Wear Them Out: My Summer Plan

The heat has finally arrived in our state. It's beginning to feel a little bit more like Summer around here. Considering that over the last week I've worn a sweater, sweatshirt and jeans on a regular basis, I'd say I'd happy to see the temps rise above 65.

My summer plan is now in full force. We are going to wear ourselves out. Stay active, do things, and then crash at the end of the day.

Last week, it was Boy Scout Camp and VBS. This week, we've attended the summer library program at our school including volunteering for service hours, gone to the city library, gone on walk (or "forced march" as some in my family call it) on the walking trail, gone to a baseball game, and the zoo. To top it off, we have had two baseball and one softball game this week along with cooling off at the pool with friends.

Why so busy? So my kids don't kill each other. So they go to bed at a reasonable time. So that we get as much out of the few weeks we have together as possible. We've planned a low key summer as our vacation will be to our family lake home nearby combined with a few side trips so we need to keep the activity up to keep the boredom away.

We are a much happier family when we are not climbing all over our walls or staring at each other all day long. We always try to be home for meals, bath, and bedtime, but we like to stay busy with fun activities so that by 9:00 PM, the kids are exhausted. We have a set reading and chore time each day too, but we also have lots of time set aside to have fun and be busy.

I know some of my "younger mom friends" wonder why we stay so busy.

With no nappers in the family anymore, we can do things without having to rush home to take a rest or get a baby down for a nap. This is the first summer, we've actually gone to the pool during the hours of 2 and 4 PM as those used to be reserved for nap times.

Most of the things we are doing are also low dollar events. We aren't going to movie or an amusement park every week. We are just enjoying our memberships at museums, the pool and the library while throwing in a few trips planned out to "things and events".

There are also days like today when we are home more catching up on chores, getting things ready for the weekend, having Popsicles on the back deck. We go with the flow. Some days we create fun, other days the fun just happens hanging out together.

More than anything, I'm trying to create some summer memories. Soon C will be too old to "hang out with mom". He'll be off doing things with friends or having a part time job. I want to cram in everything I can with the all three kids as long as possible.

Wearing ourselves out is just how our family rolls.