Ironing out the wrinkles

A little steam and starch makes everything better. Sunday, the kids were in bed at normal time for a school night, after much complaining and backpack prep. The kitchen and house had been put back in order from the big Easter dinner with company. I spent a couple of hours with The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency on HBO while ironing. (Can't tell you how much I enjoy that show. It's rare to see a show that is uplifting.) By the time I'd pressed the kids' uniform slacks, shirts and skirts and starched the shirts Dad would need to take for the week, my sense of peace and calm had returned.

Spring break was fun, but I am so glad it's over. I know that makes me sound like an awful mom, who doesn't want to spend time with her children. That not it. Summer will be much longer, and yet is always so much smoother than short school breaks. We need fresh air and exercise. Lots of it. The weather was actually worse for outdoor play much of last week than during the Winter holidays, which made for more bickering than usual. The age differences which don't matter during a hike, or a day at the neighborhood pool, or on a family bike ride become big problems when trying to get everyone to agree on a board game. Or a video game. Or a movie. Or which child(ren) should be responsible for washing out a big bin of Legos after "somebody" spilled hot cocoa in it.

At any rate, this morning is wonderfully quiet. I'm on my third cup of coffee, and have almost caught up with the email and blog reading from last week. And, after a couple hours on a map project, I'll be off for a run. It'll probably be raining, but I don't mind a bit. I won't have to worry about what's being broken while I'm out... and I rather enjoy splashing through puddles.

Guess you could say my Spring Break starts today.