I can’t decide if I should declare this a giant update dump or if I will have the where with all to separate some of this into different posts and schedule them for different days. Ha! Just writing that I was sure it wouldn’t happen so update dump it is!
I keep have to remind myself that it’s Tuesday AND that I have work tomorrow (and then the next day, and the next!) because my kids have Spring Break this week and we just got back from two nights in Monterey. It’s a giant bummer to have to keep reminding myself that this is a work week and that I have to go back to work. Boo!
But my Spring Break is next week, and maybe it will feel like a surprise since I keep thinking it’s this week. We shall see. I have a TON of work to do during my week off, and a bunch of appointments to go to, so it’s not really going to feel like a break. But I won’t be in class and that ain’t nothing.
Last week was busy because the 11yo went on a school camping trip, which he had to be packed for, and which we had to unpack for (the school brought out tent). We almost forgot to take the tent out and dry it, but luckily that occurred to us on Saturday, when the weather was actually decent.
While he was gone, the husband and I took the 14yo out to dinner, which maybe we’ve never done before?! (eaten at a restaurant with both of us and just the 14yo). It was a very nice dinner during which we were both reminded of how lucky we are to have a 14yo who wants to hang out with us, and delights us when she does so. We laughed very, very hard.
The 11yo came home Thursday, and then both kids were off Friday (I think because Cesar Chavez day fell on the following Monday of their Spring Break (3/31) so they got an extra day? I’m not really sure why – last year was their first year taking off 3/31, and this year was their first six day spring break. ::shrug emoji::) The husband really needed to be at work on Friday (because he was missing Monday and Tuesday), so the kids stayed home along all day. It’s so nice that they can do that now.
Saturday I was at the dojo all day (after hanging the tent up in the backyard) and getting us packed, and the house ready. That night we watched Fast (and the Furious) 5, which was ridiculous and a lot of fun. We plan to watch the rest of the Fast movies soon. Oh, also the kids helped me clean the car, which I’m thrilled about because it was disgusting, and now it’s clean! Woot!
Sunday we did the final packing, and I did the final cleaning (and my husband did a ton of dishes) and we were off after lunch. We got to Monterey around 4pm, right when we were able to check into our hotel. We walked around downtown that afternoon, and then ate an early dinner, before returning home to take a dip in the pool and hot tub.
I have to say, we don’t stay at hotels all that much. Our two yearly trips are to visit family (in St. Louis) and to visit friends (in Maui), so we don’t stay in hotels a lot. It was a nice hotel – the room was comfortable and location was central – but I don’t really love having all four of us in one room. I of course, slept horribly, but everyone else did okay.
We also don’t usually eat all our meals at restaurants (we usually pack food for lunches at least), but since it was not even 48 hours, we ate all our meals out. The kids are still selective, but they are open enough that we can find a spot with something they will eat without much trouble. Also, we’re realizing that we’re more open to eating in restaurants with them over and over, because it’s a lot more pleasant to do so. We enjoy their company and the conversation, and no one has a melt down. It was really nice to realize that eating out a lot if something we can do on vacation now
Monday we were at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is a family favorite that we only visit every 5+ years. Being in there brought back a lot of memories of when the kids were younger, especially since most of the families there had littler kids. A couple of the play spaces really took me back, because I spent HOURS of my life in padded areas made for very young kids, and even though those spaces were not that familiar, that type of space definitely is. While I have loved parts of every phase of parenting, I am thrilled to be past the very-young-kids stages. Truly, I don’t miss it.
The aquarium was a lot of fun. Some highlights – the octopus swam cross his enclosure which was amazing, the sea otters in the aquarium were super cute (we hung out there for almost 30 minutes) and we saw some sea otters out in the bay, munching on something bright orange (maybe a sea star). I love sea otters, so getting a double dose of them was amazing. We also got to touch isopods (think giant deep sea roly poly’s) and got to watch the feeding in the kelp forest tank.










We walked a little ways away from the aquarium for lunch, which I think helped us stay longer. We were there for a solid four hours.
The weather was not great, and we got stuck in the rain a couple times – we were quite damp for our final dinner in Monterey – but since we weren’t trying to be outside it was fine.
We stopped at the Gilroy Outlets to charge the car on the way home and we all got a little something. I’m most pleased that both boys got new Vans, because my husband’s are falling apart my the 11yo’s feet are growing like crazy (he’s already a men’s 8, which is officially larger than me or the 14yo).
I feel like the next two months are going to be crazy, first because the yearbook is due May 1, and we have barely started it. I don’t know why I agreed to help with the yearbook this year, or how to get the other teacher I’m sharing the stipend with to do more, but I DEEPLY regret my choices.
Once that’s done it will be crunch time at the dojo, because I’m testing for my red belt the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. By the time that is over, there will only be a few weeks left of school.
Speaking of summer break, the husband and I finally figured out our St. Louis/Memphis trip, bought the tickets and rented the car. The kids and I are flying a RED EYE to St. Louis because the flight selection was terrible and expensive and that seemed like our best bet (I don’t sleep much anyway so I might as well not sleep much on a red eye that saves us money). We’ll be in St. Louis with cousins, then at the farm with the whole family, then we’re driving to Memphis (about 4.5 hours away) to spend a couple days there, before flying home.
We still haven’t bought our flights to Maui, but this may be the last year we’ re invited, which hopefully will ease the blow of the (right now) $700 dollar per person flights. Why does flying suck so much right now? It mean, it’s never been this bad, and some years have been truly shitty.
My shitty symptoms are easing up a little. I’m acting as if I have lactose intolerance (avoiding it, or taking Lactaid when I eat it), and the GI issues are better. The hot flashes continue, but aren’t as frequent or as intense. My sleep continues to be shit, but I feel like I’m less cranky because of it? Maybe I’m just better able to manage life on way less, constantly interrupted sleep.
And my time on the elliptical is over so. I have to shut this down. Sorry for being away for so long, and I hope I write again soon. I’m sure I will during my spring break.
I hope you’re all well. I’m also behind on reading posts, so sorry for even fewer comments than normal. But I will catch up soon!