Spring Break

Spring Break was pretty low key this year. We started with a trip to the dentist. Nora LOVES the dentist, and asks all the time when we can go back. She was so excited to show us her shiny teeth when they were done. Peter on the other hand, only agreed to cooperate if they stopped using their toothpaste, which they did. That kid can be such a character sometimes!

 Since it was St. Patrick's Day, we made sure we were all decked in green.

 The next day, another one of Nora's dreams came true- "Frozen" came in the mail! She could hardly contain her happiness, and was dancing all over the front yard belting out "Let it GO" (just that phrase) over and over as she flung her coat into the wind.

 On Wednesday, Benjamin got to participate in Nora and Peter's swimming and gymnastic classes. They had a great time!

 On Friday morning, we drove about 100 miles to Springfield, Illinois. We toured Lincoln's house, which the boys seemed to enjoy. It was fun to see how tall Abraham Lincoln was, which you got a sense for by the placement of his shaving mirror on the wall. I also learned that his sons were pretty rambunctious, and he gave them a lot of freedom to just be kids. Nora initially wouldn't come inside, and clung onto Paul the whole time, asking him if the Lincolns had died. :)

 Here's the home from the outside. It's pretty amazing when you consider what he started with, which was virtually nothing.

 The kids were really excited to earn their "Junior Ranger Badges." Compared to the Yellowstone one they tried for last year, this one was a breeze!

We made sure to stop at the Dana Thomas house, which was one of Frank Lloyd Wright's earliest (1902-1904) and largest designs. It was magnificent, and such a stark contrast to the Lincoln home, built only a few short decades prior to this one. I wished we could have taken some pictures of the interior. There were several entertaining areas with musician's lofts, a bowling alley, some of the earliest electric lighting and indoor plumbing, and the sweetest little children's library in the basement (for the neighborhood kids). The woman who commissioned the house was widowed twice, childless, and the daughter of a wealthy politician. 

 Hey look! An updated family picture! Our tour guide was the sweetest woman, and kept telling us how well behaved our children were. She took this for us.

I saw these ginkgo leaf earrings in the Frank Lloyd Wright gift shop, and had to bring them home. I love green, I love ginkgo leaves, and I love Japanese art. I really think I could have gotten along with Frank. :)

Even though it was a short distance from home, we made it an overnight trip so we could take advantage of the hotel pool. It was Lydia's first real encounter with a pool, and she was in heaven!

 The next morning, we made it over to the Lincoln Museum, which was really, really good. I think the kids came away with a real sense for how terrible slavery was, what the differing opinions at the time were, what Abraham Lincoln's challenge as president was, and what his legacy means to us. They especially loved the "ghost" show, where history came alive in the presidential library. 

 There was also a kids room with Lincoln logs...

 ...and dress ups. Clearly, Nora was having a great time at this point. :)

 Just thought I'd throw this one in to show how weird the Midwest is. We saw this along the road as we were driving.

As nice as it was to have a break, I'm glad to be back to a normal routine. The dynamics were interesting at times, usually with Peter as the desired playmate, and Benjamin and Nora fighting over him. It will be nice when Lydia is a little bigger. Nora isn't really interested in having her as a playmate yet.