What I have learned Thursday… Staying in!

This week is our spring break.  I was beginning to feel a little bummed at the end of last week thinking that we wouldn’t be going anywhere.  Jonathan has always had to work during spring break.  On a couple of occasions, I have gone with the kids to Utah.  This year, we decided to stay put, and I am so grateful.

What have I learned… That staying home makes for a great vacation. Most of the time there are plenty of great things to do at home, and locally. When kids are in school, you don’t always get time for the everyday. We have found that to be true and have had such a great time so far just doing the everyday stuff. In fact, I can’t wait for summer break.  I also can’t wait to share all that we have done this week.  I am sure you will think they are simple, lazy things, but I am grateful for the last few memories that we are creating together in this house and in Arkansas.

We decided to start our week out by visiting our favorite place.  I knew this would be the last time we made a visit to Garvin Gardens.  You may remember what it looked like in December?  Our favorite place to tour the Christmas lights:

This is what it looks like in the spring:

(beautiful flowers, beautiful kids with crazy smiles; when will they out grow that?)

Here is a picture of the kids at Garvin Gardens last Spring:

Oh, my they have grown!!

I know Garvin Gardens will always be a special memory for the kids.

For the last two years, we have gone with a couple of friends.  Here are all the kids together.  It isn’t easy to get a decent shot of this rowdy bunch.

I am so thankful for these last few months to spend with our good friends.  I am grateful we stayed home for Spring Break.  I am thankful that I realized what a great stay-cation this could be.

The highlight of the day was the kids picking me flowers.  Here is little miss following along:

Isaac made sure that I got a nice picture of him in front of the pretty flowers; always thinking of his crazy photographer mother.

Jex loves really cool rocks, so we had to get a picture of him with this totally tubular rock.(he would be so embarrassed to hear me talk in my 80’s lingo.)

It was so nice to realize that we can still see and do really neat things at home.

Look at how beautiful it is here already. 

Spring has sprung in the South!!

I decided that I am going to have one of these trees in my yard when we own our next home:

I even asked around and learned it’s name is the Snowball tree.  Don’t they remind you of hydrangeas?  I also found out that they will grow in any climate; they just like shade.

Garvin Gardens is not only full of really neat flower gardens, but it is also a great place to get the kids to work their energy out.

There is lots of walking.  I love it.

They love feeding the fish.  They all tried to touch them.  Ewww.  Gross!!

They enjoyed playing in the water falls.

Including Tess, She loved sitting with her feet in the water.

Their favorite part is always the natural playground.  They enjoy climbing and running around.

Jex even enjoyed chasing the girls; Stella and her friend.  AHHH!! and so it begins.

We also ran into one of Jex’s best friends from school.  Jex was so excited to see him; we just had to take a picture.

…and the newest addition to our group of kids slept most of the way.

This is Tessa’s new best friend.  A lot of my friends are having babies right now, so Tess is in heaven.

What a beautiful day, and beautiful reminder that you don’t have to go away on vacation to appreciate a little break.

Stay tuned for more of our awesome spring break.  I will share more tomorrow.  We have had great fun at home too; just wait and see.

I hope you can find a little break of your own, and make some fun just staying in.