Some New Ideas****revised*****

I wanted to share a couple of things that I have "discovered" that really have helped me. First of all, Jack and I have wanted to spend one on one time with each child to make them feel special. With school, extra activities etc, it was almost impossible. He could do something with each one the first week, and I could the second, but it was getting really difficult. I read this article in Family Fun and tried it and it works. One night each week each child gets a night where they get to stay up 30-45 minutes longer than the other two. They LOVE this idea. We have been doing this for about a month now. They usually pick what they want to do with us....play Old Maid, watch TV, color, read books etc. It doesn't stress us out, and it gives us a great way to spend one on one time with each child.
My second "idea" I started this week. I always planned my evening meals, and grocery shopped around that. My other meals I would just wing it....whatever I felt like. I have posted a full week of menus for all three meals on the fridge. It works great. I don't go scurrying around to find something and the kids (well Joshua) know exactly what we are having. I don't have to keep hearing "mom, whats for dinner"....."what's for lunch". It seems to keep the complaining down too, but then again, I'd complain too with my cooking (ha ha). Happy Friday!

Here is my menu: Our week starts on Wednesday because that is when I get groceries. It is nothing fancy: It has helped me because for lunch I would just let them snack, or I would just grab something at the spur of the moment to make!

Wed bk: poptarts, lunch- frozen pizza (I get the cheap pizza's) dinner, salad & Twice baked potato

Thur: bk: donuts, lunch, cheese quesadillas, dinner, lasagna, garlic bread

Friday: Bk: cereal, lunch: sandwiches (pbj) dinner tacos (what else on Friday night)

Saturday: bk: cereal, lunch: sandwich, dinner (taking Jack out for fathers day)

Sunday: bk: biscuits, lunch my sisters house, dinner, leftovers

Monday: Bk: bacon, lunch, hot dogs, dinner free chick fil a sandwich (monday nights when you take your bulletin in and Jack is out of town anyway)

Tuesday: bk: poptarts, lunch, sandwich, dinner: chicken dish.

Summertime

Yesterday I let the kids play with shaving cream. They enjoyed it, but next time I will make sure they have their swim wear on first. I hosed them down and then stripped them down. I guess today and tomorrow we will just get in our kiddie pool and swim. That was a great $12 investment!!!

Jenna's Gym Class

Today is the first day of our break. I am really looking for things to do with the kids. We'll hit the free movies next week, and tomorrow we can go to the park with some of the CBC friends. Any more suggestions would be great!

I took some pictures of Jenna at dance/gym. She already favors the gym part over dance. Dance gives her just the basic steps/positions for ballet and tap. Some parents have bought costumes, tap shoes, ballet shoes etc. I am not putting all that money into it. Someone gave her a gymnastics outfit, but I am not buying tap or ballet shoes, especially now since she likes the gym part better. I could tell she liked it better and she told me too. I will either focus on gym there in the fall or take her to Morgan's.

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

FINALLY....it's over! Today is the last day of school. I now "officially" have a second grader!! No more rushing in the mornings. No more sitting in long car pool lines. Only two more weeks until the beach!!! Now, it's time to find things for them to do all day! Now it's try to get his math where it should be for the new school. My biggest concern is trying to teach him cursive writing in the summer. I don't know what I am doing and I am afraid it will be a battle. Anyone have any suggestions? Anyone know how to teach someone how to do cursive writing? Anyone willing to do it for me ? (ha ha) I am desperate here!!!

Rest Time Almost Over

I've had about 2 1/2 weeks of a break before Joshua gets out of school, but it hasn't been any kind of break. In fact, without working, I have been busier than ever. I thought I would get some "rest", get caught up around here etc, but "mom's taxi" has been busier than ever. It seems like there have been appointments, school functions, errands etc, and nothing has gotten accomplished. Oh well! Once a dirty house, always a dirty house! And hey....who needs a rest or a break anyhow?
Today Jenna starts The Little Gym. She will go every Monday during the summer. I've always wanted to have my little girl in something like this. I hope it will "take her out of her shell" a little bit. If she doesn't like it, I won't enroll her again. The class has 30 minutes of gymnastics and 30 minutes of dance. If I find out she favors one or the other, I can take her either to the dance school down the road, or to Morgan's gymnastics, which is also down the road. If she likes them both, I'll keep her here. I thought it was the best way to expose her. And yes she is doing the "D" word.....but rest assured, the dance is not bad for those of you who want to know. I think it is good to expose her to ballet, tap, and other things like that.

Call Us Crazy

Call us crazy...we were out in that heat yesterday. It was miserable. Jack's company had their Gilead picnic...on one of the hottest days of the year! We had a nice lunch of chicken, hushpuppies, sides etc. The kids got all the sno cones they could eat, all the water and drinks they could drink, all the popcorn and cotton candy etc. It's always fun. I was worried about Jenna, but we cooled her down, and I kept everyone hydrated. They had once bouncy this year. Jenna kept going back to play games and came home with about 6 stuffed animals (can you tell I am excited). They also had crafts to do....making necklaces with beads, stickers, door knob stuff etc. They also had face painting a place to shoot water balloons etc. It was fun, but way too hot

Fun In The Sun Day

I am not sure if it was fun for me....it was VERY HOT!! Joshua's class had fun in the sun day. They had games, water games, and sno cones. I went to "help" but I wasn't really needed, however it was fun to be with him and spend time with him. I got a couple of ideas that I might use for fun and activity on my kids next week when I am looking for things to do. (I am looking for activities to keep them busy and keep my sanity) They did a great job of rotating around and giving the kids some shade and keeping them hydrated. He had a great time though. He LOVES the water. I think the water slide was the hit of the day!