Jessica's Spring Break

We are so lucky to have such a wonderful sister/aunt who would come and spend her Spring Break with us. We love to have Jessica with us. She is always full of energy, excitement and great ideas. The day that she got here we had to make a trip to Walmart (I hadn't done any prep work in the way of meals/food). It was Saturday (and Ben had some interviews to conduct at work) so we had all of the kids with us. Jessica "bribed" the kids that if they came (with smiles on their faces) she would get them each something that they wanted. Here is what they chose:

(Sarah: Gingerbread Marshmellows, Jessica: Mini Cadburry Eggs, Michael: Shrimp, Emma: Hostess Cupcakes). Everybody got exactly what they wanted.

One night Jessica, Ben and Michael went to the VCU game. Jessica is a real College Basketball fan and it was fun to have March Madness starting up while she was here.



Of course we had to visit Friendly's.


When Jessica comes there are always a few things that we HAVE TO DO. Bowling is one of them.


We also made some pretty awesome Leprechaun Traps. It is so handy to have a First Grade Teacher in the house!


We also made a trip to DC. I pulled the kids out of school on Friday and we went up there for a "Family Field Trip." I had initially intended to blog about what a CRAZY day it was . . . but as I looked back through the pictures I realized maybe the craziness becomes all the more crazy in the moment and isn't as bad as you think. Whatever it is, there were some UPs and some DOWNs to the trip.

UP: There were amazingly tickets still left for the BEP Museum when we got there at noon.
DOWN: By the time we found a parking spot, fed Nate, and walked the many blocks to get there we missed our ticket time (and the next ticket time too). I knew it must be too good to be true.

UP: DC always has amazing things to see.
DOWN: There is A LOT of walking involved.
UP: Unless you have an awesome aunt like Jessica.


DOWN: A lot of trips to the bathroom. (Sarah has been having some tummy trouble for the last few months.)

UP: Pondering questions in the American History Museum.

UP: Seeing cool artwork.

UP: Seeing Abraham Lincoln's top hat after you just studied him in school.

DOWN: Mom forgetting the snacks in the car.

UP: Seeing C3P0.

DOWN: The cafeteria in the museum closing just before you get there with four hungry kids and two hungry adults.

DOWN: Long walk back to the car with empty tummies.

DOWN: Throwing up in the car just as we pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant.

**Oh, ya . . . this is when I thought about blogging about how CRAZY this day was.**

UP: Target in the same parking lot as the restaurant. I ran right in and bought new clothes and put the throw-up ones in the empty target sack.

UP: Being able to feed Nate in the car while Jessica took the other three in for food.

UP: Full tummies!

DOWN: Crying baby buckled in his car seat driving down I-95.

UP: Sleeping baby.

UP: Home.

So, the end was a little rough. But, all in all the day was pretty neat.

We are so grateful that we got to have our sweet Jessica come and see us. Maybe one day we can talk her into moving here.