When McKenna was just a little one, she created a Spring Break Bucket List. It was a fun week spent going to the zoo and museums, jumping in puddles, and having carpet picnics. We haven’t had that kind of spring break since. Grad school and babies and Covid all got in the way. So this year when Aaron said he took the week off, he and I made some tentative plans and asked the kids what they wanted to do.

Inspired by Britt Escribe’s first slice this month…5-4-3-2-1. A quick reflection of my past week. How do you reflect?

We have a bonus kid spending the night tonight. The boys had been playing a bit of over-the-door basketball when George knocked his tooth on the doorknob. OUCH. It was an accident that could have happened to anyone but of course it happened to my Gentle George.

I got whatever Aaron had which was likely brought into the house by Theo. He’s the worst offender when it comes to washing his hands and touching ALL. THE. THINGS.

Do you have a go-to bedtime snack? My boys like a string cheese or a yogurt drink. My husband will grab a piece of fruit if he is hungry. McKenna will gobble down some crackers. She will devour a whole box of Wheat Thins or Ritz if I don’t stop her.

Are you team salty or sweet?

Do your kids say words in some adorable way? McKenna used to call the washing mashing the washa-washa machine. Then one day—she just stopped. I don’t know when it happened but it just stopped and we had a regular washing machine. Same with bidiculous (ridiculous) and falaxin’ (relaxing). Those just disappeared as she grew.

Am I an asshole parent? If you ask my kids, they would say yes. Want to know why? Let me list some of the most common ways.

We typically go to see Great Grandpa on Sundays. We pick him up and head to his favorite family restaurant. It’s one of those restaurants with a huge menu serving literally everything from burgers to fajitas to spaghetti to breakfast all day. You know the kind. They always have the very best cream of chicken rice soup every Sunday.