but, for now, i'm going to share our "summer plans".
i've mentioned that i've spent a lot of time thinking about the summer.
trying to think ahead, plan ahead, be intentional...
here is what i've come up with:
*i re-stocked/cleaned up our craft bins.
this awesome shelf thing was given to us (thanks, Powell's!) and has been used daily ever since.
it is in a closet in our kitchen (that is under the stairs, so it is shaped really cool)...you can tell that this is also where their coats/backpacks go - awesome, i know.
i LOVE that all our crayons/markers/paper can be organized and within the KID'S reach so easily. that way i can tell THEM to clean it up!
*i "froze" my membership at the gym...just for the summer. i hope to swim some at the neighborhood pool...won't be as long of a workout as i could do at the gym, but i needed to cut the option out of my days...
*we made our "summer plan" list.
"have a baby" is NOT on the list this summer :-)
one of the new things is that everyone has something "new" to learn:
Rebekah: play the piano {i'm teaching her}
Joshua: learn to swim {i'm teaching him...more on that later}
Bailey: learn to write her name
Sawyer: learn to walk :-)
*every Monday morning - during Sawyer's morning nap - we will gather and come up with a ministry for that week...it might be making cards for the missionaries/children we sponsor, it might be focusing on raising money for clean water that week {and one day could be having a lemonade stand for it}, it might be making cookies for people...this week we chose to JUST PRAY for a family in our neighborhood that lost their mom last week. i talked about how sometimes we can't DO things for people...sometimes ALL we can do is PRAY...but that it is so important also. i am a "do-er" {betcha didn't know that :-)}...and i do accomplish a lot because of that. but that's not always the best thing. i don't want my kids to think that's the best way to live life. i want them to understand being still sometimes....that there is just as much value in that as in doing.
*also during Monday morning...i am doing a "piano lesson" with Rebekah. i can play the piano. not well. but i can. i really want my kids to have a basic knowledge of music...so this is where i'm starting. we have a keyboard {that we gave Rebekah for Christmas}. then, during quiet time in the afternoon...she has to practice for 10 minutes every day.
*i'm back to cleaning on Mondays {instead of a little bit each day...or all on Friday like i got into}, and grocery shopping on Thurs or Fri {feels MUCH better to be back in my old routine :-)}
*we have quiet time from 1-3 pm every afternoon. Bailey and Sawyer sleep. the other 2 do "quiet" things...read, puzzles, games. some days i let them be together during quiet time. some days i don't.
*at 3 pm we do school. i was having the hardest time figuring out how to fit "school" in during the morning. we have so much else going on then! grocery shopping, chores, swim team practice, working out, pool!, library, etc.
thanks to a friend (becca k.!) she helped me think outside of my stupid box and realize that we are ALWAYS here (cause Sawyer sleeps til 4 pm) and the afternoon would be perfect! i'm still getting used to it...it's a little hard to gear back up at that time...but so far it's working.
we also were given this cool drawer caddy:
the kids each have a drawer and bring it to the table.
they love "school" so far.
rebekah practices math facts, writes about a topic i give her, practices handwriting {a forgotten skill...}
joshua practices writing his name and we are still going through that book that is teaching him to read {LOVE IT!}
bailey practices her letters - writing them and recognizing them, and then just colors :-)
*we will also go to the library every other week or so.
*hopefully we'll make it to the farm often.
*and the pool most every day.
summer is going well so far {we're only 3 days in...but still...}
anyone else have any great ideas?? :-) i'm always looking!
11 comments:
i love your ideas! they are so similar to mine :) and i wanted to be intentional too this summer. i am teaching my girls piano lessons too :) and our blessing project is to raise money for clean water in africa. they have come up with so many great ideas about how to do it! i am loving NOT being pregnant this summer so that i can actually be intentional with them instead of just trying to survive!! :)
I LOVE all these ideas and just LOVE hearing about your life. You are such a sweet and giving and amazing mom, Courtney!
I just caught up on all your posts from the last wk and wish I had time to comment on every single one. Thanks so much for the updates!
Love you!!
I was just looking in a "teacher catalog" today and am planning on ordering the tall shelf/drawers for my classroom next year. And, I'm totally jealous of your under the stairs closet. I love it!
ok, i'm blond (not really which is the sad part). what is fractured prune?
and, i love that your list is back. when i first starting reading the post i thought, 'i wonder if...' and then there is was. yeah! i love lists as you know.
and love the caddy thing. goes along with the workboxes from the website i saw for homeschooling and i love they can take the drawer to the table and then put it back. awesome idea.
the drawers are the BEST - that's a great organizer! I have NO idea what a fractured prune is - i'm totally lost on that one - but everything else looks great! I had forgotten that "have a baby" was on the list last year - that's hilarious! :) i guess that's on MY list this summer!
i meant to ask too...what is fractured prune?? sounds interesting. :) meant to tell you too...cooking is on our weekly summer list on fridays. it incorporates so much - math, science, health ,etc. i will quit commenting now and go and do something productive. :)
ok. fractured prune is a place where you order donuts "to order"...kind of like coldstone is for ice cream...i don't know...we've never been there. i'll let you know..
Take in a free movie at Brambleton and Meghan will watch Sawyer while you go! Consider it Meghan's good deed. I'll join you on a trip to the fractured prune! Love that place.
Your SUMMER to-do list is TERRIFIC AND FUN--- perfect combo of learning + joy. What do you have planned for your lemonade stand? I'd like to build one for my kids...
thanks for sharing your real life--- it's pure treat!
Fun fun fun. You have great ideas. I fly by the seat of my pants much more than you, so I don't have anything to share. But I do enjoy reading about your organized, eventful, fun, and intentional summer!
I love your ideas! So great! Especially the list of things you guys want to do over the summer!
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