A note from Dad

For Spring Break 2017 we spend 3 days on the beach in Sandbridge, VA. But the best quality time was after we got home. The house cleaning people were scheduled to be at the house at 8:30 a.m. so we wanted to get out of the house for about an hour and a half to let them work. We decided to walk to Starbucks for breakfast. That's about an hour round trip plus half hour to sit and eat. Amy was down with it and of course Reed grumbled but it turned out wonderful. It was a cool, sunny morning and both kids seemed to actually enjoy it (though they would never admit so). Amy talked about the musical Hamilton the whole way and Reed was curious and excited to prove that he knew of a better walking route.

And this from Mom:

Great minds think alike, because I was going to write something similar. Highlight was when Reed and I got a little too far ahead of Tod and Amy, he said "I can't hear Amy anymore so I think we're getting too far ahead of them." LOL - she really did talk the entire way. 

An all-around awesome morning!

Oh, I miss the book box!

Today I was putting the Easter decorations out and came across the Easter books. It made me so nostalgic! For the "big" holidays, we had collections of books that I added to each year. The kids just loved it when the holiday books came out, and we'd read them over and over during that "season." It feels like it was a million years ago that we'd both spend a half-hour in the kids' rooms each night reading book after book.

We also had the "Book Box" where I collected different books that I thought they'd like. When they'd been particularly good, we'd let them choose a new book or two from the book box. It was the biggest thrill for them! I'd also buy them each several new books that we'd give to them when we went on vacations to keep them occupied (for a little while, at least - Reed reads SO fast, and Amy's pretty quick too). Of course over time I got "less good" at picking books they'd like, and many languished in the book box, waiting to be chosen. Probably a year or more ago I finally gave up and donated all those books to the elementary school. But I hope they have positive memories of the book box, and maybe they'll even continue the tradition one day if they have kids themselves.