Summer Routine

I am trying to map out a summer routine for my kids.  I don't want anything too structured, but I also don't want everyone laying around doing nothing all summer.  I don't want to waist a bunch of time, but I also want them to have plenty of free time to do what they want.  Here is what I have come up with for this summer.

9:00 Breakfast - if someone is hungry before they can eat, but I want everyone up and eating by this time.

9:30  Clean up Kitchen, get dressed, make beds, clean up rooms, morning chores.

10:30  Those still homeschooling will work on schoolwork, others will have time to journal and read books from the library.

11:15 - 12:30  Free time, work on project of choosing, legos, free play time, (no computer or tv) finish up school work.

12:30 Lunch

1:00 Clean up lunch, put away laundry, clean up from free time.

1:30-4:00  Summer fun time.  During this time we will go swimming, go to the river, go to the museum, go to the library, etc.  If it is poor weather or we have more to do at home we may watch a movie or we might do some crafts or have game time. 

4:30-6:00  Dinner prep - one child will help with that every night, free time, computer time, tv time.

6:00 dinner, family bible time at table.

6:30 clean up table, clean up other messes

7:00 - 8:30  Family time - work in garden, swim at river, go for walks, play outside, etc.

9:00 - 10:00 Bed

I think this is structured but loose at the same time.  I am not tight with the schedule, but just want our days to flow nicely.

We will take some days and go to a state park, water park, have friends over, etc.  We will also have appointments and such so this is loose, but just something to strive for.

Tye Dye Cake

Brianna asked for a tye dye cake for her birthday.  I normally make my kid's cakes and we spend lots of time looking for the right one and trying to make it.  I think this one turned out really well.

The good thing was that it tasted good and we had fun making it.  Happy Birthday Brianna!

Happy Mothers Day

This year the make up of my family has changed.  Change can be good and this definitely has been a good one.  He is our family this year on mothers day:

I received some wonderful heartfelt cards and notes, and the kids didn't let me lift a finger today.  We went and visited my mom and we went out for ice cream.  Yummy and fun!  I don't want to ever forget my first mothers day with my new child.  She has come a long way and is turning into a wonderful young lady.  I hope she along with all of my kids will reach her full potential and just love the Lord and her family.  You don't have to birth kids for them to take up space in your heart!

Adjusting

We are adjusting to having an extra kid in the house.  Brianna is working hard on her math, and trying to finish it before the end of the school year.  School will be out in two weeks, and then what?  I hope I don't have to entertain everyone this summer.  I have a feeling that it will be a summer full of having friends over, swimming, beach, church activities and fun.  It will be a new summer of fun for my two new kids (yes, Brianna's brother is moving in next month.  Oh, it will be interesting,  but I am looking forward to it.

We are closing in our garage to make another bedroom.  We don't want the kids to feel crowded.  Luckily we have a large living room where we can all be together.  We have never been crazy about kids spending time by themselves in their room.  We think everyone should spend as much time together as possible.

I went to town and went grocery shopping.  I spent $30 at Publix (best meat), $80 at Sams (cheese and meds) and $80 at Aldi (everything else.)  I still have to get some bulk macaroni from Ingles but they were out.  All of the cheese I got will last the month and most of the meds I got will last a year.  Sams has super cheap over the counter meds.  My grocery bill is growing, but so is my family and my heart.  I just have to remember that.

Well, I need to go get ready for bed.  Mothers day is tomorrow.  I love my own mother so much, and I love my mother in law even though she is not in love with us right now.  I keep praying for some reconciliation, but it hasn't happened yet.  She doesn't want us to come see her for mothers day.  It stings to hear that, but in a way it is a relief.  I don't really want to deal with all of our emotions tomorrow.  I want it to be a happy day.

Affording more than four

I think that I am going to have to change the name of my blog.  My niece has come to live with us.  She is almost 17 and we are enjoying each other.  Right now she is home schooling for the rest of the school year, but we went today to get her into school for next year.  She is looking forward to high school.  She has been at this school before and she says that she knows alot of the kids.  I also think that I found her a babysitting job for the summer.  Watching three older kids four hours a day.  She likes kids so it is all working out perfectly.

Well, since we have been so busy with moving in a teen, baseball, babysitting, and general stuff I have not been bargain or coupon shopping and it has shown.  I am going to Publix tomorrow with my coupons after baseball and I will let you know how is goes.  I have got to get back into saving money.  We sure don't have any extra to burn at this time.

I am going to eat lunch with Emma and let Brianna work on her school work.  Geometry, Yuck!

Vacation

We are leaving today to vacation in the mountains for three days. We have rented a cabin. We have found over the years that it is cheaper for us to rent a cabin or a condo than hotels. We are taking all of our food. We might eat out once something like pizza or go and get a dessert or snack somewhere, but mostly we are going to be together with the nature. We are taking my nephew. He is 14 and love the outdoors. The kids love him like a brother so it works out great.

I don't know if I will be able to hike with the family. I hate not to. I love seeing their faces and experience times with them, but with my ankle just getting healed I don't want to reinjure it. We will see how it feels. I can just stay behind and read and work on my bible study.

I might bring my computer and post pictures. I hope the weather is nice and we can all relax.

Grandma

My grandma passed away yesterday. She was 95 and a believer in Jesus Christ. We will miss her but I think she has been wanting to go for some time. My grandfather died seven years ago, and I think she has missed him and wanted to be with him since then. Her passing was peaceful. In fact my mother said that she was arguing with her (she was so stubborn) and then she just stopped and was gone. I am sad that she will no longer be with us, but I am so happy imaging her in heaven with Jesus and my granddaddy. They were both orphans and I think they were so proud of the family that they built. We will all see them again some day.

Well you know that I have to post about going to a funeral frugally. We have to travel two hours out of town, so I got us two hotel rooms online. It is only $50 a night so we got two rooms so that we don't have to have someone sleep on the floor. It it supposed to have free breakfast. I am hoping that her church will bring food to the house so that we don't have to eat out a bunch. I am packing sandwiches and snacks for traveling and a cooler with water, juice and soda. So, we may have to eat out once, but not too much.

I still want to write a post about coupons and my opinions on them. I will do that after Easter.