Staycay Day 4

 We kept our underwhelming pizza (except Ian's-- that pizza is **chef's kiss**) streak alive with some truly yucky pies at a completely random indoor pool (there were two large-ish slides, one that snaked outside the building and one that was a green version of the slide at our summer pool, neither of which warranted a picture or the label water park, IMHO) in the middle of nowhere. Yes, I was absolutely too cheap to pay spring break prices in the WI dells.

THIS IS FOR ONE NIGHT

I planned to take them to the Holiday Inn by our house that has a pretty great indoor pool, but it was completely full. Well-- not completely. They were out of day passes but had one single room left. But YUCK that sounded crowded and gross to me. So we tried a new weird little place, and Minnie especially lurved it.

Turns out, I did not even need to wear a suit because I didn't have to get in the water! YAY!

This pic perfectly sums up our terrible weather. Sandals. But also a fleece. Blergh.

Stacay Day 3

 Today started out with a fancy morning-- more tea parties and a couple of costume changes.

Annabel's stick of the day was more of a wood chip.

Coop made quick work of tea party clean up. 

After lunch we went mini golfing, and you guys! I DID NOT HAVE TO GOLF, EVEN! I just sat in the sun and read my book.

(I did rally for the silly photo op, tho)

We had an aawkward amount of time to kill before Cooper's diving practice, so the kids got ice cream

Then we still had an awkward amount of time before diving practice, so we stopped by 5 Below, and the kids each picked a sibling to shop for and bought each other silly surprises.

And! WE WERE EARLY for diving and had to wait with Coop in the COMPLETELY EMPTY facility for a few minutes until his coach arrived.

The girls and I decided to shop a little and get our favorite pizza while Coop had dry land and worked on his twisters.

These pillow cracked me up, but seriously Urban Outfitters, could they have been displayed any worse??

Waiting for Dorothy

Who did not get this skirt, even though it was SO CUTE.

She came to Urban Outfitters for a $45 Owala but decided instead to get a $45... pair of plain gray sweatpants. Aw, tweenagers.

Best pizza ever.

And Coop! Had a great practice!

Staycay Day 2

We started our STAYCAY DAY 2 with a brisk dog walk that quickly turned into a park stop

We had a VERY LAZY morning. Jack had speech coaching. Dorothy and I cleaned out her closet to make room for her dance bag to be set up in there instead of in the storage room downstairs. Minnie set up an elaborate tea party. Cooper played video games (lol). I worked out and graded for my online adjunct class (different than my overload class). Then I decided to change 5/7 beds because it was a light laundry day. DO I KNOW HOW TO RELAX OR WHAT?    

Apparently this is pizza week because the kids had movie theater pizza for lunch and make your own pizza for dinner (and we had frozen pizza for lunch Monday and plan pizza on campus for dinner tonight).

MOVIE FOR LUNCH! We saw Dog Man, and all three older kids used to read those books, so they were all delighted to attend. When we got home, Dorothy read the first book to Minnie. I took a movie theater nap, which used to be my favorite thing back in the day when the kids and I always hit up $5 Tuesdays (which are now $6.35 Tuesdays). Also! GOOD AND PLENTYS! I forgot what a perfect candy that is.

(I did not mind stepping out to get the pizza when my buzzer went off-- NOT A LOT OF PLOT TO MISS)

After the movie, Jack and Cooper went golfing, and then Jack drove Coop to dive, and our carpool friends drove home, and I did not have to drive at all, and it was heaven.

Dorothy walked Annabel. Minnie returned to her tea party. I did laundry. When Jack got home, I walked Annabel just to listen to Pod Save America, but the episode gave me panic attack feels, so I switched to a Freida McFadden gem.

We made pizzas (fruit and veggies for a side, not toppings)

Dorothy and I walked Annabel together, and then the big kids and I watched my favorite movie from high school together, and now the kids think I am a bigger weirdo than they even imagined.

Staycay Day 1

 We are going NOWHERE for spring break this year, btw. NO TIME TO TRAVEL because PTO is more than spoken for with kiddie sportsball travel this summer. SUCH A GLAMOROUS LIFE. Soooooo, we are staying in town and enjoying a slower pace for the week.

Here's a look at Monday:

Annabel got a helluva stick of the day on our walk this morning. Yes that is snow because FML.

Dorothy and I headed to Home Goods in search of a rug for her room and returned TRIUMPHANT!

YES!

She was looking at pastel pink floral rugs online on Wayfair and the devil's trading post, but the reviews made us think we needed to find rugs in real life where we could touch them and see how thick they were. Ben, Minnie, Dorothy, and I went to At Home, Wal Mart and Target (**hangs head in shame**) on Sunday night and found NOTHING (but! Minnie picked out some stuff for her room and new-to-her big girl bed, and it matches NOTHING in her current room, so I can't wait to deal with that next week.). We went to Home Goods, then Marshalls, then World Market, then back to Home Goods, and I am really surprised by her eventual pick (that I like a lot). It is nice but not expensive, and if I need to replace it because she spills a can of orange soda on it or colors on it with sharpies, I will not be sad.

Next, Dorothy, Minnie, and I got pedicures (all) and manicures (just them-- I hate having my nails painted **shrug**) while Ben worked and Jack and Cooper played video games (which they did from the moment their eyes opened until Jack had to go to work and Coop had to go to diving practice).

Quick walk to the park

When Ben, my sunglasses twin, finished his day and came to trade with me

Now I am happily grading for my online overload class (doesn't get a spring break because it's only 8 weeks long) and writing this while Coop works.

Misc

 WHAT A WEEKEND! 

Ben did the floor in Dorothy's room! And he also assembled her new night stand, which is WAY SMALLER than I thought it would be-- but it will be PEEEERFECT for Minnie, who is inhertinig Dorothy's bed. We need to buy 2 box springs (one for each room) and a rug for Dorothy's room and hope to have the exciting room makeover conclusion next week-ish.

My mom and Steve and my aunt came to visit, which was SO FUN. My mom and Steve saw some dance comp on Friday night, and we all hung out Saturday and went out to dinner-- it was lovely.

Dorothy had a monster dance weekend: Friday night she had a competition and performed 6 dances in LESS THAN 2 HOURS. PHEW! Then she took dance classes ALL DAY Saturday and Sunday (the comp was half convention). IT WAS WILD.

Minnie went with me on Friday night and lived her best life-- she made it all the way through 9pm awards, even. BUT SHE WAS TIRED.

I think I might focus on money again on Mondays since we need to rein in our spending again. But! It is tedious to think and write about, so maybe not. Groceries cost one million dollars. Kids need new clothes and shoes. Major appliances break **shrug**. BUT ALSO. Paying attention really does make me spend less, so we'll see. 

Speaking of! WHY THE HELL ARE ZBARS TWENTY TWO DOLLARS A BOX?? (Yes, I did buy them)

And! Why have I forgotten how cheap the Costco food court is? I fed everyone (absolute trash) for $14!