Plan Summer

Toothsome #4 in full summer glory

Every May, I sit down and figure out what summer is going to look like with my family. Because of the changing ages and needs of the kids, every "Plan Summer" is slightly different. I often use things from the past and subtract things that didn't work and add new things to try.

So here is my "Plan Summer" this year:

1. Swimming, diving and tennis lessons for my kids. (Diving is new but toothsome #1 is done with swimming lessons, so diving it is.)

2. Summer Goals: I did this last year. For a Family Home Evening in May, we all sit down and write out some goals for the summer. For example, for me, I am going to run a 1/2 marathon, read the whole Book of Mormon, get all my kids scrap books organized. The kids and Dentist husband will make similar goals--ones that can be completed in a 3 month time span.

3. Saturday Morning Hike: We did this last summer and it was a huge hit. We all loved it. We might add Letterboxing into the mix with this one as well.

4. Chore Jars: This is new. Every day, they each have to pick a chore out of their jar and do it. I figure during the summer, we will have the time to do this and I can take the time to really teach them cleaning principles. Because my kids are at such different ages, they will each have their own jar with "doable" chores based on their age.

5. Of course, every morning, before TV or video games, they all must make their beds, do one page out of their summer workbooks and practice the piano. Toothsome #1 also has to run on the treadmill for one mile five days a week. (He had to choose between swim team or running on the treadmill five days a week. He chose the treadmill.)

6. Nightly, read out loud to my kids from a book. I have a stack we are going to try and tackle--starting with James and the Giant Peach. I still remember my fourth grade teacher reading this to our class.

We will also be doing just a ton of hanging out in the pool, going up the Canyon and barbecuing, organizing glow-stick night games and eating a ton of fresh produce from the wonderful roadside stands in our area. My mouth is already watering for good cantaloupe.