Summer Break!

Woo Hoo!

Today was our last day of school for the 2009-2010 school year! I am so proud of all of my children and all that they accomplished this year.

Our summer is off to a great start! I am working on my summer list and our summer schedule. I am asking the children to list all of the closets and drawers that they need to clean out, and I will be giving them 30 minutes three or four times a week to work on cleaning these out. I call this the Productive List. I also asked them to make a list of all of the fun things that they would like to work on this summer. Things like gifts they have received that they have not had time to play with, craft kits they haven't opened, unfinished projects, etc. I plan to give them time every day to work on their Fun Project list.

I am working on our daily routine, but I am thinking that it will look something like this:

7:30 run (All of us are going to the park. Leah and Sam are riding their bicycles while we run.)

8:30 breakfast, Bible study, Bible memory

Next morning chores (This includes our regular chores of starting laundry, unloading the dishwasher, making beds, etc, plus one daily general housekeeping chore---things like dusting, mopping, vacuuming, and some outside chores for Clay---vacuuming the van, blowing off the porches, etc.)

Next Read aloud time. I plan to spend 30 minutes to 1 hour reading aloud to all 5 children.

Next Fun list (for the kids), Productive list (for me). I have a fun list too (scrapbooking, learning to crochet, blogging, reading for pleasure)

Lunch

Next This is where I am working on the plan. The kids are ready to swim by this time. I think that I will let them go ahead and get in the pool as soon as I am through with my Productive List time (30 minutes). They can eat lunch outside, and continue to swim until I am ready for everyone to rest.

Rest Time While I am getting Sam down for a nap, the other children go to their rooms for 30 minutes of Bible reading (Olivia and Julie), 15 minutes of Bible reading for Clay, and just free reading for Leah. After they read, they are then continuing to rest in their rooms doing whatever they want. After about an hour, they can come downstairs if they want. I am using this time to read my Bible too.

Next Everyone works on their Productive List, followed by free time. I will spend this time working on my productive list too, as well as finishing up the laundry.

Next Afternoon chores, supper, kitchen clean-up, free time with Daddy.

This summer schedule may appear rather rigid at first glance, but keep in mind that this is my guide. I have to have a plan or the summer will whiz by, and I would have accomplished nothing! This schedule gives me a framework for each day. There are days when we will be gone all day, we have VBS, the children have two running camps, we are all going to Rustic Youth Camp, Jimmy has vacation time, and many other things too! So, on the days when we are home, we will use our summer schedule to make sure that we do not waste the days away!

I want to encourage you to at least make some sort of summer list. Think of all you want to accomplish over the next several weeks. I hope you meet your goals too!