This week we have taken a spring break. I don’t really like to take a spring break. I’d rather work right on through and be done with the whole school year earlier, when the weather is tugging us outdoors. I don’t like the interruption of spring break to our routine either. Some years, like last year, we don’t take one if we need to keep going to get done by June. Last year we missed a lot of time when we were all sick with flu & such at all different times in January & February. We needed the extra week to catch up a bit. But it wasn’t easy when all the public school kids were out and knocking on the door and calling to see when we’d be done each day. So I decided to go with the flow and take the break this year. I decided it was easier than having so many interruptions to our day, every day, for a week. I figured I will take time to clean while the kids are out to play each day.

Well, it is not too “springy” around here this week anyhow! Temps have been in the forties for over a week already. In fact, this morning there is two inches of snow on the ground and, as I type, it is raining and sleeting. The kids have been out to play many days but I don’t see that happening today! My plan was to tackle the living room today. I had started with the back bedroom and I am working my way to the kitchen (which may wait for a good cleaning come summer, since we did still have co-op classes yesterday and we had went running on Monday). So with the weather, I think today will be a good day to tackle the boys’ room. Then if it’s nice tomorrow, I won’t have to keep them in to do it.

Some good cleaning, some reading, and maybe some games! It looks like that’s how today will go.

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            That was last week! I figured that this week we'd just roll back into our routine again come Monday. Then, after our "Spring Break", we all came down with the flu on Sunday. (I guess I should have never even mentioned that naughty little word!) :(

        Sooooo! My closets were cleaned, the booksleves reorganized, and the dust bunnies were banished from under the beds, but now my living room looks like a triage. The air mattress has taken center stage for a few days, there have been cups of juice and water living on every end table, we all have our own box of kleenex & hand sanitizer, and our only schoolwork this week has been reading.

        The only plus side of our sudden illness- we have been studying pioneer America for history and so it has become a great opportunity to talk about just how life threatening the flu was to the pioneers. When the flu came around 150 years ago, it meant certain death for some. We are truly blessed in this day & age! While reading about our forebearers this week I believe we have all grumbled a little less about our aches & pains and also about taking our "yucky" medicine.

       Our copy of the newest issue of Discovery Kids magazine came on Monday too and it is all about Pioneers. What great timing! A little extra supplement to our learning with no extra work for mom!YES!

     According to the weather predictions it looks as though we may finally have temperatures climbing out above 50 by Sunday. I just can't wait now for next week to get here! It will surely be great to be well again, and to be warm without being warmed by a fever!  :)