ThePoeFam's Summer Schedule 2013

It's Summertime! And, I must admit that, as excited as I was for it to begin, I knew I had to be strategic! My boys can be the BEST OF FRIENDS in one second...and NOT SO MUCH the best of friends in the next. So, I made us a schedule. I thought I'd share to hopefully give you some Summer Fun ideas. Obviously, some of these are my ideas and some came from great resources. But, ALL of them are sure to help make our Summer successful, non-stressful and FUN!

Here's our Schedule:
Mondays: Splash Park Tour & Review Sheet
Tuesdays: Summer Movie Club & Lunch Bunch
Wednesdays: Church Book Club & Public Library
Thursdays: CHILL at home & Super Servers/Summer Fun Checklist
Fridays: Daddy's Day Off!

It's nothing fancy, but it gives us something to do when we need it. Here are some details about each thing...
Mondays: Splash Park Tour:
I did some research (a.k.a. asked my Facebook Friends) and compiled a list of fun Splash Parks in the area. Some of them are fancy...some of them are not. Then, each Monday, we'll travel to that park with some of our favorite friends and play, play, play. That afternoon, Quinn will fill out a little sheet about the park. At the end of the Summer, he'll be able to rank the parks and choose his favorite/least favorite.

Tuesdays: Our local Harkins Theatre has an awesome Summer Movie Club deal for RIDICULOUSLY cheap. I know Cinemark does the same thing. So, when we're in town, we can see a previously released movie for 50 cents! Can't beat that!... Then, after that, we'll head to church to hang with Daddy and the youth group for Lunch Bunch!

Wednesdays: Our church is having a Summer Book Club. There are many options but I chose to participate in The Hiding Place. I can't wait to get started. Then, we're going to make that our day to visit our local library! Most libraries have SO many great things in the Summertime...so, check yours out!...Below you'll see my boys carrying their awesome new Library Bags from Stuck On You! They're precious and so proud to carry them to the library!

Thursdays: This is the day that we'll tackle some of the fun things on our Summer Fun List, play video games, watch shows, swim or stay in our jammies. It's also the day that we want to focus on doing our weekly Super Server task! (Super Servers is an awesome group that reminds us and our children to focus on others. For more info, here is the Facebook page!)

And, below are links to other items that we are using this Summer or supplies that I'm using for the ideas listed above.

*These Q&A journals are SO fun! It gives a prompt a day and a few lines to answer. Q is really enjoying this and I know it's something I'm going to look back on and smile! It's fun for me too!!!

Here's a peek at his from today...Talk about conviction. This was almost two years ago that he "accidentally stole a Jibbitz!" Bless his heart!

*These Read-Aloud Bible Story Books are AMAZING! The pictures are so bold and colorful and I love the way they retell some of our favorite Bible Stories. They were written in the 70's, but are timeless! We're going to be spending a lot of time reading and discussing these this Summer!

*Summer Bridge is a great workbook to avoid the "Summer Slide!"...

*I found this series and have gotten them for Q this Summer. It is about a group of Christian friends. Super cute and easy reads!...

*I decided I wanted to take some time in the Summers to read aloud some of my favorite childhood books. I know Q and Nash are going to eat these up...

*Here are the products I'm using for our Snowcone Reviews (I'll do a separate post on this SOON! You're going to love it!)...

*We just finished filling out his Kindergarten pages in this. It's a great and simple little keepsake!!!...

So, HAPPY {productive, fun and non-stressful} SUMMER TO YOU!!!

Summer {so far} is…

flip-flops
new flowers in the flowerbed…& trying to remember to water them!

HOT! {especially for this big, pregnant momma!}
snowcones
 
fun parties
fresh fruit…I seriously can’t get enough!
hot dogs with sauerkraut

happy, chirpy birds
ice cream in the wall
air conditioning
tank tops and cotton skirts
swimming
getting ready for a baby
sunkissed cheeks all wrapped up in a towel

HOT!!!
tans {the spray on kind, of course!}
sunscreen…one of my favorite smells
extra baths
more eating out
a BIG Tervis full of ice water
trips to the lake
   
annoying bugs
planning surprises for Daddy {his birthday and Father’s Day are just around the corner}
dirt

did I mention, HOT!?!!?
fun music in the car

…and lots of SMILES!

 
Despite my complaints of the heat during this 8th month of my pregnancy, I’m loving the simple things of summer! I have a feeling this is going to be a summer I’ll never forget! :)

WARNING: Swimming Preggo!

If months ago you had told me that I would be getting in the pool…IN A SWIMSUIT…when I was 8 months pregnant, I would have TOTALLY laughed in your face! But, let’s face it…it’s 100 degrees…I’m huge…and BURNING UP!!! And, I just couldn’t pass up the first swim of the summer with my little family of three! So, I pulled out the trusty black one-piece…and, when it surprisingly fit over this bump, I decided to join in on the fun!

Thankfully, before 10 a.m., we were the only ones at the pool…so there was no embarrassment!! And, it felt wonderful to float on my tummy!

As far as our little man goes…it started out a little shaky. He wanted no where except for around his Daddy’s neck! But, as time went on, and LOTS of cheering and encouraging, he got a little braver and ended our first pool trip swimming all by himself with his floaties! {right where we left off last summer!}

Overall, it was such a fun trip to the pool. And, I think I’ll have to brave it a few more times before Nash gets here! …As long as my husband will kindly meet me at the side of the pool to wrap me up in a towel and there aren’t too many people there, of course! :)    

floaties.

He loves them.

I mean LOVES them.

To the point that he was mad that he had to take them off when we got in the car.

And, he loved being in the pool with them.

Bobbing.

Floating.

Kicking.

ALL BY HIMSELF!

I was shocked.

And so very happy!

Here’s to even more fun…and less stressful…trips to the pool!

 

 

 

 

P.S. He has to bathe in his floaties now! :)

First Swim of the Summer

His swim trunks were WAY too big…The water was way too cold…And, if my little guy said it once, he said it 100 times…”My can’t do it!!!” … But, at least he warmed up to “splashing” (Quinn style of course…not too big to get any water on his face) in the baby pool and kicking in the water while sitting on the side! And, thankfully Mammer & Slickpaw were there to make it even more fun! …We’ll chalk it up as the first swim of the season! Each one will get better…fingers crossed!