our tax season crisis

i dont think i've mentioned tax season yet on our blog - which is funny because it's actually a very important part of our family calendar.  dad sets off for work on february 1 and we don't see him again until april 15.  (ok - there's some saturdays thrown in there and he's valiantly maintained a work-free sunday!)  as the calendar years turn, we've adapted and made progress:

1. i finally gave in to making 'kid dinners' (tacos, sloppy jos, spaghetti) and now embrace it as a mini vacation from the demands of cooking finer cuisine.  
2. as the kids have gotten more involved in their own activities, they forget his absence a little easier. 
3. likely tired of the whining i do every year when my birthday and spring break fall together during his absenteeism, my parents lovingly provide a 3 day respite from the kids.  
4. dave and i have set up a workable honey-do system so that nothing gets overlooked.  
5. i began using the extra time to enjoy chick flicks - last year, it was the series gilmore girls.  
6. so glad the days of saving all my errands and self- preservation shopping for saturdays are over and i have enough free time to do it at leisure.   
7. i'm getting quite good at planning kindin's birthday party sans dad and breathe a sigh of relief every year that it isn't jack with the tax season birthday (because that's where dave shines).  
8. and the kids now use 'tax season' in their every day vernacular.  

it really is becoming much more manageable.  still, once a year, i have a little crisis.  i'm lonely without his optimism, his playfulness, and his calming influence.  i get over it with the help of a very tired, overworked husband - usually in the form of begging him to spend precious free time glued to the couch while we all pile on top of him for a few hours.  then, the crisis is resolved and we're back to making progress!