Lemonade Sale

My kids think lemonade sales are about the best thing on earth.  Chad asked me every day last week if he could have one.  But, the weather was cold and I knew it would be a waste of his time. 

Today, it was beautiful, and he knew it by looking at the weather app last week.  He started planning clear back then.  Then, on Saturday, his cousin offered him a chance to buy his DSi.  Chad has been wanting one, and I keep telling him no.  I am not real excited at the prospect of another screen device in my home.  We visited with Chad about our concerns, and laid down some laws.  Then, we told him that he would have to come up with the money to buy it himself, and that he could not borrow from us as that would be going into debt, which we don't do (except in a rare emergency, which this is NOT!).  

Now, Chad was not just excited to have the sale, but to earn the money he needed at the same time.  I made it a little tough for him, as I was trying to teach him a few things in the process.  I made him use his own money beforehand to buy the product he was going to sell.  That cost him $4.75 for kool-aid packets, frosting and sprinkles for cookies and cups.  I donated the sugar cookies and sugar.  Luckily, we live on a good corner for these types of things, and he earned back his original investment and what he needed to buy his new toy, plus a little extra. 

 

I apologize to my neighbors, as I'm sure this becomes quite annoying at times.  My kids have become quite the salesmen, even being known to go to each door to advertise that there is a lemonade and cookie sale just down the road.  Nonetheless, here's to many more of these this summer. 

Our First Week of Summer

There is something to be said about the power of a memory-or in my case, the lack thereof.  It's only Monday, and here I have been thinking back over our first week of summer and not having the greatest memory of the fun that we created together.  Then, as I sat and began to go through pictures, a smile crept over my face as I began to remember that we did indeed create some fun memories together. 

I don't have pictures of all of it-in fact, I don't have pictures of most of it.  But it's all there, in our hearts.  We are very fortunate to live just a hop, skip and a jump from our local library, so for our Library & Treat day, we headed on down the road to check out a few books.  Our library also checks out board games and we got a few of those too.  We've had the most fun with the games (Scrabble and one other I can't remember the name of and the boys mostly used the square blocks from it to build castles with).  Our library also does a summer reading program that starts this week, where you can earn prizes for reading during the summer.  That is on the docket for this week. 
Our science project was a bit of a flop, but we had fun with it anyway.  He strung a thread across our house and then attached a small piece of a straw to an inflated balloon and strung the balloon onto the thread.  The idea was that when we let the end of the balloon go, it would zip down the thread and we would have balloon races.  Well, it only "zipped" the first time we tried it.  From then on, no zipping.  After a bit of trying, we gave up and just had fun blowing up our balloons and letting them go.  I also taught my kids how to make a balloon "scream" by pulling the sides of the opening apart.  That has been fun!  (Dave has long since regretted my decision to teach them this little trick.)  I wish I had pictures of it all, but Greyson and I started to get sick that day, and we ended up making a visit to the doctor, so it really was all we could do just to do an activity.  Taking pictures would have pushed me over the edge. :)

But, I did get pictures of our field trip on Friday.  We went bowling!  Toward the end of the year, Chad brought a postcard home from school about FREE bowling for every kid, every day of the whole summer.  Well, obviously, we aren't going to go that often, but Chad picked it for our first field trip, and it was so fun.  The link to sign up for free is HERE.  You do have to pay for shoes, but it is still very reasonable. 

This little thing they are standing at was pretty cool.  It looked like a little dinosaur slide, and it was, but a ball slide.  All we had to do was line it up in the middle of the alley and put the ball at the top, and it would roll that ball right down the center.  Greyson had so much fun bowling, thanks to this thing! 

 

Chad found that he did better without it and he bowled a 91 all on his own!  I thought that was pretty good for being 7.  He had 3 spares that game.  

And this little lady was quite a trooper.  She was happy the whole time, and fell asleep in her car seat right as we were getting ready to pack up.  There weren't many people our bowling, which was nice, and this happens to be the same bowling alley we always go to on New Years Eve with my family, so that was extra fun for my kids to be there and remember all the years we've gone for that event. 

Well, we're already getting a good start to our new week, and I better get this finished up and be present in the moment, because if this summer is like any of our others, it will be gone.  Fast. 

It's Summertime!!!

It is completely unbelievable to me that the school year has ended.  I fully expect to wake up tomorrow and begin our regular morning routine, sending Chad out the door to the bus. Truthfully, I welcome summer, as I really feel like I get my children back.  Yes, it comes with a price-all the fighting and the "I'm bored, what can I do" and of course, but it also comes with the fun, relaxing days, the snow cone sales, the picnics and hikes, and most of all . . . the memories. 

 Tyler finished up preschool with a field trip to Pizza Pie Cafe' and a program/graduation.  He had a good year but he is so excited to "never have to go back to preschool again. ever." because he is heading off to kindergarten next year.  (Wow!  That's hard to believe too!)

We upped the anti on our 'Welcome to Summer' sign this year.  Usually, it is just a small sign on the front door, but my kids have come to expect a sign when they come home on the last day of school, and this year, I thought I'd welcome summer to the whole neighborhood. 

The real question that always comes as summer approaches is what are we going to do to create memories?  I have great memories of my childhood summers, playing on the slip n' slide (which was really just big, black plastic with a hose set on one end), making wet body prints on the hot cement after running through the sprinklers, playing endlessly with friends and of course, camping.  But it seems that my kids could simply fill their entire summer with screen time if I let them.  And so . . .we create a summer plan.  It has evolved each year, and we take what works and improve upon what does not, but I'm excited to share a little of what we have in store this year.  Mostly just the plan for now, but I'll be sure to post as we are creating memories all throughout the summer.  So . . . here is what I have set up to create a little structure for our summer.

First, in years past, we have given a theme to each day of the week.  For example, Monday was called "My Craft Monday" where we did a craft each week.  We made summer shirts, painted rocks, etc.  We had "Wet Wednesday" and "Field Trip Friday" and one year is was "Friend Friday".  Last year, I tried to create more flexibility with our schedule and it seemed that what happened instead was we never got around to doing anything.  Probably, the "Summer Plan" is as much for me to keep on top of things as much as it is for my kids to know what to look forward to.  This year, I gave up the creative names for each day.  Instead, I chose 5 themes I'd like to do each week, and I printed them out and laminated them.  Now, instead of each day each week being the same theme, we'll (me and the kids) sit down together before the start of each week or even two weeks and we'll place the themes on our calendar that hangs on the fridge. 

 This is our family calendar.  We try to put everything that is happening up on here.  The tags, stuck on the side of the frame, can be placed inside each square to tell us what theme is coming up next.  We'll do this a week or two at a time.  Then of course, we'll have to plan our field trips and what we want to do to get wet on "Make a Splash!" day, but we've started a "Summer Bucket List" for these so that every time we come up with a fun place to go or a great movie we want to see for "Movie Day", we just add it to the list so we have ideas to pull from when we are planning. 

Here's a closer look.  The boys helped me by suggesting what they'd like to do, and we collaborated to come up with these five.  I also created a list of "Boredom Busting Ideas" that the boys can go to whenever they don't know what to do.  It has things like: play a game (Clue, Candyland, Dominion), build with Legos (use the Lego app for new ideas), set up a Kool-aid stand, fly a kite, blow bubbles, etc.  I tried to think outside the box and I got nearly a whole page that we can add to when we think of things.  I am going to try to still limit our screen time to 1 hour per kid each day, so having other ideas of what to do when we're not busy is a must. 

I think summer is a great time to strengthen or create routines as well, so we are planning to strengthen ours.  My boys will have to be up each day before Dave leaves for work to be at family scripture study.  Then, before they can play with friends or have any screen time, they need to make their bed and do a quick clean of their room, get ready for the day, and choose one job that mom says needs to be done.  My kids are getting pretty good at household jobs like cleaning the bathroom and dusting and unloading the dishes, so I imagine the one job daily will keep things in pretty good order. 

In the past, I've set up a "Summer Store" where my boys can earn tickets by helping out and buy treasures from the store throughout the summer.  We're still going to have a store this year, but the way we earn tickets will be different.  I'll offer one ticket daily for each of 5 areas: Order ticket-clean up bedroom, make bed and do one job that mom says needs to be done, Physical ticket-move your body for at least 20 minutes (ride bike or scooter, run, play tag, dance, hike, etc.), Reading ticket-read or look at books for 30 minutes, Writing/Homework ticket-do one homework page (I got a few really fun summer homework books at a local teacher store) or write a story or write in your summer journal (I got each boy a small notebook to record what we're doing this summer), Extra ticket-keep a good attitude all day, no whining, helping others, not being bored.  The goal here was to help my kids be motivated to spend time doing lots of different kinds of things all summer, and hopefully, to lessen the whining in the process. 

Really, there are so many ways to "do summer" and there is no one right or wrong way.  I find that this summer plan helps us to have some structure, which I think kids crave after being in a structured environment at school each day.  I also find it helps us to not over spend during the summer months (there are so many fun and free things to do-check your local library, go hiking, we even have a local bowling alley that offers each child a free game of bowling each day), and it helps us to discover and try new things.  I also find that when I have a concrete plan for our family, it allows me to say "no" to other ideas that might not be a good fit for us and to not feel bad about it.  So, here goes.  We embark on our summer adventure, and I can't wait to start making memories and sharing them here. 

Greyson's Birthday 3 years old

Well, I said it would probably take me a month after Greyson's birthday before I got around to posting about it.  And here we are . . . exactly 1 month later.

Oh my, this little guy warms my heart!  He is such a sweetie.  Mischievous?  Yes.  But oh so innocent and fun. 

He had picked out what he wanted for his birthday cake, a fire truck, months ago when Tyler was looking in the birthday book for ideas for his birthday cake.  He has been talking about it ever since.  We had a lot of fun making it together.  And he was pretty proud of it when it was done.  

He had fun opening a few gifts.  I chuckle because at the same age, we got Chad a set of Legos, but the big, duplo kind.  Greyson plays with the larger ones some, but he wants to be just like his big brothers, and so for his birthday, he wanted small Legos of his own.  Grandma and Grandpa hall got him a very fitting set of them-a fire truck set. 

Greyson is such a great kid.  He loves to tease his brothers, which sometimes causes trouble, but is all meant in good fun.  He loves to cuddle and read together, and he always wants to read the same books each day, over and over.  He has an infectious giggle, and we are so blessed to have this little guy in our family.  We love you Greyson!  Happy 3rd birthday.

As a side note, we start summer here this Friday, and I am just putting the finishing touches on our summer plans.  I can't wait to write about our adventures here and I am committed to keeping this blog a little more updated.  So, check back soon for some ideas on what to do this summer.

Spring Break

It has been nearly a month since our spring break.  That seems to be how on top of things I am lately-about a month behind.  

We had a mini spring break plan to help us fill our time without getting bored.  The boys and I made it together and we hung it on the fridge.  I had no idea that Chad would hold me so tightly to it.  Each night, he would look at the list and tell me, "We didn't do that, or that or that."  Sigh.  But we did our best to get in some fun. 

We did sucker making one day.  The boys seem to enjoy the making of the suckers much more than the eating of the suckers, as a month later, we still have homemade suckers hanging around. 

Chad also got into drawing fruit, for some reason.  He made a whole book of fruit drawings. 

On one warm afternoon, we had a campout in our front yard.  We set up our small play tent and even had a pretend campfire where we "roasted" marshmallows. 

Toward the end of the week, we had cousins come to stay.  OF course, snow cones were a must, and we enjoyed them until we couldn't muster the cold any longer.

And of course, there was Easter, that landed right at the end of our spring break fun.

We had fun hunting for eggs and dying others.  Spring break always reminds me how much I look forward to summer, with so much more time and less demands upon it.  Simultaneously, it reminds me of how much work summer really is, finding fun to keep everyone busy.  But, now we are back in the routine of school, soccer and so much more, and again, I find myself longing again for a nice spring break to soak it all in again. 

The kiddos are growing so fast!  Jenna has so much personality now, and just lights up any room.  Greyson just turned 3 (I'll post about that later-probably in a month).  Tyler is registered for kindergarten, and Chad has lost 3 teeth.  I have so much more I need to get up on here so that I can stamp the memories permanently in my mind.  Happy Spring!  

Jenna 4 Months Old

This baby girl is growing up too fast!!  It is hard to believe that she is 4 months old!  She has sure brought a lot of joy into our home in such a short time.  Dave's sister happened to be in town this weekend and offered to take a few picts for me.  I am so glad she did!  They turned out so cute! 

Her brothers sure love her, and Chad can make her laugh and smile like nobody's business.  And I can already say that somehow, a girl is different, even at this young age.  When she got her immunizations today, she screamed totally different than any of my boys ever had.  It was a piercing, high pitched scream, and I could just hear the drama coming through. 
But, she is such a sweetie.  So glad this girl is part of our family.  We wouldn't be complete without her. 

Debt

This thermometer (see below) has been hanging in our hallway for a year now.  I created it when we bought our car and slapped it up on the wall.  I wanted it to serve as a visual reminder for my kids that we were working really hard to pay the debt that it represented.  When we first bought the car, I told the gal at the bank that did our loan, "I will have this paid off in a year!  And I'll be sure to let you know when I do and you can celebrate with me."  When we decided to have another baby, I knew it would slow us down a little on the pay-off, but I'm happy to report that today, 14 months after we bought the car, we now own it debt free!  Wahoo!  

My boys have been coloring it in each time we paid on it, and they were good reminders that we needed to pay it faster.  It was also nice that we as parents could refer back to it when one of the boys wanted to do something that we felt deviated from our pay off plan.

I joked with the gal at the bank when I made the last payment that it should be like when you vote and as you put your ballot in the box, the ladies always say, "Telena Hall has voted!"  They need to announce, "Telena Hall has paid off her car!"

As I drove Tyler to preschool today in my paid for car, the beautiful Acadia that always passes me on my way there didn't look as appealing as usual.  I just thought to myself, "I'd rather drive a paid for mini-van than a big, beautiful Acadia with a car payment any day!"

It feels good.  We still have one more debt . . .a bit one-Dave's student loans.  That will be a happy day when I can announce that they have been wiped out, but that is still a few years down the road.