Vacation Week, Feb. 2007

Inexplicably, schools in Massachusetts have a week-long vacation in February.

I imagine that this is a nice break for the teachers. And for families who have the time and money to vacation in the Caribbean or go skiing in Vermont, this must be a real treat.

For the rest of us who are saving our vacation time for other commitments and are still recovering from the harrowing expense of Christmas, February vacation is a chance to spend 24 hours a day at home with our children.

Here are some highlights of our week:


Monday, Feb. 19
The weather forecast for the rest of the week includes highs above freezing, so Britt and Larry took advantage of the Monday holiday and gathered the boys for what might have been the last game of pond hockey this season.





Tuesday, Feb. 20
We met up with Natalie, Sylvia, and Judy for a late breakfast at a local diner before going to a 1 pm show of Beauty and the Beast at the Wheelock College Theater. Beau enjoyed the show very much; Casey found it somewhat tedious and hard to follow, but with a tummy full waffles and ice cream for breakfast, he was content to sit through it all.






Wednesday, Feb. 21

Q: Five boys and three moms went to the aquarium. How many people went to the aquarium?

A. At least 2,000 -- it was vacation week. (Ugh!)








Thursday, Feb. 22

Beau: Mom, can we go to the science museum today?
Me: No.
Beau: Why not?
Me: Remember all those people who were at the aquarium yesterday?
Beau: Yes.
Me: They'll all be at the science museum today.


So we had a low-key day around town. We went to SuperCuts, the library, and the second-run theater (to see Night at the Museum, which Beau liked, but Casey not -- so he and I sat in the lobby and played cards).



Friday, Feb. 23
Up at 5 am to get Casey to a 7 am hockey game at a rink an hour from Cambridge. Back in time to go sledding with all the neighbors.

In the afternoon, we went to see Looney Tunes cartoons on the big screen at the local art house theater (where I had a nice nap).


Friday night we went to a BU hockey game (BU v. Vermont), and Casey's team got to skate a five-minute scrimmage after the first period. After watching the college boys play, the Mites looked like ants on the ice, but it was great fun.