Spring Break!

Oh, college spring break. The stories! The adventures! The bikinis! The alcohol!

I have been counting down to spring break ever since the first pre-spring break due date was issued. I have gritted my teeth through mid-terms, papers, final due dates, last minute assignments. I have rushed to get everything completed, organised my journey to the airport, found my tortoises their own spring break destination (my friend's apartment). Oh I was excited!

But it was not the bikinis and alcohol that had me on the edge of my seat from California to Sea-Tac airport. After all, what would I do with a bikini in Seattle in March? Exactly.

I was flying back to see my family and the kids after 7 1/2 months away. I saw my dad for 5 weeks this winter, my mom for 4 days in November, and that's it! Not my sister, not my brother, not the kids.

I arrived in the PNW late on Thursday night, and surprised the kids by picking them up from daycare on Friday. They. Were. Shocked. It probably didn't help that I've cut and dyed my hair since I'd last seen them, so the fact that I looked different and that they didn't expect me to be there factored in. Still.

Before it registered, Clover looked like she was seeing a ghost. After everything in her head clicked, she was excited. Neptune was right behind her, and never even hesitated. He was just delighted-- and so was I! I was right, of course. They've both grown several feet.

At their house that evening we made "monster cookies" (chocolate chip cookies dyed green-- weird) and homemade pizza. My employers were amused as they watched me putter around their kitchen in my polka dot apron, and wondered about the number of students who were spending their College Spring Break quite the same way. The kids' mom suggested that if I was feeling left out, Clover and Neptune would most likely be willing to put their swim suits on and dance around...

Of course they obliged.

Later that evening we became superheros, along with the family pets, and battled the forces of Global Warming (I'm not even kidding). I was Dazzler, Clover was Animal Allie (her name is not actually Allie, I think she just liked the alliteration... assonance?) and Neptune was... well... he never quite settled on a superhero name. Options included The Force, Tornado Blaster, and a variety of others.

We stole plans from even scientists, stopped cars from producing Carbon Dioxide, and made sure unnecessary lights were turned off.

You know the craziest thing? This was Neptune's idea. Got to love the imagination of a tuned-in six year old!

In unrelated news, Clover has turned into a craftoholic (hurray!). There aren't really that many choices for a 9 year old girl in the PNW in the winter, but it still is certainly a good one. You should see some of the designs, decorations, and various things she has made. They are fabulous.

Finally, one of my favourite quotes of the evening:

Blythe: I mean, after all, what is an evil scientist without a terrible experiment?
Neptune: A frog!
Blythe and Clover: A frog...?
Neptune: Or a leopard.