Summer Survival

It's officially summer in our house!!! The last day of school was Friday and it was bittersweet.  I can't believe what a great year everyone had.  Abigail finished her last day of preschool and is so excited to head to the big elementary school with her older siblings.  This mama is not really ready.  She is my shy and quiet and sweet little baby and I just cannot believe it is time for her to get her wings and fly off to the big world of public school.  I know she will do great though!  I, however, may need an extra dose of prayers and maybe some Xanex come August:).

first day of preschool/last day of preschool.  she changed so much!

these are just a few of the kids on our street enjoying homemade donuts on the last day of school made by one of their sweet moms!

So, we now have a glorious 9 weeks ahead of us of no school and heat!  I love summer, I do.  But did I mention the heat? And it can just be overwhelming to have my 4 crazy kiddos at home with me at all times.  I love them so much but they can get so crazy and so loud.  They can also get cranky and bored.  Which makes me cranky and not a very nice or composed mama.  Most summers, we are actually gone to a different location for our ministry assignment (we work with Cru-a college ministry).  Sometimes its Miami.  Other summers its been Colorado.  We love getting to go on these mission projects with students!  It also gives me and the kids really good fellowship and fun things to do!  This summer Jeff has already completed his summer ministry assignment by helping lead Greek Summit in Destin, Fl.  He and lots of other staff led 100 sorority and fraternity students in 3 weeks of intense training and leadership development.  5 students placed their faith in Christ!  This project took place in May while we were finishing up school so we didn't get to participate:(.  So now we will be home the rest of the summer while Jeff works on some seminary classes.  I'm so glad we get to be home, but it can certainly be overwhelming finding things to do with the kids! One thing I really dislike about our town is that there are no good public pools.  And hardly any neighborhoods have them either:(.  It's really surprising for a place that gets SO HOT during the summer.  There are two country club pools (of which we will never belong since we can't afford the dues) and the University of Alabama rec pool.  The rec pool is really great (and somewhat affordable) so we are going to try and go there this summer several times and maybe we can mooch off and be guests of our country club friends pools some too:).  Anyway, I've seen this idea on Pinterest but I wanted to make my own version to see if it will help our summer be a little more structured but fun!

I've hung ours on the chalkboard wall in the kitchen!

I have made a little weekly schedule for us to follow that incorporates something different each day but also adds in a little school work.  With a rising kindergartner, 2nd and 5th grader...we will need to work on a few things this summer so we don't forget everything we have learned.  So each day we will do a little school work too (mostly math and writing/spelling/language).  And one day is for them to help me clean the house:).  Each week, we will work on a memory verse.  I know it's not going to be all pretty and perfect...because well, my children nor I am perfect.  It will be messy and I am trying to have low expectations of how all this will go especially with a wild, loud and active 2 year old running around too:).  I am really hoping and praying though that this little schedule will give us some intentional time together, in the Word, and doing some school work. 

So here are our categories:

Make it Monday (we will make crafts, food, etc)

Take a Trip Tuesday (going to try to do free things)

Wet N Wild Wednesday (go to pool, play in sprinkler at home, etc)

Time to Read Thursday (library day)

Fun Friday (I'm going to collaborate with kids on what they want to do...make a fort, watch a movie, etc).  

Here is our schedule for this week and our memory verse.  This verse was part of our sermon today at Church and I though it very appropriate as my children have already been quarreling a lot over the weekend...

I wanted to share the files here too in case anyone wanted to use them!  One is with the weekly activities listed.  One is blank with a memory verse slot and one is just blank.  On the blank ones, you can list your specific activities to do each week.  So, I plan on filling mine out each Sunday night so that I can go into the week with somewhat of a plan! You should be able to just right click on these images and save them to your computer to print!

Happy SUMMER!!! 

May we all thrive and survive the fun and the heat and all that God gives us during this break with our children!