A Modest Proposal: Seasonal Breaking

"What school do you go to? Are you at the U?" Everyone's asking. Of course everyone knows BYU doesn't have a "Spring Break." Although I did get two "Spring Breaks" while I was at BYU because I'm awesome--that's pretty much what it comes down to. The first was my freshman year: 2002 Winter Olympics. The second was my senior year: during student teaching the high school where I was teaching had Spring Break. And now teaching high school again, I have another Spring Break. I like Spring Break. I think the world should celebrate breaks. No more working 345 days a year. We should get breaks. One for each season: one week for fall; at least one week around Christmas and New Years; one week in the spring; and two to three weeks in the summer. Everyone would be so much happier after having a break from whatever droning task they were doing before.

Spring Break was a huge success. So successful I truly dreaded going back to school today. (On a side note: I can't believe the year is almost over! This week is research presentations; next week is core testing; and then the last few weeks are Three Cups of Tea; and then it's over.)

I spent the first part of the week in Chicago with Liz, Austin, Leah, Sarah, and Caleb. We had a lot of fun at the Children's Museum in Naperville. Sarah and I did almost everything there was to do there. That girl wastes no time. And thanks to Steve's recent crash camera course (oooh...notice the nice alliteration...) I was able to play around with the color drop feature--or whatever it's called.

Check out Sarah's cool discovery at the water station. She made an awesome fountain. A little explorer.

Leah and I weaved--Leah came up with the "really nice pattern," as she put it, all on her own. She was very proud. She is also still reading up a storm. She can read the scripture readers all by herself. Impressive for a not-quite five-year-old.

And as always we read lots of stories. I lost track of how many times I read Sammy the Seal and Calling Doctor Amelia Bedelia. Yet I have to admit, that even after 10 readings, the puns in the Amelia Bedilia book never got old. Of course the kids didn't understand them, but they laughed along with me--something must have been funny...

For the rest of the week I ventured back to DC: Duke Ellington, Dupont Cirlce, The Kennedy Center, and M Street were the prime locales. I spent time with Liz (different Liz--and yes I know my name is also Liz--how confusing); saw a lot of the students I taught last year who I miss; chatted with my co-op teacher from last year who rocks; went to a couple concerts at the Kennedy Center--one of which was four cellists from the National Symphony Orchestra--phenomenal!; saw a few of the late-blooming cherry blossom trees; finally made it out to the Jefferson and FDR memorials; and got reacquinted with the city I fell in love with last year. I'm excited to go back. And then you should all come and visit me during one of your seasonal breaks.