Spin Cycle: Spring Broken

It has been a lazy and yet adventure-filled Easter Break here at the Second Blooming house. Nice.

After the insanity that was Easter weekend, I basically crashed for two days, leaving the kid to his own devices. Jude's devices involved a tremendous amount of television and Wii playing. The kid has now watched about 20 hours of The Regular Show, MAD and the Amazing World of Gumball. Pretty much all rules flew out the window. I'm afraid that nutrition flew out with it, and the only things the child has eaten all week have been pizza and cheeseburgers. Really. And I have eaten the same things + wine. Because I'm just that kind of mother.

My devices included lying in the bed and watching everything I'd saved up on the DVR while playing hours and hours of the previously given-up-for-lent Castleville on Facebook.  Thank God my tiny village survived without me for 40 days. Whew. I also took several long, hot baths and read my book and knit. It was beautiful.

We did manage to venture out for some fun. And I used up all of the Groupons/coupons that I'd been saving up just for this very purpose. Oh yeah.

Monday - Hmmm. Must have done something...Nope. I don't think so. No wait, in the afternoon, Jude and I ventured down to USC to try out their track - a fabulous find (thank you Rachel) - excellent track, open to the public, street parking. Jude ran a bunch, while I sat and timed him and checked out the USC football players throwing passes around on the track.

Tuesday - Groupon for burgers and fries at Rounds Burgers. You LAers should mos def (I'm sorry, I've been watching a tremendous amount of The Wire, and have suddenly started talking like a Baltimore drug dealer from the projects) check out the place. Jude and I both decided they were the BEST BURGERS WE'VE EVER HAD. And that's saying something. The burger was to make up for the fact that our next stop was the dentist. Yes, I somehow had accidentally made Jude a dental appointment for during Spring Break, something for which I would certainly have never forgiven my mother.

Good news - no cavities! Bad news - something about a "rotated lateral" and a "tongue thrust" which apparently means...(cue the ominous horror film music)...ORTHODONTIA. I may have to actually become a Baltimore drug dealer to pay for it.

Wednesday - Groupon for Hangar 18 Climbing Gym in Hawthorne, CA, a moderate trek, but totally worth it. Jude LOVED it...

The kid scares the pee out of me with his fearlessness. I am seriously thankful that we don't live anywhere near snow or mountains, because the kid would mos def (sorry, I will stop it now) become a snowboarder/rock climber/X-games thrill seeker.

Then, on the way home, he insisted that we stop at USC AGAIN for more running. This time, we discovered that the USC Track Team practices in the afternoons, but they still let you use the track if you stay out of their way. Jude decided to work on his long jumping, and soon attracted a couple of REALLY sweet young college men, who helped him out and gave him tips. At the end our little visit there, Jude decided he wanted to practice his 400 meters so he could try out the tips he learned in that Michael Johnson video. He took off with me timing him on my iPhone. By the time he was halfway around the track, a crowd of the USC track guys had gathered. "Look at that kid!" "He's got really good form!" When he finished, I called out his time "One point two six!" and this USC track coach came over and asked me "Did he just run the 400 in 1.26?!" Apparently this is "very, very good". Love it!

Thursday - I did it again. Six Flags Magic Mountain. I know, don't say it. But I got 2 free tickets when I bought a set of tires at Discount Tire Center, so I couldn't resist it.

All roller coasters, all the time. The Revolution, The Ninja, The Jet Stream, The Apocalypse, Colossus. Good stuff. Though I'm afraid that we have now reached my "thrill" threshold. We used to go on the "family thrills" rides, then the "moderate thrills". Now we're on to the "high thrills". The next step is the "so-freaking-scary-that-some-type-of-bodily-fluid-will-almost-certainly-be-released thrills", which he is just going to have to hold off on until he's old enough to just go with his friends. Because I do have SOME limits.

Friday - "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!" - that was the sound of a heavenly choir. Jimmy is taking Jude for a Daddy/Dude Day, which includes lunch, baseball practice AND The Three Stooges movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My plan? I am on my way to use yet another Groupon, this one for a Manicure/Pedicure with a paraffin foot treatment! Oh yeah!

Tomorrow, we're going with some friends to Santa Anita Park to watch the horse races, which sounds fun. If I win big, I'll let you know.

So that's about it. No trip to Cancun or quick ski vacation, but we did our best.

Spring is broken.

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You know the drill...visit the others!

SuziCate at The Water Witch's Daughter

Vandy J at The Testosterone Three and Me

Jen at Sprite's Keeper - NEW on FRIDAY!

Peg at Square Peg in a Round Hole - NEW on FRIDAY!

 

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Next week on The Spin Cycle...

Cocktails

Because, damn it, after this last week, that's pretty much all I can think about.

You are the mixologists! How do you like yours - shaken or stirred? With an olive or a twist?

I want recipes! Pick your poison and share.

And I think that a certain amount of experimentation is in order. Mos def. Sorry.

So...mix it up. Shake it up. Spin it up.

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Comments

[Michele]

I can't wait to get to Anaheim this summer because (as I told Jack Lemmon once) I want to party with you.

[Nadine]

Count me in for next week's cocktails!!

Love the cool shades at the dentist!!

[Arnebya]

It sounds so perfect, though, Cancun be damned. The girls went to the dentist during break too. What can I say, it beats Saturday mornings. And roller coasters? Yes, please! Chobe is finally old enough/tall enough to get on the majority of the rides and she definitely has my thrill seeking via stomach drop gene.

I must admit, though, there is one type of ride I have yet to try: the ones that do the straight drop. I always imagine it won't stop and I'll slam into the concrete and break my butt.

[Jan]

My son went to Las Vegas for spring break, where he annoyed his sister by playing his Nintendo DS the entire time they were camping at Valley of Fire, ate an entire pan of brownies by himself then threw up all over her cat (who now hates him), coerced her into making him pizza rolls, then asked for "real food" and showed only nominal interest in their tour of The Strip.

I worked and was poisoned by Michael Symon. I think you've got us beat.

And on that note - good for Jimmy for taking over Faux Stooges movie duty! I knew I loved that man for a reason.

[Elizabeth]

What a wonderful mama you are! You've inspired me to check out some new places -- except for Six Flags. I've NEVER taken my kids (aren't I terrible?) and don't plan on ever doing it, ever.

[VandyJ]

Turbo has desires to ride the roller coasters. I am the lucky one who will have to ride with him. Nick doesn't do roller coasters. My only saving grace so far is the to go to a roller coaster takes planning a trip to Denver. 3+ hours away so an overnight is almost required.
Glad you survived your spring break and you dodged the Three Stooges bullet.

[Kendra]

Gotta love the Groupons! Sounds like a great week. And I'm glad you didn't have to suffer the horror of the new 3 Stooges.

[Sprite's Keeper]

Thank goodness Sprite is not a fan of roller coasters, having already had her limit on Splash Mountain. :-)
I wish we had your kind of Groupons. In my area, they're for half off on denture molds and things like that. Hooray for seasonal Ft Myers!

[Ginny Marie]

My sister went to USC for her doctorate! She never took me to the track when I visited her, though.

If you can imagine it, we did even less on our Spring Break. I cleaned one child's room, got sick of cleaning so the other child's room is still a disaster, and, um, that's it.

I can't wait for cocktails! I'll definitely Spin this time around, promise!

[Stacy Uncorked]

Sorry I've been a slacker in the Spin Cycle department - I'll be all over the cocktails next week for sure!

We didn't get a spring break - Princess Nagger's school doesn't give them that much time off...although the long weekend for Easter was longer than past years, since they didn't swipe those days off for snow make-up days. ;)

Jude is getting so big! Yay for no cavities - boo for orthodontia...that's going to be our future, too. :)

[Lynn @ Curly Girl's Music World]

What is the etiquette on commenting on a comment on a blog? So, etiquette aside, @Jan how were you poisoned by Michael Symon? I aspire to cook his dishes. What do you know (that you might tell me privately - lynn@curlygirl.com).

[unmitigated me]

Keep visiting USC on track practice day, and that boy will end up with a scholarship.

[Gretchen]

I doubt Jan will see this. I will check with her blog this week - shes bound to write something about this!

Gretchen
www.secondblooming.typepad.com

[Ginny Marie]

I'm back, with a link to my cocktail post!
http://www.lemondroppie.com/2012/04/cocktails/

[AimeeWrites]

That is an awesome spring break!

We're on the orthodontia train now, too. Kalen has an underbite. We've been waiting for two more teeth to grow in, and now they have, so we're back for O-consult #2 in a week or two. FUN.

I'll go on all those rides with Jude. Can't wait!! Tell him we'll do it if I can fit in a trip next time I'm in town.

Oh, and Kalen starts track & field practice at the B&G Club tonight! Our boys are two peas in a pod, aren't they?