Spring Break Vacation: Day 1

Sorry, not too catchy of a title. But I am pooped from our day!

The girls are both on Spring Break this week and David and I were able to take Wed/Thurs/Fri off with them. Last night we all piled on our bed and brainstormed fun ideas we could do together.

Some obvious ones were thrown out: Monkey Business, Pump it Up, Roller Skating. Some other ideas were brought up as well. Drue suggested Florida. Oh how I wish that one had been feasible. David wrote it down so as not to disrupt the flow of our brainstorm.

The decided upon activities for today consisted of: breakfast at a donut shop (which served green donuts---how cute is that?), Nelson-Atkins Museum, Indoor Batting Cages, Monkey Business, and purchasing Monopoly(which Reese has been asking for ever since we played with some homeless families down at the City Union Mission a few weeks ago).

I am kicking myself for not taking (1) a camera and (2) a small notebook to jot down the hilarity of our adventure to the Nelson.

We gave the kids the choice of going roller skating or going to a museum and they picked the museum. So we quickly drove to downtown K.C. before they had a chance to change their minds.

We only almost got kicked out twice. Once when Tate innocently reached out to touch what he (and all the rest of us) thought was pink carpet. It wasn't.

It was perfectly groomed sand surrounding the giant glass jar display. Which, I'm sure had a more artsy name that escapes me now. I kid you not, they may as well have had an alarm and flashing light go off as well as a net that fell from the ceiling to capture our little perpetrator.

When I saw that it was sand he touched I immediately scooped him up and headed for the door. Two unmistakable little finger trails in the sand. One worker reached out in horror. Another started sternly saying something and heading our way. Then they just kind of stared at us in shock and dismay. David said later, "I'm not sure what they were expecting. We saw what Tate did, you grabbed him, what more could we do? Pull a little rake out of my back pocket and regroom the sand display?".

As we were leaving the museum with tired and hungry kids David "wrecklessly" threw Tate up on top of his shoulders. Out of nowhere scurried another worker telling us that simply wasn't allowed. So he pulled Tate off and carried him out of the museum in his arms.

I am completely thrilled with the timing of the public school system in teaching Reese the appropriate terms for "girl parts" and "boy parts" a few weeks ago. Yes, that is what we were still calling them. That's fine if you have taught your children to use the proper terms from birth. I have not. But now Reese knows them and taught them to Drue. Which is fine.

Of course, every other room we ventured into had a nude statue which caused the girls to slap their hands over their mouths and giggle uncontrollably. "Mom! That statue has a penis."

"Why yes Reese it does. Good observation."

Something tells me Tate isn't going to be an art history major. His favorite exhibits of the whole trip? The EXIT signs. Because they were green. Like Luigi.

Our last stop of the day were the batting cages at the Great Mall and Monkey Business. The girls are playing Coach Pitch this year and Tate will play T Ball in the Summer. So we thought it would be fun to get a few practice swings in. The old man and I took our turns as well.

Not much to report about Monkey Business. Over priced time on oversized inflatables and the smell of sweaty kids running around like crazy.

Our break is off to a good start!