Summer Survival Tips

And now, drum roll please, it is time for...... Leah's Summer Survival Tips.

Every summer, I hear it.  As a homeschool mom, I hear it.  The annual cry of: "I can't put up with my kids all summer.  How do you do it all year?"

Yes, folks. Homeschooling means that these little devils darlings are in my power possession company 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  And I do survive, mostly.

How might you wonder?  In all seriousness, here are some sanity savers for your summer break:

*  Make those children go outside!  Better yet, go with them.  Yes, it is hot.  Go out in the morning right after breakfast.  Go out with sunscreen on and play in water.  Whatever it takes, go outside.  Summer is too long, and there are too many wonderful things to learn and do outside to stay shut up in the house.
*  Invest in some way to swim.  For a few years, we had a round Easy-Set pool.  It was 4 feet deep and 18 feet round:  big enough for the whole family or 8-10 kids.  We finally got rid of the pool- too much upkeep- and have since invested in a Y membership every summer.  Nothing can beat hopping into a cool pool when everyone is bored and crabby.
*  Let them make messes.  Big messes.  Playdo messes.  Paint messes.  Dress up clothes messes.  Let them build a fort in the living room.  Let them set up and elaborate little people town in the dining room.  Let them set up a waterpark for Polly Pockets in the kitchen floor.  Messes can be cleaned up.  And messes keep children occupied and happy and creative.
*  Limit electronics.  This may seem rather opposite.  Sometimes you think if you just keep the tv on all day, it will keep them spell bound and quiet.  But, I have found that the more kids are "tuned in" the more "tuned out" they will be to the family.  So, when the electronics have to go off, as they inevitably will, kids are more likely to snap and argue with you and each other.
*  Have a down time for everybody every day.  My kids are almost 7-almost 13, and we still have "nap time" every day.  I am the only one who happens to sleep (if I am lucky).  But, during this time, they have to play quietly and be inside.  I do allow Netflix during this time.
*  Sign up for summer reading programs.  Most local libraries have a program.  This site lists other free reading programs you can sign up your kids for.  Then, once everyone has a reason to read, you can set aside a reading time every day.
*  Find out about free/cheap summer outings in your area.  Most theaters do free or $1 summer movies.  Many bowling alleys participate in Kids Bowl Free each summer.  Our local alley is not participating, but they do offer a very reasonably priced kids summer league.

Enjoy the time you have together.  Before you know it, the summer will fly by.  Those little children you are having so much trouble occupying now will be big children in the blink of an eye.  I know this for a fact.  Know that everyone has a stressful day once in a while, but look for ways to enjoy the days you have together.  And together, YOU TOO, can survive the summer!

In My Free Time

So, on this lazy Sunday afternoon, this is what I worked on.  Since hearing my kids sing Where I Belong in their Kidshine program on Friday, I've been picturing sweet Reepicheep walking away into Aslan's country at the edge of the Eastern Sea.  I piddled around with some movie editors and finally found the super easy Windows Movie Maker (that I should have looked at first).  Here is the result:

The Simple Woman's Daybook: May 18, 2012

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... It is quite dark.  Jason will be home late tonight and tomorrow night working.  I miss him.

I am thinking... That I am happy, so happy, that we are finishing up our school work tomorrow, and we can have a homeschool break for a while.

I am thankful... That I homeschool.  Even when the road has seemed long, there are so many blessings involved in just being able to share life with my kids.

In the kitchen... Nothing fancy.  We had hot dogs tonight after a long afternoon of extra curricular activities.  Last night was a little fancier.  I made this Salisbury Steak that is always a favorite.

I am wearing... Shorts and a tshirt.  But, hopefully I will be getting ready for bed soon!

I am creating... Schedules and lesson plans for the summer.  We do a light school in the summer.  This summer is a lapbook/unit study about the Olympics.

I am going... To be running again tomorrow.  I need to make another grocery store trip, and we have gymnastics, swim team, volleyball party, and a volleyball game tomorrow.  Saturday, I have almost no where to go.  Yeah!

I am wondering... How quickly I can move the big kids to bed.  The little girls are there already.  Of course the beauty of the big kids is that I can leave them and go to bed anyway.

I am reading... Just finished a free Kindle read.  I'm going to start another review book tonight but can't remember the name.  I'm also reading The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis.  I love Lewis.  This is one I hadn't read before and picked up quite a while back.  It has been sitting on my TBR shelf, and I finally picked it up to read.

I am hoping... To work on balancing out our extracurricular schedule before the fall.  Too many activities make for grumpy kids and a grumpy me.

I am looking forward to... Kidshine drama camp for the kids next week.   It is always a fun week for them, and I look forward to their end of the week performance.

I am learning... To coupon!  I am finally having success as I posted about recently!

Around the house... I took time today to organize the pantry (to make way for my couponing stockpile) as well as finally having time this week to clean the house well.


A favorite quote for today..."We are not living in a world where all roads are radii of a circle and where all if followed long enough will therefore draw gradually nearer and finally meet at the centre: rather in a world where every road after a few miles, forks into two, and each of those into two again, and at each fork you must make a decision." C.S. Lewis

One of my favorite things... My Kindle Fire.  Every day I love it, and I love to use it.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Make another grocery trip with triple coupons; take people to extra curricular activities tomorrow night; take Kathryne to Narroway for a play on Saturday.

A peek into my day...  This is actually from Great Wolf Lodge last week.

You can write a Daybook and link up here.

Couponing: Tales from the Check Out Line

So, I am back "in" to couponing now.  Remember, I went to the workshop at the homeschool convention and pledged to begin couponing again and keep at it?

I've been much more successful this time.  I still haven't achieved a $50 a week grocery bill or anything.  But, I am saving significant amounts of money and slowly building a stockpile, so I'm only buying coupon/sale items.

Today I had one of my biggest successes so far.  I went to Harris Teeter ('cause it's Triple Coupon Week).  My bill before VIC and coupons was $101.  After VIC and coupons, I paid $47.  For that $47, I got 8 boxes of pasta, 4 jars of pasta sauce, 6 packages of all beef hot dogs, 2 packages of hot dog buns, 3 toothbrushes, 4 packs of gum, 2 candy bars, a nine double roll of toilet paper, and a milk, an orange juice, and a lemonade. I used 20 coupons (the max for one day).  Tomorrow I'm going to do a bigger trip with 20 more coupons that will triple, along with more coupons over $1.00 that won't triple but that have some great sales matched with them.

Anyway, perhaps it's a little crazy to be so excited over groceries.  But, I'm pretty impressed when the cashier even notices my savings!  I'm looking forward to tomorrow's trip.