Though there are probably some families who dislike our school district’s two-week school spring break, I rather like it. It’s a substantial enough break from the Go! Go! Go! of school and activities that we’re able to rest AND get things done. My favorite! While I won’t bore anyone with the many hours spent cleaning our house. To be fair, I only ask for help washing windows and moving beds to vacuum under them once a year. I’m not a total Evil Queen because we still made time for small adventures and memorable moments.
It’s been a while since we’d gone to Ohio, so Jack and I decided it was time to make the trip again. It’s close enough for a day trip, and far enough away for it to feel like a vacation. My parents joined us for the excursion, and once we’d packed up the van with kids and ALL their snacks, we were off.
Ohio might seem like one of those Midwest, flyover states, though honestly, those tend to be my favorite tourist destinations. Hardly anyone else there? PERFECT. Our first stop was in Kirtland, which is sort of a Mecca location for our church’s members because several historically and religiously important events took place there, primarily the building of the first temple of this era. As temples are extremely important to our faith, it was a sweet experience to visit the one that started it all.
Unfortunately, we didn’t arrive early enough to catch any of the other tours in the historic Kirtland area, but we knew enough about them to recognize the sawmill and accompanying potash factory, the Newell K. Whitney & Co. general store, and the Emma and Joseph Smith house. It was too brief of a visit, but appreciated all the same.
Driving and touring the area made us work up enough of an appetite that we splurged on a meal we wouldn’t normally indulge in–Korean BBQ and hot pot. If you’ve never gone, find a good restaurant and go for the experience. Yes, you’re cooking your own food in broth or on a tabletop griddle, but if you’ve ever lived with a picky eater, you know how magical custom choices can be. Not a single person complained the entire meal because literally everyone picked what was going in their mouth. Bonus: kids like cooking their own food right in front of them. Maybe I need to invest in a Korean hot pot/BBQ table and have that at our house.
It was getting late by the time we headed for our AirBnB, situated in the heart of Cleveland. Though they had a perfectly wonderful garage, our van was about four inches too long. Sad! But, I nabbed a spot on the street fairly easily. Inside, the house was spacious and lovely, with just the right amount of fun. The theme was “Green Gatsbyhouse” and it felt like stepping back into the roaring twenties with all its art deco decor. Plus, there was plenty of entertainment to indulge in–we may or may not have stayed up late having a Nintendo battle before crashing in our respective rooms.
The next day, we had on the schedule to take a ferry out to Kelly’s Island to explore before going home, except Mother Nature had other plans. We tried to remain optimistic as we drove headlong into a raging thunderstorm while the temperatures plummeted, but when we arrived at the ferry dock, it was pretty quickly decided that we probably wouldn’t have enjoyed our trip out to the island. If being tossed back and forth on the rough waves wouldn’t have made half of us seasick, the gusting, freezing winds would have made sightseeing tricky.
We instead opted for driving to the nearest lighthouse to look at the waves and battle the wind. Some of the kids gave up rather quickly, while some of them cried that they had to get back into the car. I can never win.
After that, we were ready to make our way back home. There was the threat of more severe weather along the way and at our house, and we wanted to avoid as much of it as we could. On the way out of town, we took a detour to refuel ourselves at a sort of pay-it-forward cafe that had suggested menu prices, which allows people to eat even if they can’t afford it. The owner and volunteers were sweet, and the food was beautiful, made from scratch, and was delicious. No one needed a to-go box because every last bite was gobbled up.
We did beat the storms home in time to get all the animals tucked into the barn, and to watch the consistent lighting display. Fortunately, the worst of it went around us and other than some impressive gusts of wind, tons of rain, and flickering lights, we made out alright.
One of our long-term goals had been to have a hog roast with one of our two piggies, and spring break seemed like the perfect occasion. Treat was the guest of honor, and she fulfilled her role perfectly. Jack did the bulk of the preparation, while I helped between manically cleaning the house and barn before friends arrived to help us eat the generous amount of pork Treat provided.
Treat was put in Jack’s homemade smoker the night before, and though we had fairly consistent rain the day-of, we were blessed with a break from the downpour for the duration of the party. It was squishy walking around outside, but wet shoes was the worst of it. It was so much fun catching up with people–some of whom we hadn’t seen in a long while–enjoy good food, and let the kids run wild between the barn, the playground, the basement, and the garden. It was tiring, but was a blast.
There’s something deeply satisfying to me when I’m able to share the fruits of our labors with friends and family. Alongside Treat, which I had been feeding and caring for since last October, we put out our foraged ramp butter, homemade jams, hot sauces, coleslaw, and more. Even though we had about fifty people stop by for our hog roast, all the pre-cleaning paid off, and the house was more or less tidy by bedtime, which meant we were primed for a lazy weekend.
Our unhurried weekend was actually timed perfectly because we had nothing else going on other than our church’s semi-annual general conference. We watched from the comfort of our home, and were given so many good messages to contemplate and absorb. I always want to be a better person after listening.
Between sessions, some of us took a drive out to see how bad the flooding was at the White River. Hint: the water was copious. As in, it’s the worst we’ve seen it since living in this part of Indiana. Some sections of the river were uncomfortably close to roads, with a few blocked off for that reason. We gaped, took pictures, and then retreated to our house.
On our final Sunday, we had to send off Grandma and Grandpa to go back home. It’s always a bittersweet goodbye, but is part of our reality living so far away. The promise of visiting again does make it a pinch easier, with the excitement that prospect offers.
Now that we’re on the cusp of the final stretch of school before a very busy summer, we’re feeling rejuvenated enough to kick it in to the finish. We’re hoping for a reprieve from the rain soon so we can get into the garden, which needs attention, and drive out to the pastures, which needs more trees cut off the fence lines. There is always something to do, and admittedly, I am never bored because of it.
Spring break came and went too fast, though I’m trying to accept that’s how life feels in general. It’s a reminder of of the juggle between why it’s so important to document the good times, while also being present in the moment. The stretch of days together was much needed and infused with both accomplishment and leisure. It was the best of all worlds, and a spring break we very much needed.
