Girl's Gone Child: Our Winter Break: In 68979878 Photos

This morning, after three weeks of Winter Break, the big kids went back to school. In the past we've done day camps of some sort but this time they wanted to stay home so I took time off and hung out with them. Because even though I'm not supposed to admit this, I like having my kids home. I like hanging out with them. They're my favorite people. Hands full? Psh, of gratitude. (And, yes, also "full" of chaos/stress/shenanigans/sleeplessness but if I had a dollar for every "you really have your hands full" comment I get on the daily... I mean, geeze louise, yo.)

And, yes, life must go back to normal and there is much that needs to be done but three weeks of outings and cuddling and watching Frozen way too many times (more on that later) felt really good, detaching from routine and just kind of lawlessly existing. We took full advantage of the weather (which we totally take for granted) and our memberships to gardens around town. (The Huntington and Descanso have become monthly haunts for us and I can't believe it's taken us this long to become members of such dreamboats.)

Huntington Gardens

...and Descanso

Now that everyone is here and getting older, there's this really interesting dynamic that's occurring... this partnering off and wandering as pairs. Sometimes it's Bo and Revi, mischievous... giggling in their hands. Sometimes it's Fable and Archer, arguing about names, places, telling each other jokes, congratulating each other on death defying stunts... Or Bo and Archer, who run everywhere when they're together. They run and they pull at each other's arms when they're trying to slow down... Sometimes Revi wants to be held like she did when she was a baby and then someone trips and falls and cries and she is the first one to climb down off my lap and hug them.