I am sitting here feeling calm. I am behind on grades and laundry. The house is in it's usual state of slightly cluttered chaos, but I'm not sweating it. Spring is in the air (finally after what felt like the never ending winter). Spring is bitter sweet. Spring means my mom's birthday and Easter (I don't think I am ever going to feel completely comfortable/excited about holidays). Spring is also means Caroline's birthday and growth and hope.

Last week was spring break and it kinda sucked. Spring break began with Rob out of town, moved into a surprise large bill and Buffy ripping up the basement carpet, then replacing our roof, then a vet visit (for chill pills for the anxious terrier), my car breaking down (complete with smoke and martial yelling), a tedious visit to the tax place, and finally a lots of swearing and tears. By the time Easter came around, I wanted to hide in my room and just quit. Lily (who is feeling much better) wanted egg dying and egg hunts and Easter baskets. Caroline wanted a roast chicken and dressing up. I tried, I really did. I woke up Easter morning grouchy and hating adulthood. I tried to get three different computers to work so I could catch up on grading. That didn't work, so I took my frustration out on jelly beans. I crammed those little suckers into plastic eggs while muttering like a fish wife. I hid them in the most haphazard, let's just get it done way possible. Lily woke up and didn't care. She and Caroline worked together, gathering and opening eggs. They sorted jelly beans and stuffed their faces. We went to the store (all in bad moods) and found a chicken.After a frustrating grocery store trip, we came home, gave up on dressing up and retreated to separate corners to lick our wounds. The evening ended with Lily dying eggs (we'd spent Saturday night at the tax place) and her hands while I tried to cook the stupid chicken. The damn thing wouldn't cook (I think it was frozen inside).

Soooo, after a week like that. Things could only go up. Caroline turned 17. This weekend, she went on a field trip to D.C. and Lily went to a sleep over party. Rob and I? Well, we cleaned up and chilled.