End of break

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  The kids have been out for a bit over two weeks (they were out halfway through Thursday of the week before Christmas, and are still out as of today. 

Tomorrow, they go back.

I suppose that, had this break had normal weather for this time of year in this part of the state, it wouldn't have been so bad.  Unfortunately, it got really cold just before Christmas and stayed that way for most of the break.  The weather only got tolerable outside a couple days ago, and the kids have spent part of today playing outside.

They have been absolutely miserable, trapped in the house by dangerously cold temperatures, and shared that liberally.

They desperately needed the space to go screaming and playing like crazy...and they didn't have that.  They're not allowed to bring toys out of their rooms (because they don't take them back to their rooms), and aren't allowed to run, yell, scream, or roughhouse inside the house. 

I tried taking them shopping...that wasn't what they needed.  They needed time and space where they didn't have to control the play and noise impulses more than they needed to just get out of the house.

And I'm not taking them again when they're only out for a week or two.  I won't be taking them with me on the grocery shopping trip again until I have to.

Tomorrow, though, they go back.  And I can get to some jobs that really need done.