Winter Break

Last week was winter break and both kids were home for the week. Originally we had planned on going to Barbados but we postponed the trip when we received our referral and knew we would be traveling to China later in the year. The kids weren't happy to stay at home and many days Chloe informed me she was "bored", especially the day we went grocery shopping, but I tried to put in a few fun activities. Some were definitely more fun for the kids than for me but it worked as a trade-off since the kids were forced to look at houses (starting the search for a larger home to accomodate the growing family) and I was forced to go to Chuc*k E. Che*ese.

Luckily, the kids swimming was still taking place so we had some structure and continuity to the week.

Matt and I decided to take a mini-break with the kids and we went skiing in the Catskills for one night with the kids. We would have liked to have spent two nights away, but we couldn't leave our houseguest, Skittles, the bearded dragon. Skittles is Chloe's third grade class pet and we volunteered to watch him for the week since we weren't going away. Skittles provided some entertainment, especially when he ate crickets and meal worms.

Skittles, the bearded dragon and our houseguest for the week. It was all Skittles all the time at the beginning of the week, but he lost his novelty by the end of the week for the kids.



Chloe reading to Oliver. They must have been bored.

The kids had gift cards to a toy store, so one day they got to use their gift cards and then we went to eat pizza afterwards. Chloe is playing with Oliver's toy, Spiderman.

Chloe despises pizza, she ate garlic knots, and Oliver loves it. He ate 4 pieces of pizza!

Chuc*k E. Chee*se. This place grosses me out. They just built a new one and it is still gross. The place was packed since it was break and filthy as no tables were cleared. I felt like I should bring Lysol with me. And the food. YUK! Chloe even commented that next time we come we should eat beforehand. Next time?!

Oliver loves all the driving games. Chloe wanted to play games for tickets and prizes.

This is at the hotel we stayed at one night when we went skiing. This is how we found the kids the next morning. When we put the kids to bed, Oliver was on the left side of the bed and Chloe was on the right. Somehow they managed to completely reshuffle.

We came home Sunday from skiing to watch the Daytona 500--Oliver was obviously worn out.