This is the Summer

Summer is fast approaching. For some reason, in Utah, it seems like we always go from 70's to 90's overnight. It never develops slowly, its just BAM! HOT!

Daisy finished preschool a couple weeks ago, and Nicky's last day of school is Friday, so in a few short days, we will be in full-fledged summer vacation mode. I have to admit, I'm more of a school year kind of mom. I like the structure - the waking up early, the getting ready, the packing of lunches. Call me crazy, but that's sort of my thing. Plus, I'm a huge supporter of my children's independence. I'm happy to send them out into the world to learn and grow. It has its pros and cons, of course, but hopefully my ability to see them off will assist them in their journey into adulthood.

Since summer is inevitable, I've been trying to do some prep work to keep things under control around here. I always start summer off feeling super motivated to provide my kids with vast amounts of structure and educational activities. One summer I had this grand idea to do a book theme for each week. During that week we would read the book and do activities that went along with it. Before school got out, I brainstormed a list of all the books and corresponding activities for the entire summer. Then week one came along, and I was supposed to read If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and then bake cookies with my kids. Turns out, having a book theme required me to take two unruly children to the library to get the dang book. So that ended that.

You can breathe a sigh of relief.

(You thought I was going to tell you I actually went through with it, right?)

I never tried anything like that again, but still, every summer I start out thinking that THIS will be the summer I succeed! This will be the summer I keep up on my kids' chores, spend quality time with them every day, resist all urges to let them watch TV, and also spend no money (because the great moms, for some reason, are able to do all that and maintain a perfect budget - they don't surrender and say, "I will give you all fifty bucks if you will be quiet for 30 minutes!!!").

(Okay, I've never done that).

(At least not fifty).

This year is no exception. Even though I know failure is as inevitable as the season itself, I'm still sitting here thinking this is the summer I'm going to ROCK it.

Yep.

This is the summer I'm going to keep up on my kids' chores, spend quality time with them every day, resist all urges to let them watch TV, and also spend no money.

(Don't worry. I'll check back in when it's over... mid June-ish).