What's my summer game plan!?!

This summer I have put a lot of thought into how I was going to approach our days. I wanted some routine. I wanted some different things to happen on days when we were at home. I wanted balance. I wanted to be deliberate in the choices I made with my kids. I spent a lot of time going back and forth with my friend Sarah. I spent a whole day chit chatting about life with her - but we always came back to "So how are you going to set up your days?"

I want to give my tribe my attention and have fun. I also want to keep up the house, stay on top of the laundry, and give myself time to blog, read, cook, etc. Balance.

So a few things about how I have started our summer...which was basically this week because we were out of town last week at my mom and dads.

1. I made a trip to our local craft store and dollar store and stocked up a small bin with goodies to pull out when there is a moment where a little something new would help get us through. Things like...coloring/activity books, water guns, airplanes, sponges, and other crappy stuff that will ultimately drive me crazy...but will be fun for an hour or two some summer moment.

2. I have reminded myself that outings are fun as long as they are balanced with at home time. Play dates are fun as long as they are balanced with quiet family days. Messy crafts, water fun, baking, etc. can be balanced with a tiny bit of screen time.

3. My summer bucket list. So far I am loving this. I am taking great pride in watching as things get crossed off. I have a mix of things I KNOW we will do but want us to anticipate and I have things that I want to challenge us to do. I also have things the boys came up with. So far things have naturally happened. LOVE that.

4. I got myself a notebook and each morning I take a few minutes to write out a flexible schedule for our day. Charley LOVES this. He knows I am all about changing it if we need to. If we get into something and decided to skip something else that's okay. It is expected to be different everyday. But there are things like Quiet time, structured play, school time, jobs, reading, and free play that will find themselves on the schedule most days.

5. I am prepared to think outside of the box. At my mom and dads I grabbed their "school homework books"...that's what Henry calls them and a box of crayons and brought them to a park. Last summer we sat out on blankets in our backyard and wrote about the nature around us. Packing the boys a lunch and letting them pick a place in the house or yard to eat. Taking a toy that is normally stationed in one room of your house and putting it somewhere else..changes the perspective....it is all about changing up the location and keeping things flexible, simple, and fun.

These are just a few of the thoughts I have had as I prepared to tackle "Summer." I want to enjoy it. I want it to be easy. I want to have balance. I want to be happy. We'll see how it goes.

Up above I added a link that connects you to old posts giving some of the kid activities I have posted since starting this blog. As our summer goes by I will add more things that we are doing. Many of them are just silly things...but when I read blogs and someone mentions something they did...well it often times reminds me to do it. So enjoy. If it isn't linked...that just means it doesn't have a post.