Super Summer Summit - the start of a plan

When I start blogging again after a long time off I always feel the need to explain why and offer excuses, so this time I won't. Life happened, I got busy and had nothing to talk about, so there it is.

Anyway, to get to the real purpose of this post. I am really excited about getting ready for this summer. Summer Vacation ahhhhh it has such an amazing sound to it, especially now that I am teaching again. I think that having some time off to recharge and prepare is good for everyone, students and teachers. However, I also know that kids forget, a lot, I mean massive amounts of things over the summer, so being the over achieving mother that I am I will be making lesson plans for my children over the summer. I know, I know, that's not the point, but I promise I'm not going overboard, it will be fun! And not too much of that boring learning type stuff.

To start this project off I am making an outline, I love outlines, they are almost as awesome as checklists, and I really love checklists. But, I digress, back on subject, outlines. Did I want to just have a lot of ideas and go where the summer sends me or do I want to keep a little structure in the day. To answer this question the girlies and I had a summer summit. Well actually we sat down on the couch and after a lot of tickling and giggling I asked them some really deep questions.

Me - "So Girls, do you want to do learning stuff this summer?"
AJ - "Yeah!"
P-nut - "Yeah!, jinx, you owe me a soda sister!"
Me - "Ok, sounds good, what kinds of things do you want to do?"
P-nut - "Art"
AJ - "Cooking"
P-nut - "Science"
Me - "Sounds good." (about to start walking away, thnking the summit was over)
AJ - "Mama, wait, we need a schedule!"
Me - "A schedule?!?"
P-nut - "Yeah like Art on Mondays and always do art on the Mondays, but we can sometimes do art on other days but we would know on Mondays was super fun art days."

And so the outline was born. Here is as far as I am now, but never fear, summer is still weeks away, I've got plenty of time to get this all together, plenty!

Family Fun Friday!!! Camping Edition

I am so excited .We are taking a family and friends camping trip this weekend. We are going with three other families that live in our neighborhood, well actually we almost all live on the same tiny cul-de-sac. Preparing for this trip has been interesting. DH and I haven't been camping together except for once on an ITT trip that he had to drive for when we were in England. I love to camp but DH says that he camps out enough when he is deployed he doesn't want to do it while he is home. So I think I am more excited than the girlies, which is hard, because they are thrilled.

The prep for this has been funny, DH's packing list is this; sleeping bag, baby wipes, MRE's, underwear. That's all he thinks we will need. I have added; tent, hot dogs and s'mores, some pre-made snacks, change of clothes, flashlights, cooking stove, WATER.... LOL. No wonder he doesn't ever want to go camping. If we camped his way it would be seriously roughing it.

Because of some other stuff that came up this week I didn't get to pre-make anything so I am rushing around today packing, baking, and doing the last minute shopping. Hopefully I don't forget anything, but I have my handy dandy packing list. Gotta love preparation by list.

Have a fabulous weekend, I can't wait to share my pictures with you come Monday.

~DD

It's Friday... Yippie?

As a SAHM with a husband who is currently half a world away serving in the military, sometimes I feel deflated on Fridays. I mean really, Friday is supposed to be the end of the work week, and the beginning of fun, family time, and getting your nose off the grindstone. In my world though Saturday is no different from Tuesday and Thursday, Little Diva is out of school those days, so I don't have to be anywhere. I don't look forward to anything, the Dirt Boy is gone, so he won't be here to make it special.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, too much. I love being able to be home with the girlies, and I am proud of my husband and what he does, but sometimes I just miss the carefree anticipation that Friday used to bring. Maybe it's time to revamp our Saturdays, time to make them something to look forward to, so that Friday has something special about it again.