Spring Break Hotel

We stayed in West Memphis, AR instead of downtown because all of the hotels were booked downtown or didn't have a pool.  A pool is a must!  If you ask the kids they will tell you that the hotel was the best part of the trip.  We could save a lot of money each year and just find a hotel in town but that would be no fun for us!

Annual elevator shot

Only in Arkansas- Your morning chill sign on the lobby frig stocked with Bud Light!  It was however, stocked with yogurt in the mornings :)

It is hard work being a girl!

Memphis Zoo

The Memphis Zoo was our first stop on our Spring Break trip.  We headed straight there when we got into town.  It was warm and sunny- what a difference from STL!  It was the perfect place to stretch our legs after our drive.  

Baby and Mama giraffe, so sweet!

Giant pandas really do love bamboo :)

Movie Night

Sometimes we all snuggle up in our bed to watch a movie.  I know it is only a matter of time before they either don't want to watch movies like this or their bodies are too big to all fit :( 

Max Highlights

Max missed the Music Night at CPOP before Spring Break because he was sick with a fever.  His teacher let him play his three songs for his class.  Maura and I went to listen.  He did a great job- he played Bullfrog Blues, Ode to Joy and Catwalk.

We finally got a keyboard with weighted keys for Max.  He has been playing piano for a year and a half on a keyboard I got at Goodwill for $15.  He definitely needed and deserved the upgrade.  He is so good about practicing- we don't even need to remind him, totally self driven and he just enjoys it.  Everyone has enjoyed it and Maura picked up Ode to Joy by ear and has started playing it.  She wants to start piano lessons but we will wait till fall after we get back from Chautauqua.  Max will play piano next year and also wants to play clarinet for band.  His goal is to work up to Obo so he can charm snakes!

Max had his first piano recital for the St. Louis Music Federation.  He received a blue ribbon :)

Max is going to Stages for theater.  They performed 101 Dalmations.  The next performance at the end of April is Newsies.

Max's class did a Wax Museum presentation.  Max's person was David Bushnell who created the first submarine.  He looked handsome in his white shirt and jacket.  He also wore jeans and later told me that wasn't such a good choice because bluejeans weren't invented yet.  

Max helped me come up with our Snow Day School agenda.  Everyone got to teach a couple of classes.  I LOVE SNOWDAYS!!!

Yucando with Max

Max asked Mama for a gift certificate from Youcando for his birthday.  He knew he wanted to make a dry erase board.  We could have spent all day there.  It was nice having one on one time with him especially in a creative space.  

The finished product!

I even had a chance to make something.  It is my lucky owl :)

Max and Ben's Birthdays

I did a horrible job taking pictures this year at the boy's birthdays.  Sadly, these are the best of the bunch.  Max had the boys in his class over to watch the second Harry Potter movie.  

Ben had his third slumber party.  They played dodgeball, broke a window, watched Transformers and talked till 1am.  Then I decided to sit downstairs and threaten to sleep downstairs until they got quiet.  I only had to go back downstairs once around 2am.  I'm guessing next year I'll go back down at 3am.