MARCH and also a hotel pool

 Dorothy has been SLAYING the fashion choices lately.

I knew that I would not be able to deal with the Inauguration and ANY OF THE NEWS yesterday, and the kids only had a half day at school, so we decided to take them to a local hotel with a fun but totally low-parent-maintenance pool.

NAILED IT.

Everyone was happy.  Early dismissal was not a slog.  I didn't have to clean up dinner because the kids ate it under the covers of a hotel bed, and I saw NOTHING until everyone was asleep when I could watch the balls, which I always love.  Also, POTUS is an endearingly bad dancer, and Pence can really cut a rug in his Men's Wearhouse tux.

But really, the pool idea was genius.

There was this funny little water feature with a pump that cased an "explosion."  It was an early fave.

 As was the hot tub, even though the chlorine fumes from the jets were so strong we all devloped barking coughs.

 Really it was the perfect size for the little kids, and Harry and Jack loved playing basketball, and we had the whole place to ourselves.

 I stopped at target on the way for junk food.

 And we adjourned to our room for pizza.

 And!  I was not the only person squeezing January's body into August's suit.

 LOOK AT THIS OUTFIT, tho.

 We bathed everyone at the hotel, but we didn't stay there.  Instead, we went back at dawn when the kids woke up (more like 6:45, but you get the idea).

 Ben went out for a healthy breakfast:

 And then he took everyone to hockey (Harry got a hat trick and 2 assists, which always happened when I am not there) and I loaded up the minivan and went to the women's march, which was amazing.

My town only has 250,000 residents, and our lying liberal media is telling us that 100,000 of us were marching today at the capitol. There were kids and dads and so, so, so many moms. My favorite was the Forward! Marching Band that played traditional songs and also No Diggity and We Are Family and caused spontaneous dance parties up and down State Street. But! I also loved the chants, especially "Tell me what democracy looks like/ This is what democracy looks like" and "Walker still sucks, too." I cried from the joy of it all and posed for lots of pics for people who loved my vulgar sign. Stay woke, friends.

LOOK AT ALL THE PEOPLE!

 I love this mall!  When the weather isn't horrible, I walk across it almost every time I go to campus.  there are usually food trucks here, and there are a bunch of coffee shops just a stone's throw away, and it's where we saw President Obama in 2010.  It's been one of my favorite places for 13 years, and today it was overflowing with pink hats and clever signs and audacious hope.

 Gorgeous, huh?

 A wall of bodies stretched from Bascom Hill to the Capitol, and we enjoyed every slow step along the way.

 These butterfly-winged stilt walkers are RIGHT!

 The most Madison thing EVAR, the Forward! Marching Band.  They restored my faith in humanity.  I even saw my dissertation adviser dancing in the street.

 I HAD SO MUCH FUN!

 More pool:

 Ben and the Prius and all the kids also had to do all of the errands.  He's the best.