It's Summertime!

Every summer I enjoy sharing a little of our plans and goals for the summer.  This year is different, of course, because I don't have the "extras" that usually fill our week so I have to do more planning then normal.  In past years, I take time to fill in dates on the calendar with ideas for each week like Library activities, going to the zoo, and other fun field trips but this year that is not happening.  We will be staying close to home.  Instead, I've picked a theme for each week and am hoping I can keep up with the plan!

Pinterest is always one of the best sources for ideas when it comes to planning stuff for kids.  I will say that more of the ideas are geared towards preschool/early elementary but if you dig, you can find ideas for the upper elementary ages too.  Plus, I've found that some of the younger ideas are fun for the older kids and they go faster :-)  I also really like the TeachersPayTeachers site.  This offers printables created by teachers to be used with students.  I usually search for free things as often as possible but for this summer I did pay a small amount for the daily review sheets and weekly them plans.  After doing a lot of searching, the small cost was really worth it in the long run.

One of the most difficult things planning for this summer is going to be to find things to do at home that get the kids outside . . .especially in the middle of July when it is hot, hot, HOT!  I'm thankful for a local state park that has a swimming beach with lots of space (I don't swim in it but the kids don't mind!) that we will visit a few times for sure.  I also have a sprinkler and I'm looking at picking up a few lawn games throughout the summer.  I have even considered getting a "kiddie" pool so they can fill it up and use to not only sit in but to fill water guns or whatever!  Honestly, we will miss the campground pool and had even hoped to be able to use it this summer after a discussion last year with the owner but, due to the COVID-19 restrictions, that will not happen.  BUT, that's ok!  We can be creative.  We MIGHT even take a trip to the big lake (Lake Michigan) with the whole crew this summer too.

So, here we go!  It's almost summertime!  Last week ended the school year --   Yes, my boys finished their school year 2 weeks ago but our two friends wrapped up their year last week so we work on a modified school scheduled still.   This week I have declared "Vacation Week"!  That means there is nothing specific planned.  There are no electronics breaks, no required outside times, and no review work.  After a long few months they can all just "veg out" for a week!  (I might do a lot of reading . .. or cleaning . . .or planning!)  Finally, the following week we will start with my weekly themes/plan.  I promise to share those, my sources, ideas, what works and, honestly, what doesn't work.  (I know, you can hardly wait!)

Cochren & Co. - Who Can (Official Lyric Video)

One of the good things about the whole "Stay home Stay Safe' time frame was getting to "know" some music groups better and listening to more of their music.  One singer - Cochren & Co.  -- has been one I've really enjoyed.  I really like this new song he's put out so I thought I'd share it with "all" of you!

2020 Weekly Photos #21

Welcome to another week!!

Saturday - Darryl spend the day with his dad who wanted to just drive around the city and check out some of his old stomping grounds.  The boys and I hung out at home and I worked on organizing some photos.  It was a really great day.

Sunday - Another great day!  We had lunch at my mom's where we also mowed part of her lawn for her that hadn't been mowed yet.  She treated us to DQ Blizzards.

Monday - This is the last week of school for our friends :-)  Darryl and I also cleaned out my mom's camper.

Tuesday - The boys wrapped up school over a week ago so I figured it was time to take their year end photos.

The cat finished school too - ok, maybe not . .he's just super handsome! 

Wednesday - Today we said good bye to my mom's camper as we finished getting it ready to sell! The boys also had their Sunday School Zoom class.

Thursday - The kids are enjoying "free days" right now.  After dinner, we went for a drive to get out of the house!  We stopped at Moo-Ville, our local ice cream shop, for a treat before heading to the State Campground.  We just drove around but it was just nice to leave our four walls for a bit.

Darryl dared the boys to stand outside while we were at the campground and see how many mosquitoes landed on them HA! 

Friday - Today was National Donut Day!!  That's always fun! 

 I surprised everyone by sneaking out and driving to a fabulous bakery in the next town over.  These were the Donut of the Day -- Glazed Blueberry and Lemon Iced Blueberry.  They were amazing.  I think when my brother Kel comes to visit next time we will have to visit this bakery!!!!  

This was kind of my week "off" - I didn't make a to do list each day and I enjoyed reading when we weren't cleaning the camper HA!  Next week, while the kids have a "vacation" week before we get back to a little summer structure, I'll clean and organize :-) 

Weekly Menu

This is by far the most exciting post of the week - what I have planned for the weekly menu HA!  Well, it might not be the most exciting but it is for sure the most consistent!  I guess that's because we always have to eat.  This past week we had some busy, hot days getting my mom's camper ready to so I opted out of some planned meals and did easy things like throwing a frozen lasagna in the oven.  Therefore, there will be repeats this week!

Friday -BBQ Chicken on the grill, leftover baked beans, asparagus, and rolls

Saturday - My mom provides us with dinner  . .. we love this :-)

Sunday - Sweet and Sour meatballs and noodles.  I will also make some plain meatballs to go with spaghetti because not everyone else in my house will like the sweet and sour version!

Monday - Tacos :-)

Tuesday -Chick-Fil-Lay nuggets and fries

Wednesday - Ham and Cheese Quiche, Asparagus, and hashbrowns

Thursday - Pork chops on the grill, mac and cheese, a veggie and french bread

The End of a Legacy

So this happened this week:

 A local RV sales guy came and hooked it all up. 

 And then drove it away to sell on his lot for my mom. 

The side of our house looks empty!  

In the early fall of 2015, my dad bought a camper.  It was this little beauty.  Why?  To camp with their good friends and to camp with us.  My parents used it once, I think, in the fall of 2015 with their friends.  We had made reservations in May and July of 2016 to camp with my parents and were super excited to do so!  Camping builds such great memories.  If you have followed me at all (or know me) you can fast forward to May 2016 and know that my dad passed away.  This was just a few weeks prior to our first scheduled camping trip - one with not only my parents and my little family but my in-laws and one of my dad's brothers and his wife.  Needless to say, that trip was cancelled as we navigated through the grief of losing my dad.

Fast forward a few weeks - after lots of discussion of what to do with the camper --  my mom called a campground near us to ask about a spot for the rest of the summer.  They had one spot left where she wouldn't have to move the camper.  Can you believe that she had that camper hooked up and drove it over for the first time ever?  She parked it at the campground in July of 2016 where we enjoyed having her nearby the rest of the summer and into the fall.  She returned for the summers of 2017 and 2018.  It was at the end of the 2018 summer that the decision was made that she would sell the house in the spring and then look for a house near us.  She planned to camp the summer of 2019 while finding a home.  Well, God moved things quickly - her house sold in a matter of almost hours and she found the perfect place at the same time.  She moved in May 2019 and kept her camper at the campground.  We enjoyed the pool but, honestly, she never camped once! So, in October 2019, Darryl and I unhooked the camper, packed it all up, and hauled it home.  It has sat at our house from October 2019 until now.  We had hopes that we would maybe get a vehicle that could actually pull it and we could use it but that hasn't happened so we are listing it for sale with our local camper dealer.  Please pray with us that it will sell quickly!  (Otherwise, I'll do another post of it returning home HA!).  We've been told that camper sales are high because people have nothing else to do so we hope it's true!

While we are sad to see the camper go, we are more thankful that my mom is near by!  We will also continue to enjoy our little pop-up once we are ready to camp again (don't think that will happen this summer except in our driveway!)

What we are eating Wednesday

So, my brothers have all decided to take an interest in my blog so I figured that I should try to post more HA!  Plus, now that school is wrapping up I feel like I might have a little more time to focus on some things I want to do also.  With that in mind, I thought I would re-introduce my weekly recipe posts. 

This recipe is a favorite of mine from the restaurant Red Robin.  We don't go out to eat much right now so enjoying a treat at home is the next best thing.  I found this recipe a few years ago after a trip out for lunch and enjoying the endless "Strawberry Freckled Lemonade" with my burger.  It's super easy and so refreshing on a summer day!

 It's a super simple recipe.  All you need is Lemonade (I like the Simply Light Lemonade), a container of frozen strawberries in syrup (thawed) and ice. 

Add ice to the cup.  Add about 3 tablespoons of strawberries with juice.  Finally, fill the glass with lemonade and stir! 

 Doesn't that look so refreshing??  Well, it is! 

I usually make it in a solo cup like this :-)  It's a lot less expensive to make at home too!  (It's pricey at Red Robin and, even though it is "bottemless" I don't have a lot of luck with the server refilling it more than 1 time!) 

If you are looking for the perfect summer drink to enjoy on a warm day - this is a good choice.  

June Goals

As things begin to open in our state, we are still being super conservative and not doing anything.  The last "scheduled" item was cancelled last week - Flag Football.  So, for now, we are limiting what we are doing, where we go, and we are avoiding groups of people.  

With that in mind, I still have goals :-) 

1) Scrapbooking.  I'm going to continue on with my goals in May  1) I'd like to continue to order photos - I'm currently working through 2016 and 2019 and also 2011 and 2020.  I'd like to get 2-3 more months order for each year 2) I'd like to continue to make time to scrapbook a few weekends this month.  3) I'd like to finish ordering the 2010 scrapbook pages

2) Reading - My goal this month, as the weather allows, is to spend at least 30 minutes outside a day reading.  Or to just read in the house when it is too hot.   

3) Cleaning - To continue to follow the Flylady plan.The goal will be to spend time in all areas of the home throughout the month based on the weekly zones.  I have some specific things I want to accomplish in each room on top of the zone cleaning. 

4) Family Time - We enjoy being together.  We have enjoyed going for drives on the weekend the past few weekends so it's mostly just spending time together.  

5) Another main goal this month is my niece's graduation book - This has to get done this month :-) 

6) Darryl's list - Darryl is still working on his list - the big ticket item is my mom's camper but he also has some smaller items on that list too! 

7) Homeschool - Since we won't be going to the pool this summer and most of our other activities aren't available, I'm having to plan things at home so the kids don't play video games all day long!  So my goal is 1) To put together my plan 2) to execute that plan.  This week is the last official week of "school" for all 4 kids; the following week is deemed as "vacation" which means there is no real schedule.  The next week we will have a schedule with some review/reading/piano practice as well as some activity to do each day. I'm taking a break from even thinking about the fall yet - in July I will need to start thinking of some goals :-) 

8) The garage - I had contacted the garage sale lady so I'm working on that - the goal is to get it all out! It also needs a couple of new lights 

9) The basement - 1) Pick up two new shelving units for the basement. 2) Once those are purchased I will start to organize what I have in bins downstairs so that I can clean stuff out easier.  3) Move the things out of the basement for the garage sale "people".  (That will open up some space too!) Yes, this is a repeat since I didn't get it done! 

10) Music - We are continuing with at home piano lessons at this point - eventually we will get back with their teacher as things open up which will be good for the boys! 

11) Co-Op - I'm also working on my lessons for homeschool co-op.  I'm hoping to get 1-2 complete lessons done for each class.  This means having my "teacher copy" put together and everything else ready to make copies once I know how many students (I'm going on faith we will have classes this fall) 

12) Photography (- One of my goals this year was to take a photography class but, right now, I'm not sure I'll be doing that.  I just bought a new lens I've wanted for a long time with some birthday money so I want to research how to use that lens better and I also know that there are some great classes being offered on line too. 

13) Spiritual Goals - To continue on with my devotional book this month

14) Dates with Darryl :-)  Maybe this month we will try to get out together - just to a favorite take out place (Like the Adobe) 

15) The Yard - we don't do a lot of yard work in the summer (It's too hot) but maybe, on a cooler day, we can do some work in the "back corner" that has some holes that need to be filled in (the kids were digging to China few years ago) and I'd still like to do something with the sand box.