Counting Down the Days!!

I am so excited that Zane found us a fun little ocean vacation to take over Spring Break in 2 weeks!  I've never enjoyed the kids knowing about fun events until at least the "day of" because they just don't understand how long they have to wait before the event occurs.  Zane, on the other hand, likes to get them excited weeks beforehand.  Don't get me wrong, I love hearing their excitement and letting them have something to talk about and look forward to, but this is just a 5 minute portion of a conversation that I hear MULTIPLE times a day (with my response in parentheses):

Mom, can we just leave for the 'hometel' after naptime?  (No, we still have 2 weeks left before we can leave)

Can we please eat sandwiches on the beach like last time?  (Yes, we will probably do that)

Will we get to go to a restaurant?  (Yeah, I'm sure we'll go to some fun restaurants)

Like maybe the dinosaur restaurant?  (No, Bryson.  That restaurant was in Florida.  We're not going to Florida)

How long do we have to drive?  (Well, it's only 3 hours away from our house!  That's a lot closer than Florida was!)

Mom, Ashy is saying it's 4 hours away!!  (Well, don't listen to Ashlyn)

Tomorrow we can leave?  (No, we don't leave for 2 more weeks)

Is there a swimming pool?  (Yes, there are 2 outside and 1 inside)

Can we splash in the swimming pool?  (Yes, as long as you don't splash people)

But we still can't splash in the bathtub, right mom?  (Right!  No splashing in the bathub)

But whales splash with their tails.  (They sure do, Ashlyn)

Then why can't I splash like a whale in the bathtub?  (Because a whale's mommy doesn't have to clean up their splashes but I have to clean up yours)

I can't go to t-ball tomorrow because we'll be at Spring Break.  (No, you can still go to t-ball because Spring Break is still 2 weeks away)

Can we bring our own beds?  (No.  Remember, the hotel has beds for you)

But mommy, Ashy needs her bed.  (No, her bed won't fit in our car.  She'll like the hotel bed)

Can I take my own spiderman blanket?  (Yes, you can take your blanket)

Well, then I need my Princess blanket!  (Okay Ashlyn)

Mom, Ashlyn said I can't take my own pillow!  (Yes you can, Bryson.  You can each pack a pillow)

Can we watch tv until we fall asleep?  (Um, probably not)

I need a shovel!  (Okay, we have a shovel and maybe we'll buy another one before we leave.  And maybe even some new buckets so we can build a sandcastle!)

But I don't know how to build a sandcastle!  (Well, I'll help you)

Okay, so can we leave when Daddy gets home from work today?  (No, we still have 2 weeks left)
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Can you see what I've been dealing with for the past 3 days?  So, we quickly realized they needed a paper chain countdown!  Not only are we going to the beach in 2 weeks, but the kids also know about 2 baseball games (NC State and the Mudcats) that we're going to before Spring Break.  This paper chain idea is amazing!!  Now I know why my mom always made them with us when we were little to count down the days until Christmas!  Anytime we hear about our trips, we send the kids to the chain to count how many days are left.  I think it definitely helps them understand better:

Let the countdowns begin!!