accomplished the past week (not counting the four or five loads of actually laundry I've done): painted a piano and two chairs, made four dozen cookies, attended a cookie party where we shared our four dozen cookies, delivered part of those four dozen cookies to the local fire station, watched The Force Awakens with Catcher, attended Christmas Eve service at the church where Scout was a lamb (or a sheep, depending on who you ask) in the Nativity Story, prepared a crustless zucchini quiche and stollen for Christmas brunch, wrapped some presents, stuffed some stockings, visited our fourth Santa Claus of the season and enjoyed the annual Tuba Christmas concert on the steps of the Capitol. I also managed a couple of trips to the gym and a five-mile run on Christmas Even morning around the lake with Alex.

The children have not yet tired of their Christmas presents, so I hope we can sail through the next few days to the new year. Or else I'll have to search my mushy brain for some old tricks.