Winter Break

For the first time - maybe ever - I am done with winter break. Two weeks in Wisconsin, without snow and with just a slight feeling of "winter," I'm ready to move on. Spring break now feels like it's around the corner, summer plans are shaping up, and in-between the waiting, I am willing to live in the moment. I'm ready to move on and accept that teaching awaits me, and that perhaps my students feel as done with winter break as I do. I know Misa and John-Pio are ready for school again. But first I have to look back at these long two weeks of freedom.

The best things about winter break: wearing jeans every single day, Papa Joe's visit, sleeping in, no rushing, climbing, skiing, running, celebrating with family and friends, reading 3 good books, relaxing every single day and evening with the kids and the Love of My Life.

And unless I consider John-Pio's requests in various forms -

(Mama?

Mama!

Mama.

Mama,

Mama:

MAAAAAMAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

to be negative, I only have healthy and positive things to say about winter break.

In fact, I know I will miss the unlimited and unstructured time I got to spend with John-Pio, and the sweet, hilarious, thoughtful, and often loud and relentless time with Emma and Misa. Together, the three siblings are excellent models for how I should live my life going forward: Sweetly, kindly, lovingly, and always with thought and a bit of hilarity. Here's a recap of winter break, with a slideshow of pictures, and a few videos that bring our two weeks to life.