find joy in the journey

summer fun #7: trampoline + sprinklers

skin and bones I tell ya.

summer fun list 2011

Happy first day of summer!

We finally put together our summer fun list and from the looks of it, we'll have plenty to keep us busy this year.

This year I decided to put the list on a scrapbook page and it will hang on our fridge all summer long.

We have 28 items on the list with a few blank spaces in case we come up with any new ideas.

Also, I listed a few goals and projects that I would like the kids to accomplish this summer.  

• Conner - complete his Arrow of Light in Cub Scouts and learn to cook 2-3 meals by himself.
• Payton - make progress on his Wolf badge and learn to mow the lawn
• Anna - practice reading & phonics (to prepare for kindergarten) and learn to ride a bike.

Anna learned to ride her bike last week immediately after her training wheels were taken off, so I guess we can cross that one off!

In case you can't read the list . . . . 

go to idaho * go to california * cub scouts day camp * go to the coast * be in a parade * go camping * trampoline with sprinklers * hike * lemonade stand * plan and put on mother/son activity * frisbee golf * water balloons * star gazing * complete the summer reading program at the library * walk to bike to get ice cream * keep a summer journal * make summer scrapbooks * homemade popsicles * summer treasure hunt * go to a water park * see Cars 2 * make giant bubbles * plant zinnias * pajama and movie playdate * pick raspberries and make jam * swimming lessons * send fun mail to cousins * daddy/daughter date

As always, some items are things that are already on the calendar, and most of it is stuff we hope to do.  We're not worried about crossing everything off the list.  It just gives us some ideas and direction so we don't waste away the summer.

Are you ready?  I am.  Have a wonderful summer!

  {summer lovelies from pinterest}

************************************************************

To see our list from past years click here:

summer fun 2010

summer fun 2009 - We did things in reverse.  We made a blank scrapbook page and wrote things down as we did them.  

summer fun 2008

summer fun 2007 

day 1 of summer vacation

7:30am -- laying in bed, asleep.  I hear Anna's voice downstairs, "donuts?!"  Scott, "shhhh!"

8:00am -- roll out of bed and find the kids and Scott downstairs, fully dressed, and a dozen donuts on the kitchen counter.  Breakfast.  Everyone gathers in the family room to watch Bug Wars.

8:45am -- the kids are playing in their rooms, Scott is finishing homework, and Jillian Michael's and I take 30 minutes to reconnect.

9:30am - help Payton with a question in his Summer Bridge workbook while steadying my breath and drinking a glass of water

11:30am - summer haircut for Anna.  Trimmed to her shoulders.  She says, "I love short hair!"

12:00 - lunch and it's every man for himself.  Payton's choice - tortilla chips and grape soda.

12:45pm - Scott takes the kids to the driving range.  An afternoon to myself?  Sweet!

1:30pm - a visit from my visiting teacher and a lesson on self-reliance.  Feeling a little regret that I never put the garden in.

2:00pm - off on errands.  Spend way too much time wandering around Fred Meyer.  Fill the van with gas.  Go through the car wash.

4:00pm - home with frozen pizzas for dinner and 2 tomato plants, 2 corn plants, 1 cucumber, and 1 zucchini.  (It was slim pickin's at the garden center.  Other choices included Habanero peppers, winter squash, and eggplant.) They get planted right away.  Along with lots and lots of zinnia seeds.

6:30pm - Family Home Evening.  Lesson: journals.  Activity: decorate summer journals.  Treat: strawberry shortcake.

8:00pm -- Payton asks, "can we jump on the trampoline one more time before bed?"  Scott replies, "do you guys want to sleep on the trampoline?"  

8:15pm -- I assemble the kids' road trip boxes.  Spiral bound notebook, new box of 12 colored pencils, coloring pages, summer journals, a pen, 2 pencils, pencil sharpener, mini post-it notes, Summer Bridge workbooks, a new book they each picked from the book shop, library summer reading log, bag of gummy worms, and enough space leftover for a Nintendo DS.

9:13pm - Anna decides to sleep in the house.  "It's too scary out there.  There's too many noises."

9:22pm - Conner and Payton come in with their sleeping bags and pillows, "that was fun! thanks dad!", and march straight up to their beds.

Today's Stats

• "I'm bored": 1
• minutes of video game time:  0
• meltdowns by a 5 year old:  3
• donuts consumed: 9
• loads of laundry: 6
• temperature: 72

everybody's looking forward to the summer, summer

The last few weeks that infamous song, Friday, has been the soundtrack for our car rides to school on friday mornings.  (We really like the Glee Cast version.)  

Yesterday we just had to change the words, "everybody's looking forward to the summer, summer."

It was a "no uniform day" so Payton chose to wear his ketchup shirt.  Conner started the day in pajamas.  The whole class wore pj's while they watched a movie in the morning and then changed into play clothes for field day activities.  Anna and I went to the school and watched the activities for a while.  Payton and his partner rocked at the water balloon toss.  And the play structure race was right up his alley -- he was so pumped to show me his record speed across the monkey bars.

"sittin' in the front seat, sittin' in the back seat, gotta make my mind up which seat will I take"

sorry, listening to Friday right now and the lyrics are just so . . . . 

Anyways, here's the boys at pickup . . . Conner's teacher unloaded some of her posters and classroom supplies on the kids.  This is what he picked.

He says that she would take it off the wall sometimes and hold it in front of her face.  Have I ever mentioned how awesome Conner's teacher has been this year?  She and Conner had a great relationship.  I made a fill in the blank card for the boys to complete for their teachers.  3 Things I Learned This Year . . . one of Conner's read: "that you like to taunt us by eating licorice."  On his card he illustrated this scene.  Along with the scene of the two of them boxing during their field trip to Inflatable Kingdom.

As we approached our house Conner asked, "mom did you put up the tape this year?"

I don't forget.  :)

Then, to make a full day just a little more full . . . Anna had her ballet recital!

They performed Cinderella and Anna was a Winter Fairy.  The fairies from each season gave Cinderella a piece of her clothing for the ball (gown, slippers, etc.) and Anna's group gave her the crown.  For weeks she was so excited, telling me that they get to hold a real crown.  And Cinderella is going to ride in a real pumpkin carriage.  And there's going to be a prince.  And . . . .

Basically, every little girl's dream.

  {here they are passing the crown down the line . . . Anna is the first one facing us}

 {final pose, kneeling on the right}

 {the whole group}

Anna did a fabulous job!  I was so proud of her.  This was her second year in ballet.  Last year, the girls mostly wandered around the stage, watching their teacher behind the curtain very closely, and displaying a few moves that kinda looked like ballet.  This year she knew her routine, there was no confusion, and she executed it wonderfully.  I couldn't help but say "good job!" out-loud at the end of her dance.  And she loved her little bouquet of roses.  Earlier in the day I purchased them while she was with me, saying that they were for a friend.  On the drive home last night she commented, "You said you got these for a friend.  But they're for me.  So I'm your friend?"  

Of course!!

like a weed

3 inches in one year.  Yikes.

So remember a few months ago when I told you that I had no sad feelings about closing the preschool chapter in our family and moving onto the next thing?  Well, I was wrong.

Today is Anna's last day of preschool and over the past week I have found myself very sentimental, and even teary-eyed on several occasions!  It has caught me by surprise because I've never been weepy sending my kids off to school.

But the realization has hit that this school will very soon not be a part of our everyday.  Every year since 2004 (except for one) we have come here.  It is familiar, we feel at home.  This is our school!  It's just weird to realize that after tomorrow, we won't have a reason to ever go back.  It's an interesting thought to try to grasp.

{sigh}

I made a little scrapbook page to thank the teachers for all the fun, learning, treats, and love they have given our kids.  And then I gave it to Teacher Lynda today and we both got choked up.

On the back I included a list of some things we'll remember . . . 

• germy soap - "tops and bottoms, tops and bottoms . . ."
• prayers before snack
• finding your name in the bucket
• hanging up backpacks
• circle time
• "thanking God for all . . . " song
• thanksgiving feast
• 3 little Christmas trees
• Lucky Dude
• climbing up the stairs to mom
• milk jug easter baskets
• easter parties
• halloween parties
• christmas parties
• valentine's day parties
• when the teachers "cry" on the last day of school
• dirt baby
• yearly school pictures with the man who gets kissed by the frog - it makes us laugh
• yellow egg carton school bus
• reading books and building a giant hat for the Cat in the hat on Dr. Seuss' birthday
• when the "under the sea" theme takes over the school
• treat day
• easter egg hunt
• reindeer foot/handprint wall hangings (we saved all 3!)
• when teacher Debbie had her baby
• when teacher Debbie had her second baby
• when teacher Debbie had her third baby
• feeding the goldfish
• parachute songs and games
• "the washing machine" song
• when a certain wooden block had to be removed from the chest of blocks specifically because Conner was using it as a gun
• and all the teachers that greet us each day with a smile & a fun new crafty project, who don't tire after receiving Anna's 50th drawing or note from home, and who send us on our way with lots of love.

i am a mother // part 2

I had a few more thoughts, so I decided to stretch it out to another post.

Remember this quote from my last post:

I love it.  And it offers a perfect segue-way into this post

"few of us will reach our potential without the nurturing of . . . the mothers who bear with us."

This line takes me back a few years when I was in the RS presidency and I organized a weekly playgroup for the women in our ward.  Once a week I'd open up the church, set up a few chairs in the gym, safely tuck the piano into the corner and hide anything else that was not intended to be a toy, and wait for the other mothers to arrive.  We were all in the thick of babyhood and toddlerhood.  Oh ya.  It was nice to get together, get out of the house, let the kids run around, and just talk.  Sharing stories about teething, potty-training, and nursing . . . keeping an eye out for any biters in the crowd . . . and relaxing for just a moment because everyone was contained within 4 walls.

{photos from May 2005}

I have a picture of some of the moms, but I think I might receive hate mail if I post it.  ;

 

We learned from each other.  We supported each other.  And we found a sense of hope knowing that someone else was in the same boat.

This organized playgroup evolved into other regular activities . . . 

• a weekly picnic in the park during the summertime
• taking over the kids' wading pool -- moms all lined up on the edge, kids splashing to their hearts' content (I also have a photo of this in my possession)
• library storytime and lunch at McDonald's
• and others I just can't think of right now

Anna has 3 more days of preschool.  Three.  And then she will be starting kindergarten in the fall.  I'm realizing that my days of gathering with the moms & kids for play are shrinking.  We had our last library storytime last week.  Next year it conflicts with Anna's school schedule.  

While I'm no longer in the thick of babyhood and toddlerhood, I'm glad that I had other mothers to share those experiences with.  Our opportunities for sharing and learning from each other will change, but the idea remains the same, "few of us will reach our potential without . . . the mothers who bear with us."  We still need support, we still need inspiration, a great recipe for Alfredo sauce, someone to offer perspective, consolation knowing that your child is not the only who has crazy phobias, a person/place where you can feel uplifted.

So amid the no frills, sometimes monotonous, and physically/emotionally/mentally draining life of a mother . . .  what keeps you going, what motivates you to move forward?

For one, paying attention to & learning from the inspiring women around me.

 

********************

I am inspired by . . . 

women who love being mothers

women who are happy, positive, and determined

women who share their goodness, their light, and successes

*******************

 

To share . . a couple inspiring mom bloggers that I have enjoyed:

71 Toes

Under the Sycamore

Dear Lizzy

Nie Nie

safe

tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, blizzards, tsunamis, flooding, drought, hail, and other extreme weather.

The last few weeks, months it seems like this stuff has been on overdrive.  I've watched all the jaw-dropping developments on the news, while I sit in my cozy home.  A little rain outside.  Definitely manageable.

And then I see a map like this  . . . . "Where to Live to Avoid a Natural Disaster"

See all that green in the upper left?  That makes me feel good.  And safe.

let's go on a date: march

the date envelope

contents  gift certificate to local climbing gym, Subway gift card, carabiner

cost  $35

the plan

(I was trying to channel "The Bachelor" with the note on my date card this month.  Do you think it's cheesy enough?)  This month the plan was simple.  Rock climbing at a local gym and lunch at Subway.  Some good physical exertion and a good healthy-ish lunch.

the date night afternoon

Open climbing hours (during which the gym provides a belayer for you) were during the morning, so we made this into a day date.  It was kinda fun to pick up a sitter on saturday morning and steal away for a few hours during the daylight.  All kinds of new experiences with this one:  going out in the day, an activity that neither of us had tried before, and wearing yoga capris and a t-shirt on a date (a first for me!).

We harnessed up, slipped on some climbing shoes and faced the wall.  I stuck with some of the easier walls (with a slight inward angle) but I did attempt several of the straight walls and made it to the top about half the time.  Scott also challenged himself with some walls that came out at you at interesting angles.  It was a fun time.  After about 45 minutes we conquered just about all that we wanted to and left the gym with smiles and sore arms.

Scott wasn't in the mood for Subway (we had eaten there earlier in the week), so we changed plans and went to the local pizza place for sandwiches and the salad bar.  

Once we finished, we still had an hour left before our sitter would be expecting us home.  Because it would be a crime to waste perfectly good childcare! . . . . we drove to Dairy Queen for Blizzards.  And then parked at the park by the river to finish eating them.  As you can tell, we were not in any real hurry to get back home.  :)

the scrapbook page

next month

satisfying our spiritual and physical hunger

 

to see all of our monthly dates in 2011, go here

ahhhh

+ it's Friday

+ the sun is shining and it looks like we'll get our first 80 degree day tomorrow.  hee!

+ the carpets got a thorough cleaning today from our favorite carpet cleaning man

+ it's national donut day!

- our local bakeries do not sell donuts.  (I didn't want to go into Safeway)

+ instead, I picked up some cinnamon rolls and sticky buns

+ mailed a care package to someone special today.  I hope it makes them feel better.

+ the park by the river has a new play structure and it is so cool.  Anna thinks it's pretty fun too.

+ wipeout party is planned for tonight

+ I'm feeling fresh and rejuvenated and light and ready for a wonderful summer to begin!  ahhhhh.

+ jumped on the trampoline with Anna today.  That made her happy.

- after birthing 3 large babies, jumping on a trampoline for prolonged periods of time really is not recommended unless you have protection.

+ thankfully I was prepared.

mom needs a little rest

have a great weekend!

 

where were you

when Oprah said good-bye?  I was sitting on my family room floor, making a ring of fire with a hula hoop and orange crepe paper for Cub Scout pack meeting that night.

I know, I know that not everyone is a fan of her.  Myself, I don't agree with some of the things she believes & supports and shares on her show.  But you have to admit that she has done some amazing and generous things in her 25 years.

I watched the finale (and much of her final season) and was touched by the things she shared.  She called it "a love letter" to her fans. "I want to leave you with the lessons that have been the anchor for my life and the ones that I hold most precious."

So I wanted to jot down a few that stood out to me:

one.

What I know for sure is . . . that we all are called.  Everybody has a calling, and your real job in life is to figure out what that is and get about the business of doing it.  Live from the heart of yourself.

Each one of you has your own platform. Do not let the trappings here fool you. Mine is a stage in a studio, yours is wherever you are with your own reach, however small or however large that reach is. Maybe it's 20 people, maybe it's 30 people, 40 people, your family, your friends, your neighbors, your classmates, your classroom, your co-workers. Wherever you are, that is your platform, your stage, your circle of influence. That is your talk show, and that is where your power lies. In every way, in every day, you are showing people exactly who you are. You're letting your life speak for you. And when you do that, you will receive in direct proportion to how you give in whatever platform you have.

two.

You are responsible for your life.  And when you get that, everything changes.  So don't wait for someone else to fix you, save, you, or complete you.  Jerry Maguire was just a movie.

three.

We often block our own blessings because we don't feel inherently good enough or smart enough or pretty enough or worthy enough.  You are worthy because you are born and because you are here.  Your being here, your being alive makes worthiness your birthright.  You alone are enough.

four.

I've talked to nearly 30,000 people on this show, and all 30,000 had one thing in common: They all wanted validation... They want to know: 'Do you see me? Do you hear me? Does what I say mean anything to you?'

Try it with your children, your husband, your wife, your boss, your friends.  Validate them.  "I see you.  I hear you.  And what you say matters to me."

five.

Nothing but the hand of God has made this possible for me. . . . I know I've never been alone, and you haven't either.  And I know that that presence, that flow -- some people call it grace -- is working in my life at every single turn.  And yours too, if you let it in.  It's closer than your breath, and it is yours for the asking.

**************

I love number four -- it is so so true.  I know that's something I want, so I'm trying to make a concerted effort to give that to my family and those that I talk to.

And I really appreciate number five.  She recognized God's hand in all of her success and actually spent quite a bit of time speaking about his influence and presence in her life, and encouraging the viewers to make him a part of their lives too.  

So, now we say good-bye to the Oprah show.  Thanks for your thoughts and lessons. 

You can read all her remarks here.