A Blustery Day

Isn't that a Winnie the Pooh title? I think I remember that movie from my nephew, Devin, when he was a little boy. It is gorgeous outside!!! It was really cool this morning, but after the rain stopped, the sunshine came out and the wind started blowing, and it turned into such a gorgeous day! Jonah, Noah, and I packed a picnic and went to Johnson Park with Sunny and Andy. What was supposed to be a short while, turned into 2 and 1/2 hours. We ate and played and talked, and had so much fun.

I cannot WAIT for school to be out!!!! I have started thinking about making some sort of plans of what all the boys want to do this summer, and I'm getting very excited! I don't know where we'll be going on vacation, or even if we are going on vacation with the gas prices, but I know that whatever we do, they will have fun. I am thinking of days filled with sleeping in, playing outside, swimming, staying out late talking to neighbors in the street, catching fireflies in Mason jars, hanging out with friends, going to parks, going on bike rides, eating picnic lunches anywhere and everywhere we can, going to the zoo, the library for summer reading, does any of this sound good or what?!? I am overwhelmed with giddiness. This is my very FAVORITE time of year!!!!

I read in a magazine article that if you actually take the time to sit down with your kid(s) and ask them what they would like to do over the summer, then commit it to a calendar, that actually seeing in writing what is planned for that day, will keep them from asking ( over and over and over and over and over and over...) "Mom, what are we doing today?" This article said to schedule days like sleep late, and lounge in pajamas most of the day. The writer also suggested giving each child their own special day. Some recommendations were breakfast in bed, that child getting to pick that day's activities, or if it was a rainy day then picking what games to play, or shows to watch. I really liked that idea. Especially when all your little ones are so close in age like mine, I thought it really gave them that feeling of being special.

Of course the thing with doing this is allowing room for change. If a friend calls at the last minute, or if a grandparent wants one of them, then we'll have to adjust, but that's okay. The point was that seeing something in writing helped them feel more structured. My kids like structure and organization. This is also really good for older kids. I know with Graham and Drew, most of the fun of summer is looking forward to the next day.

But right now, our schedule is wide open, and trust me when I say that I cannot wait to schedule things like, go to the park and fly a kite. Or if it's rainy, read one of the classic novels together that I bought today, like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer or Moby Dick. I plan on doing some family reading this summer. Even Jonah and Noah can get into that. I'll read a chapter a day, or more if time allows, and they aren't ready to put it down. I love the freedom that summer brings, and I love having all my boys at home together for some un~interrupted time! They will be gone for one week, though, to Kids Camp, and we'll all be doing VBS for a week, but that will give them some much needed time alone.

Only eight more days on the school countdown.....