Surviving Summer Vacation, Day 1
Friday was the boys' first day of summer vacation, a day I have been looking forward to for a long time! OK, OK... I have long been dreading it, too. Afterall, if you can't keep five little boys busy, CHAOS ensues! But I have been mulling this over for several months, and I'm ready. We only have four short weeks before our family is separated for Zachy's surgery, so I'm prepared to make the most of our summer until then. A few things are different this summer from summers past:
1- We don't have a (little) baby who needs to nurse every two hours.
2- Sammy is potty-trained. Only one in diapers now!
3- I'm not pregnant. That means I have plenty of energy and a higher tolerance for heat.
4- I'm posting the daily agenda on a whiteboard so the boys will know what to expect from day to day.
5- NO GAMING is allowed in the morning: no computer, no video games until afternoon. Otherwise, the boys are too preoccupied to get ready and eat breakfast, which means we miss our window for morning outings.
While these things have changed, my golden rule still remains: GET THEM OUT AT LEAST ONCE A DAY. I have found that the best way to break up summer monotony is to take a daily "field trip." It may be as involved as packing a picnic lunch and driving out to the lake for fun on the beach. Or it could be as simple as meeting Daddy for lunch. But they need to get out, and the little ones still need their afternoon naps. So the timing can be a little tricky.
Day 1 was a success! We started early: The last boy was still in bed at 8:25 and we had to be heading out at 8:30... that's when Fiber One bars and juice boxes come in real handy! Alex and David were looking forward to participating in the Great Plains Nature Center's herp hunt. We made it to the "launch site" clear across town just five minutes late, and David and Alex joined up with the other critter explorers and set off on a two-hour off-trail trek through Chisholm Creek Park. They didn't even look back :(
Since Joseph, Samuel, and Zachy were too young to participate, we had our own plans for exploration... we went on a duck hunt around the lake at Bradley Fair Shopping Center, threw coins in the fountain, and poked around in its shops.
And we arrived back at the nature center just as a very tired and VERY DIRTY Alex and David returned from their hike. Alex said he had fun... they discovered and even caught some turtles, minnows, frogs, and snakes. David said it was dumb... it was hot, too much walking, and the worst part: they weren't allowed to bring any of the critters home! We made a quick pass through the hands-on exhibits at the nature center, got a snack for the drive home, and rented a movie for the afternoon.
After lunch, the little ones had their nap, the big boys got their game time and a movie, and I cooked and cleaned like crazy for Joseph's birthday party later that evening. That's right--our little Joe is turning SIX on Monday, and we celebrated with a cookout and a small family gathering last night.
So, by the time bedtime rolled around, we were EXHAUSTED, but looking forward to more adventure next week. I hope to document all our summer outings, not to entertain blog readers, but for my own personal reference. Next summer, I can look back for ideas: what worked, what didn't, what invoked squeals of delight, what invoked meltdowns. And maybe by the time my little Blessings have children of their own, I'll be a pro at this summer thing. Until then, it's all a work in progress...
1- We don't have a (little) baby who needs to nurse every two hours.
2- Sammy is potty-trained. Only one in diapers now!
3- I'm not pregnant. That means I have plenty of energy and a higher tolerance for heat.
4- I'm posting the daily agenda on a whiteboard so the boys will know what to expect from day to day.
5- NO GAMING is allowed in the morning: no computer, no video games until afternoon. Otherwise, the boys are too preoccupied to get ready and eat breakfast, which means we miss our window for morning outings.
While these things have changed, my golden rule still remains: GET THEM OUT AT LEAST ONCE A DAY. I have found that the best way to break up summer monotony is to take a daily "field trip." It may be as involved as packing a picnic lunch and driving out to the lake for fun on the beach. Or it could be as simple as meeting Daddy for lunch. But they need to get out, and the little ones still need their afternoon naps. So the timing can be a little tricky.
Day 1 was a success! We started early: The last boy was still in bed at 8:25 and we had to be heading out at 8:30... that's when Fiber One bars and juice boxes come in real handy! Alex and David were looking forward to participating in the Great Plains Nature Center's herp hunt. We made it to the "launch site" clear across town just five minutes late, and David and Alex joined up with the other critter explorers and set off on a two-hour off-trail trek through Chisholm Creek Park. They didn't even look back :(
Since Joseph, Samuel, and Zachy were too young to participate, we had our own plans for exploration... we went on a duck hunt around the lake at Bradley Fair Shopping Center, threw coins in the fountain, and poked around in its shops.
And we arrived back at the nature center just as a very tired and VERY DIRTY Alex and David returned from their hike. Alex said he had fun... they discovered and even caught some turtles, minnows, frogs, and snakes. David said it was dumb... it was hot, too much walking, and the worst part: they weren't allowed to bring any of the critters home! We made a quick pass through the hands-on exhibits at the nature center, got a snack for the drive home, and rented a movie for the afternoon.
After lunch, the little ones had their nap, the big boys got their game time and a movie, and I cooked and cleaned like crazy for Joseph's birthday party later that evening. That's right--our little Joe is turning SIX on Monday, and we celebrated with a cookout and a small family gathering last night.
So, by the time bedtime rolled around, we were EXHAUSTED, but looking forward to more adventure next week. I hope to document all our summer outings, not to entertain blog readers, but for my own personal reference. Next summer, I can look back for ideas: what worked, what didn't, what invoked squeals of delight, what invoked meltdowns. And maybe by the time my little Blessings have children of their own, I'll be a pro at this summer thing. Until then, it's all a work in progress...
Wow, that's very cool. Going to a water world in summer is something that gives pleasure and relaxed to the body.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great start to summer, and I can't wait to see what you all get into next. I love the rules! :)
ReplyDelete