Easy Like Friday Afternoon

I've never been a "Fun Mom." And with nine years down, the forecast for the next fourteen ain't looking so jovial either.

But I determined that during this school year, I was going to be more "spontaneous" and "fun." I put those words in quotes, you see, because any "fun" that's "spontaneous" generally ends up looking a lot like "I had a plan all along." I can't help myself. But the kids aren't clued into my plans, so ha! I somewhat, on occasion, look like a "Fun Mom."

One thing I've been doing to help this fun along is schedule our week for four nightmarish days of school versus five. See? I can't be all fun, all the time. And then when the sun shines, I surprise my kids with a midday trip to the park or a stop by the coffee shop for a raspberry mocha. All in the interest of the children, of course.

Our latest adventure took us to Multnomah Falls, a regional treasure just a half hour from our house. The drive down the Columbia Gorge is always a sight to see, and was made even lovelier with Neil Patrick Harris speaking sweet nothings reading to us on the way there and back.

A highlight of Friday's trip was seeing a handful of salmon swimming upstream in the river. You know what's funny? Watching salmon swim upstream in a river. They swam and they swam and they swam and they got--well, nowhere. I laughed so hard at one particular fish that I saw it pop back a Xanax. I should come with a warning label.

A great thing about going to a touristy spot in the middle of a school day is that no one was there. No one! Of course by "no one," I really mean, "twenty or so people getting in the way of my view." But still.

Now because it was fifty degrees below zero outside and I had packed a bag full of books, I took the kids inside the lodge that is right on site, just as nature intended. Its restaurant has a great view of the falls--and better yet--the happiest little cups of hot chocolate. And how can you not like hot chocolate with a side of Here Read This Book And Then Draw Some Pictures While You Recite Your Memory Work To Me Out Loud?

See? What more proof do you need? I am indeed a "Fun Mom."

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