Why oh why do teachers assign homework over spring break?  It has been like pulling teeth to get the boys to do any of their work.

Thumper doesn’t have homework, of course, but Rerun has a math packet of worksheets that he has to complete, and Tad has a history project that is a combination of art and writing.  You can well imagine that one assignment went over better than the other.

I am piecemealing out the math pages to Rerun, and Tad’s project is done.  He had to write a postcard from the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition that was held on the University of Washington campus in 1906.  While I tried to make the material engaging (particularly because we do spend time on campus and Tad is familiar with some of the landmarks), history is not where his academic strengths lie.  He did do a fabulous job drawing a picture for the postcard front, though.

Ane has to read the first couple chapters of “Great Expectations” while on break.  Since I have read that particular novel, I feel her pain.

But don’t think Thumper is totally off the hook – he has his regular ABA sessions, which are a lot of work for him.

Maybe Tad was right about that “relaxing vacation”….

This week is spring break.  Which means that I’m going to get exactly nothing done in an attempt to keep these four monkeys out of trouble.

And since Tad has a burning desire for a “relaxing vacation,” it also means that I must keep them entertained.  The boys, anyway.  Ane has her own set of plans.

So, on Monday, Tad had the night off art class – but our favorite trampoline spot was open for special needs night.  Ane was spending the night with her friends, so the Webmaster and I took the boys.  Since the environment is contained and casual, we can pretty much trust the older boys to behave with minimal monitoring.  Thumper, who always needs someone with eyes on him or full containment, spent the evening as a giant blur.

On Tuesday, I took all four kids to the zoo.

The highlight of this trip was going to feed the birds at Willawong Station – cockateils, parrots, and budgies all live there.  Rerun is very into birds (a side effect of his Angry Bird fandom).

However, Ane decided that birds are not her thing, and then this happened to Tad.

At which point Ane was all “HECK NO” and wanted out.

Rerun was being too silly, and Thumper wanted to pet birds (also a no-no), so while it wasn’t a disaster, it was definitely stressful – though full points to Tad for not freaking out when he had a bird on his head.

We finally ended the day on the carousel, and then Tad and Thumper had their regular ABA session.

Now I have to think of more things to do….

Well, I’ll say this…. life with Rerun is never boring.

We had gone shoe shopping for Tad (after discovering that he walked/ran a 5K in a pair of shoes that had HOLES worn through the soles), and worked very hard on convincing him that new shoes were not a cause for tears.  The salesguy was incredibly patient with the whole process, and we got a pair of elastic laces for Tad which enables him to wear “regular” tennis shoes.

But leave it to Rerun to provide the comic relief while his brother was trying not to have a meltdown.  “Mom, look!  You can’t see me!  I’m a statue!”

According to the Webmaster (because I didn’t see it), the store was incredibly quiet and the staff who wasn’t working with a customer (only us plus one other family) was busting a gut behind the cash register.

What a kid.

Thumper has always thought that Mom and Dad’s bed is the most comfy spot in the world.  This is from almost 3 years ago.

Maybe when he gets his own twin bed, he will be happy with the comfy level.  We have some work to do…