5/29/18

Notes on Summer

Summer...I love it. But I also understand the complex nature of my kids being home all the time! Yikes, it can be so so much togetherness.

 

This post, I'm basically sharing my personal notes and thoughts I wrote down about summer. It's a very loose, tentative guide. By no means do I know exactly what I'm doing, but it helps me to frame up a plan to keep things from going to heck in a hand basket.

Let's start by lowering expectations. Life is hard and unpredictable. Tropical storms come and keep you up all night (this was last night for us). I (you, we) are not going to live up to all we want summer to be. There may be some days when your TV is on all day and you OD on pimento cheese. It's okay.


Now that I've said that...let's talk about a kid schedule. There are certainly weeks where we have plans - VBS, trips to see family, camps, swim days, etc. But there are also a lot of days at home.  The schedule is a guideline to benefit me (the mom) and the children so we can get into a rhythm and people can know what to expect around here.

Here's our very loose, flexible, ever evolving "schedule"

wake up
eat breakfast
listen to music
clean up rooms
free time/ run errands if needed

11:00 lunch
summer work book/ memory work
read aloud to little kids (George and Caroline)
free time

2:00 Caroline - nap
TV/screen time for big kids
3:00 snack
free time

6:30 dinner
read aloud to big kids
bed
.....

So, that's how I'm directing my kids' time.

 

Now let's talk about ME. This is how I'm dividing up my time and activities.

Calling it MY SUMMER MANIFESTO

morning things
read Bible, pray, drink coffee
ABCD's of housework 
e-mail
nursing continuing ed
read to George and Caroline

afternoon things 
yoga/Pilates for 12 minutes
read and rest
dinner prep
listen to something good (audiobook or podcast)

Nights are for free time and fun, and I hope to get some reading in with the older 2 kids.

TUESDAY- Walmart grocery pick up day
Friday night meal - spaghetti or fish + vegetables, taking a break from our usual homemade pizza

signature drink - Michelob Ultra


big goals for me-
get away one time per week for several hours by myself
finish RN continuing education for my nursing license renewal
update family photo albums
go on at least 4 summer date nights
_______________________

Some other little side tips....

Each child has a simple wardrobe and everything fits in ONE drawer - clothes, socks, underwear...everything.

I keep all the swimwear in a laundry basket in my closet. Swim bag stays packed with towels and sunscreen.We can be ready for a swim and out the door in about 10 minutes.

"Say yes as much as possible" is sort of my parenting mantra, especially for my oldest who could use more autonomy.

The food plan is it's own thing and it deserves it's own post. All you need to know is I'm on it. I am the boss of food.

..........

Over this past weekend, like a good millennial, I had an episode of anxiety. Y'all, in all my days I have never experienced this. I was short of breath and I just felt so frazzled. In my mind I was FINE, but my body was not.

Honestly, I think it was a delayed anxiety from surviving the school year and more specifically, the month of May. My brain was overloaded and my body was beat. Also, the constant stimuli of kids...it adds up. Summer will cure what ails me. I can already feel it!


Cheers to corn dogs, chillaxin', and keeping things simple!
What are your summer "manifestos" ? 

7 comments:

  1. SB - I just love your blog. (Steve does too). You are so smart and you write so, so well!! Hope we get to see y'all sometime this summer!!

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  2. Love this post! We structure our days similarly, although I’m sure they’ll look a little different this summer with an infant. I’m going to give us a couple weeks of summer to find our routine and try to keep the bar low, but I do have a couple goals to get the kids’ art in frames and portfolios, and update our photos around the house with the newest kid(s). I just want to have fun (in the mom sense) and enjoy my family this summer. And saying yes! I need that reminder because I tend to say a lot of no. I’d love to hear about your 12-minute yoga/Pilates! And I’ll look forward to the meal post!

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  3. I love this. I need to jot something down because after two days at home I can tell things could get hairy, quickly ;) We have a new baby joining us in the next few weeks so I'm not getting too ambitious here!

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  4. Love your post. All the swim gear in a laundry basket is a fantastic idea and so simple! No need to fight getting it into day packs.

    Great outdoor pool, btw! Nothing like that here.
    SJ in Vancouver BC Canada














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  5. Please the food plan

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  6. Oh, I love your practical, inspiring posts!! I think I should do summer notes thing like you did. Those bucket lists that some people do make my anxiety skyrocket (yes, I get anxiety!!! Perhaps I should blog sometime about how I deal with it).

    Our "structure" is similar to yours - mornings are for work and chores mostly, afternoons are more for play - and I will do any freelance work while Phoebe naps. Last summer we went to the library once a week and that was great for teaching the big kids responsibility with their own library cards and keeping people happy with plenty of books (my kids are huge readers).

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  7. I love that you have a specified in your schedule a time to "drink coffee" instead of just drinking it as you busily go about your morning. I need that too! Yes meal plan please!!! And tell us about your workout routine.

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