3 hours ago
Showing posts with label Seasons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seasons. Show all posts
I waver between feeling excited for the school year and very nervous. This is the first year that I'll be doing work with all five kids, and the thought overwhelms me. I try to remember that I felt that way each time I added a new student to the mix. This is the last time I'll have to recalibrate.
We've been making good use of our last week. Yesterday we went mini-golfing with our dear friends who now live a couple states over. I'm so happy whenever we get to see them, and we talk and laugh like we still see each other every week. Friends like that are special, something to treasure. The hardest part is always saying goodbye, until the next time they come here or we go there.
Later this week the kids have "cousin camp" at grandma's house, which means that Derek and I get a date night which we don't quite now what to do with. I'm hoping to do something fun on Saturday as a last hoorah for summer break.
The plan for today is a hike up in a state park, perhaps to an old broken-down lumber mill we discovered a couple weeks ago. Or perhaps we'll try a new trail. The kids are packing nature notebooks, binoculars, and snacks into their packs. I try to get them to draw something each time we go out into the mountains, but we are meeting a friend today, so my expectations are low for amazing nature drawings. Laughter, and silliness, and foot races, and sun-kissed cheeks are on the agenda.
We've been watching movies on the porch this summer. The kids lay out their sleeping bags, and we all wear long sleeves and pants to protect ourselves against mosquitos as the sun fades. The TV glows in the dusk, hummingbirds whir past our porch, and the kids laugh as we introduce them to childhood classics, like The Princess Bride and Hook. When my littlest looks cold I call her over to settle on my lap and zip her up inside my over-sized sweatshirt. She giggles against my chest at the defeat of the pirate captain.
The swimming pools have officially closed, despite my wish that they would stay open until Labor Day. Before they did, I took the kids to every family swim night I could, and I'm impressed with how much their swimming has improved. It's rather a magical stage, swimming right now. I stand in the pool and watch them play, but they mostly entertain themselves with very little help from me. I can just enjoy the sunshine and the sound of their antics. We always bring licorice or skittles for a snack on the way home.
I've had a running to-do list for several weeks now. Every time I crossed one thing off, two more were added, but I've finally chipped away at it this week. Plan enrichment subjects? Check. Choose read-alouds for the year? Mostly check. Set up sewing station, clean out the kids' toys, schedule doctor appointments, do the grocery shopping? All check. The things that are left are mostly the items I wanted to do for fun or things I've been putting off. Work on researching my family tree. Make clay earrings. Clean out the car. Organize the kids' fall clothes.
We are going on a vacation in September, and those last two things need to be accomplished before then. I'm just excited to get to go on vacation at all, since every unexpected expense this summer cut into our vacation budget. It'll be a shorter trip, but we have alot of interesting stops planned, and you can bet I'll count every educational experience as a school field trip, because we can. I don't typically like taking trips in the fall instead of the summer, but out of necessity it has started to grow on me. It also makes it easier to get started on school when I know that we have more fun things coming right around the corner.
My coffee is lukewarm. It's time for a warm-up so I will close this out. I wish you all the last bits of summer fun you can muster before pumpkin spice starts to fill the air!
This year our first real snow - with three inches and snow left in patches on the ground after several days - happened in October. We've had several more snows so far, and spots of snow that don’t melt in the shade for over a month now.
That might be shocking if you live in warmer parts of the country, but October is actually pretty late for a first snow where I live. We have gotten a "first snow" in September before! Our snow season usually lasts somewhere from October to May, and things don't start to green up in the mountains until at least May.
After living here my whole life, you could say I'm used to long winters, and I have come to enjoy them. In recent years I have heard alot of people bemoaning the long winter season in my state, and I find it a little surprising especially when it comes from people who have grown up here as I have. It's good to adapt to where you live, to look at the weather and climate where you are right now and find the good things about it, instead of pining for one favorite season or other destinations. Learning to become content with the climate where you currently live is important for your general happiness, and necessary to keep a sense of gratitude in your heart. God made these seasons - there are special things about all of them, if we take a minute to look for them.
All that said, I thought I'd give a few of my tips for learning how to love the winter season.
1. Dress for the weather.
As someone somewhere once said, there is no bad weather, just bad clothes. Cold weather is going to seem worse than it is if you aren't dressed properly for it. That might mean investing in some good snow or sub-zero clothes for when you have to spend time outside, but it also might mean a trip to the department store for some interesting sweaters that make you excited to wear them. In my book, fall/winter clothes are some of the most fun when it comes to fashion! There is only so much you can do with shorts and shirts in the summer, but there are endless layering combinations and textures to explore in the fall and winter, not to mention all the gorgeous coat options, which you would never get to explore unless you lived somewhere cold.
"When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet."
Proverbs 31:21
2. Practice looking for the beauty that a true winter brings.
There are many parts of the country and world where they never have snow, and some people wish they would get a little snow, especially around Christmas time! Take a winter walk and look at the beautiful way the frost decorates the bare branches, or the way the ice looks on a river as it grows thicker. The colors of winter are so muted and calming when you look at them through the lens of a photographic or artistic eye - try to look at a landscape and identify all the different shades you can (deep blue, dove grey, ice blue, muted brown, lilac, blush pink).
3. Take up a winter hobby.
There are all kinds of cold-weather activities that likewise are not available in the same way in warmer climates - sledding, skiing, ice-skating, snow-shoeing, snowmobiling, sleighing, snow forts and fights and snowmen. Why not appreciate the snow (instead of complaining about it), and branch out by trying one of these wintery activities?
“'For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.'"
Isaiah 55:10-11 NKJV
4. Lean into winter food.
You can't convince me that a hot beef stew tastes as good anywhere else but in the deep of a cold winter season. There are so many wonderful soups and stews, breads and pies, that taste especially wonderful because they are contrasted with the sharp cold and howling winds of winter. Lean into it and add some cozy winter recipes to the rotation.
5. Make your house cozier.
Winter is so much more charming if you have a cozy home to enjoy it in. I wrote a whole post analyzing coziness here, but I think there are a few elements that will bring up the coziness of any space - warm lighting scattered through the room (lamps, candles, fireplace, etc), more textured pillows and blankets (that faux fur throw you spotted at the store? Buy it), and something that smells spicy or warm (scented candles, essential oils, hot cider mulling, bread in the oven).
“He sends out His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly. He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes; He casts out His hail like morsels; Who can stand before His cold? He sends out His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.”
Psalms 147:15-18 NKJV
6. Consider the textile arts.
With all those hours where you might rather be inside, winter seems the perfect time to learn how to make something tangible. Why not pick up a new skill, like knitting, crocheting, embroidery, or sewing? You can make some of those blankets or pillows with interesting textures yourself to add that coziness I just mentioned to your home. And is there a cozier picture for wintertime than sitting in a cozy room, wearing a cute sweater and socks, with something good-smelling coming from the kitchen, while knitting or embroidering a project, with your family gathered around? I think not.
7. Build relationships with friends and family.
Yes, you can and should build up your family and friendships all year long! But winter seems an especially nice time to practice hospitality, to those outside your home and within your home. Why not change up your habits a bit over the winter and make a weekly game night, or add in a new read-aloud routine with your kids all snuggled under blankets, or start singing some Christmas songs or hymns together on a regular basis? Why not invite over someone new to share your cozy home and wintery food together during those months that feel drab to some? Winter is a great time to be together.
"From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind,
And cold from the scattering winds of the north.
10 By the breath of God ice is given,
And the broad waters are frozen.
11 Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds;
He scatters His bright clouds.
12 And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance,
That they may do whatever He commands them
On the face of the whole earth.
13 He causes it to come,
Whether for correction,
Or for His land,
Or for mercy."Job 37:9-13
What is your favorite part of the winter season? Do you have any tips for learning to enjoy the winter?
Today, as I was sitting down to write this post, I looked out the window and the driveway was slick with rain. I hadn't even noticed the clouds roll in. It hasn't been a warm October by any stretch, but we are still getting rain rather than snow. As the drops turn to a light drizzle and then stop, the sun pokes out from behind the clouds, and the whole world shines. It's really lovely. This has been the prettiest autumn that we've had in years, with the leaves changing gradually and in stages, instead of all at once, so the color lasts longer. The sky has been a brilliant blue with cotton ball clouds most days, but when you go outside the air is just crisp enough to be invigorating. I hope this goes on a while more before the frosts come and force the leaves to let go of the branches.
We are planning on going a pumpkin patch and corn maze tomorrow - it's one of those autumn family traditions that we always manage to cram in before hunting seasons take over all our spare time. We have a favorite corn maze on a small farm, an adorable little place with no Halloween paraphernalia and a field full of orange globes. We'll probably let the kids pick out a couple small pumpkins to decorate their rooms.
Speaking of fall decorating, I was thinking about writing a whole post about it, but for now let me just say that my whole goal for fall decor this year is to make the house feel cozy and ready for winter. My typical decorating colors are fresh and springtimey, so I'm switching out some of my pillows and throw blankets to include more wintry colors. I'm going to be honest, I'm not quite happy with my living room yet. Something is missing, and I have a sneaky suspicion that it might be a corner lamp (and a few more cozy-colored throw pillows). We have a pretty large living room with a vaulted ceiling, so the lighting in their during those dark winter evenings is not great. I've been wanting to get a lamp for the corner behind the couch for a year at least, and I think some warm light will make it nicer to be in there when it gets dark.
If you've been around a while you know that our family is a hunting family. I grew up hunting for our meat, and Derek has hunted every year since we've been married. I took a long break from hunting when I was having babies, but I put in for an elk tag this year, and since I had nine years of preference points built up, I drew a tag! So this weekend I am going elk hunting with Derek, and I am feeling the pressure. I really want to get something, because I spent nine points on this tag. I'll take a spike bull, just don't let the tag be a waste! We also could really use the meat. Hunting for our meat instead of buying beef takes a huge burden off our grocery budget, and when we don't have a successful hunting year our bank account feels it. So wish me luck, and say a prayer that I get one, if you think of it.
Also say a prayer for our dog, or for our family as we watch him fade. He's a very old dog, but he's been eating very little over the last week, and my heart sinks a little more as each day goes by. I know he doesn't have much time left, but it's hard to watch this creature you've raised from a puppy possibly begin the process of dying. Death is a terrible thing, isn't it? The worst when it happens to people, but difficult to watch with beloved animals too. When he goes, I probably won't share on here - I don't like to share when my emotions are raw. But I wanted to mention Harvey since his health is on my mind this week.
We're getting into that time of year when I really want to hunker down at home and bake, but I am forced to be out of the house for a bunch of activities that start up again with the school year. It's a good and bad thing! I've been eyeballing my bread recipe book, and I found myself drawn to a fall baking magazine at Sam's Club when I went grocery shopping last week (yes, I bought the magazine). I was recently in a conversation on Twitter about the cheapest place to buy wheat berries, and now I'm craving some nice, chewy fresh bread. I need to make more time for baking in my life. First on the list will be cinnamon rolls, I think. Have you done any baking yet this fall?
You know how sometimes kids come into their parent's room at night? Most of the time when my kids come in, it's one of three things: they need some water, they can't sleep, or they had a bad dream. Often, if it's a non-scared reason, we'll go tuck them back into their rooms. If they had a bad dream, we usually get them set up with blankets and pillows to sleep on the floor next to our bed (because if one comes in, one or two more are right behind them, and we can't fit multiple kids in our bed with us). Georgie came in the other night though, not really scared per se, but just needing something that she couldn't quite articulate - and instead of settling her on the floor as usual, I flipped back the covers and let her climb in. She snuggled up right next to me in the fetal position and fell back asleep within minutes, and I was feeling really nostalgic for those tiny baby years when she did the same thing. Where did all my babies go? It's the joy and pain of parenthood, isn't it? Watching your kids grow up, cheering them on, being so proud of the kids they are and the young adults they are becoming - but missing the smaller versions of them all the time.
This post is pretty emblematic of how I've been feeling this month - happy and cozy but also a little sad. We've faced no major changes this year, but alot of little ones, with more on the horizon. By the time January rolls around, our life is going to look pretty different from a year ago in alot of small ways, and that's sometimes hard when you're exiting an enjoyable season. The next one may be just as happy, but you really don't have a feel for it yet, so you just hope all these small changes don't sneak up and become overwhelming. The Lord is our anchor though, and always helps us find some equilibrium in the end when our eyes are fixed on Him. I remind myself of that on those days when I start to get a little too melancholy.
How has your fall been so far? Full of life and joy, or a little quieter and reflective (like mine apparently)?
Drinking: Traditional chai this time, with cream and honey.
The first day of Spring was yesterday, and we celebrated by going outside to play in several inches of snow. For a couple weeks I have been trying to fill out the prompts for this linkup about Spring, but literally every time I planned to work on it, it would snow and put me out of my springtime mood. But today I'm going to just ignore the weather, spray some lilac-scented room freshener to get in the spirit, and share some spring musings!
- List your favorite thing about spring. Which season do you like best?
My favorite thing about spring the last couple years has been the moment when the birds return to our house. Sometime between March and May, the trees around our house fill with songbirds, and the noise is loud enough to actually wake me up in the morning. You would think that would be annoying, but it's not at all - I love waking up to birdsong. I do not love waking up to woodpeckers, however, and unfortunately they tend to return with the rest of our winged friends.
Aside from my love for the birds, springtime is actually not particularly pleasant at high elevation - our "spring" according to nature typically doesn't occur until May, and then it happens all at once a week before summer. In the meantime, it's just an endless cycle of mud, which freezes when it snows, then melts the next week and gets tracked all over my house. I would love to visit a state that actually has magical (or at least pleasant) springs - which states are those? Please comment and tell me.
My favorite season in the mountains is most certainly fall. That's when the magic happens.
- What puts spring in your step? What does your favorite pair of shoes look like? When do you wear them?
The scattered days of warm weather put a spring in my step, along with the fact that this is the first spring in the last two years that is normal! No lockdowns (ugh, 2020), no masks (ugh, 2021). I feel free and light as a feather!
Unfortunately I can't tell you what my spring-y steps look like these days, because I don't currently have a favorite pair of shoes. Even though I've updated many things in my wardrobe over the last five years, shoes is not one of those things, and it's starting to show. My winter/spring shoes are all grungy looking or literally falling apart, but I'm limping them along. I do have some nice summer shoes though, so I'll probably continue to not buy new winter footwear for as long as I can get away with it. Eventually I'm going to have to shell out.
- Around St. Patrick’s Day we see invitations to ‘kiss me, I’m Irish’ on graphic tees and images everywhere. Are you Irish? If not, what would your graphic tee read? ‘Kiss me, I’m…”
I actually do have some Irish way back there somewhere, along with German (a quarter), English (probably a sizable fraction since it's coming from all sides of my family), and Polish. I'd like to get one of those DNA tests sometime, because apparently even siblings can have a different mix of ethnicities in their DNA. Have any of you had your DNA tested?
- What flowers would make up your perfect spring bouquet? What is your favorite floral fragrance?
Oh, I love the scent of lilac, and then probably honeysuckle, roses, or jasmine. I'm not sure how all that would smell together though. My ideal floral fragrance would certainly have to include a hint of woodiness. I like to feel like I'm walking through the woods while smelling my odd flower bouquet.
- Spring cleaning? A necessary evil or overrated? What’s your favorite cleaning tip? Cleaning product?
I tend to do some cleaning out whenever I switch out the kids' clothes for the seasons, which is in the early summer and early fall - I'll get rid of old clothes and toys at that time. As far as deep cleaning the rest of the house, I don't do that in the spring necessarily, but whenever I have time to do it over the course of the year! Since we homeschool, deep cleaning happens alot in the summer when we don't have school work. My favorite cleaning products are Mrs. Meyers, and don't say anything to me about their toxicity or whatever - I like the way they smell, and I'm going to keep using them!
- Slinkies are coiled spring toys. Did you ever have a Slinky? Silly Putty? What was your favorite toy as a child?
I did have a Slinky and Silly Putty, and a bunch of other toys! I particularly remember Pogs in elementary school. Does anyone know how to actually play the Pogs game? We just collected them when I was a kid, but I know there was supposed to be some way to play with them. I also went through a Crazy Bones collecting phase in middle school, and once again there was a "game" you were supposed to do with them, but I strongly suspect the games were just a pretense for both of those toys.
My favorite toy as a child was certainly my teddy bear though. I still have it in my baby box.
- When we ‘spring forward’ on March 13, what do you hope to do in that extra daylight?
Okay, against my better judgement...let's talk about what they are currently trying to do with Daylight Savings Time. Have you heard that the Senate passed a bill to put the country permanently on Daylight Savings Time?
I am strongly against this.
Where I live, staying permanently on DST will mean that sunrise won't happen until 8:21 AM in the winter. That is absurd to me. We try to start school at 8 AM, so now you're telling me that I may have to wake my kids up and get them started on school before the sun even rises? NO!! Why are they doing this to us?
I know that alot of people hate changing the clocks in the Spring and Fall with a passion (I cannot relate to this, I don't understand why it's such a big huge deal). But in the end, there is a reason we've been doing it this way for a hundred years - to avoid 8:21 sunrises in the winter (way too late), and 4:30 sunrises in the summer (way too early). So I personally think we should just stick with the current system, because it is more convenient. However, if we are going to eliminate the switch in the spring and fall, at least put us back on Standard Time! Why should we permanently go onto artificial time (which is what DST is) - why not go back to the time that more closely aligns with the natural clock, ie. the time that brings the sun closest to straight up at noon? That would be Standard Time. There are also apparently studies that suggest more sunlight in the morning is much better for your circadian rhythms than more sun in the evening (you have to look up the studies yourself, I need to finish this post).
Bottom line - just say no to permanent Daylight Savings Time! Write your senator.
What was the original question? Oh, nothing. I woke up with the sun, and adjusted my kids' bedtime and did nothing with the extra hour of daylight, because in reality, we had the exact same amount of daylight we would have had if we didn't switch the clocks!
- The following colors will be trending for spring soft lilac, canary yellow, hot pink, salted caramel, scarlet, sky blue. Will you be styling any of these? Is there a color you will avoid?
It's so funny to me that there are colors that are on trend for different seasons - I want to know who decides these things! I will say that I have loved all the sky blue in the stores lately. I did purchase a soft lilac top at Target, but I'm on the fence on whether I want to keep it or not. I'm also on board for the scarlet, I don't hate the salted caramel, and the other two I probably won't buy because they won't fit in nicely with my wardrobe (though I do love those colors in theory)!
- What will you be reading this spring? Do you have a favorite devotional or quiet time routine?
I am deep into rereading The Return Of The King right now. It's been a bit of a stressful month for our family, and I needed to go back to something comforting, and the Lord Of The Rings is that for me right now. I also plan to read Perelandra by C. S. Lewis in the next couple weeks. As for quiet time reading, after my Bible, I am reading The Gospel Comes With A Housekey by Rosaria Butterfield, and I just started Far Above Rubies: The Life Of Bethan Lloyd-Jones by Lynette Clark. Bethan is the wife of Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and if you don't know who that is, go fix that right now.
- Share an inspirational thought or spring quote. Why does this speak to you?
Speaking of Lord Of The Rings:
"Other evils there are that may come...Yet it is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succor of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not ours to rule."-J. R. R. Tolkien, Gandalf in The Return Of The King
I highlighted this paragraph when I was reading the book the other day, because it reminded me that I can't worry about what the future will be like for my kids. I can shield them while they are young, till the soil of their hearts for the gospel, uproot the evil around me where I can, and trust the Lord to take care of what conditions they'll find in the future. The future is God's. It's not mine to rule, and worrying about it won't change anything.
It's also rather a springtime-y quote, don't you think? And succor means "assistance or support in times of hardship and distress" in case that vocabulary word never cemented itself into your brain (I had to look it up).
How has your springtime been, friends?
Do you want to know what some of my most popular blog posts are?
Fudge recipes.
Several years back, when I was pregnant with my girls and therefore had a massive sweet tooth, I went a little crazy on the fudge recipes. I came up with several actually, all using my basic white chocolate fudge base recipe (which was an adaptation of a different fudge recipe - I make a lot of fudge, okay?). I especially loved the fall adaptations, though my most popular by far is my lemon fudge recipe.
Anyway, if you love fudge, and you love fall flavors, I thought I would share my three autumn-inspired fudge recipes again! Since it's been so many years since I experimented with my fudge recipes, maybe I need to come up with another fall fudge flavor - stay tuned.
Pumpkin Maple Fudge - I remember not being totally satisfied with the way this fudge turned out, though it was still delicious. I think I wanted the pumpkin flavor to come through more, so a re-work of this recipe may be coming.
Caramel Apple Pie Fudge - This, more than any of the other recipes, is really a full-on dessert fudge!
Cinnamon Orange Fudge - This one was certainly fall-ish, but I think it could be yummy for Christmas too!
What do you think, what fall flavor should I experiment with next?
We had a wood stove at our old house, and I loved it so much. Whenever the power went out, we could stay cozy in that house with a roaring fire in the stove. I even cooked on that thing when the power was out! Having a fire going also makes the entire house instantly more cozy, and there is no better way to destroy the junk mail that you don't want to throw away because it has your name all over it.
After three years of living in this house (I can't believe we moved in three years ago now), the power amazingly hasn't gone out once. Our old house would get several outages each year, but this house didn't even lose power when we get hit by a bomb cyclone. Even though we may not need it for power outages, we are cleaning out the pipe on the stove and preparing to use it more regularly this winter.
My parents also live in the mountains, and one of the big trees on their property fell down last year. It's been sitting in the field, getting nice and dried out all this time. I asked my dad if we could have it for firewood, and he said sure, we could come chop it up once he was done haying for the year. I think it's going to be a mutually beneficial arrangement - he doesn't have to deal with the tree himself, and we get free firewood.
So a week ago, we spent an afternoon at my parent's house, in the crisp fall air, chopping up a tree and clearing out the dead branches. The aspen leaves were reaching the peak of fall color in the mountains last weekend, and they aren't just yellow this year, but orange and red too. My sister was also there with her kids, and all the cousins were running all over the property, crashing through the woods, and coming up with schemes to build boats and teepees with the branches we were cutting down.
When I was growing up, fall wasn't just about sitting inside by a cozy fire (though I clearly love that). We spent a lot of the fall outside, whether it was helping my parents pick up hay bales, going on a couple last horseback rides before the snow, cutting down trees so my dad could build spec homes over the winter, or hiking through the woods during hunting season.
As an adult I've had less practical reasons to spend time working outside in the fall, but spending a day cutting up fire wood was really refreshing. I felt like I was making the most of fall, getting outside and enjoying nature and the cool air while working with my hands on something that would benefit my family, just like we did every autumn growing up.
Anyway, I wanted to share a few pictures I snapped while we worked. It was such a gorgeous, satisfying, happy fall day.
We got a lot more firewood than this, but we have to go back and finish the tree in the next couple weeks!
Remember that summer to-do list I posted back in June? Well, we ended up crossing quite a few things off my unreasonably long list. We squeezed a lot of fun into summer, and as we are turning toward fall now, I wanted to record how we made the most of this summer, all the unusual circumstances notwithstanding!
---
Trampoline Games - Check! I taught the kids "pop the popcorn", and they had so much fun when I joined them on the trampoline!
Catch - Derek bought the boys some gloves, and he's been practicing catch with them this summer. We never signed either of them up for baseball, but it's one of my favorite sports, and I'm glad they are getting some practice in!
Spray Bottle Sidewalk Paint - Check! We did squirt bottles instead of spray bottles, and it was a hit! But they used it up way too quickly.
Ice Cream Playdough - Check! We used this recipe, and it was interesting - not much different than regular play dough, except it smelled like frosting. I think this is basically the same way you would make fondant. It's a fun recipe to try if the cooked-playdough recipes scare you!
Homemade Bubbles - We did try this! It looked cute, but it wasn't my favorite because the cornstarch kept separating from the mixture. But it did work!
Glow Sticks In Kiddie Pool - The weekend that we went porch camping, I also let the kids play in the kiddie pool. I threw a few glow sticks in it that night so they could see it from the tent! It wasn't as glow-y as I wanted it to be, but still fun.
Treasure Hunt - I put together a scavenger hunt for the kids to find some candy, using some free printables! The prize wasn't anything super special, but they still loved it. Clyde asked to do it again the next day, so I guess it was a success!
Reading Challenge - We did participate in our library's reading challenge! I took the kids a couple weeks ago to get their prizes, which included a book, a journal or bookmark, and coupons for a free entree at Noodles and Co.
Nature Hikes - We took several nature hikes this summer, and it was so nice to get outside so much.
Play In A Creek - Check! We found a creek in June, and the kids splashed around while I read. It was lovely, and the kids begged me to go back. Unfortunately the next time we went the creek was dry! We'll have to remember that it dries up by mid-summer next year.
Swimming - We managed to go swimming twice! My kids are finally getting to the age where taking them to the pool is less stressful and more fun. The big kids do pretty well in the deeper parts of the pool, and the little three are great with their floaties on. Wyatt and Gwen were even big enough to go on the slide this year!
Park Days - We visited several parks, including one where splash fountains were on, and the normalcy of just going to the park this summer was so good for all of us! My kids desperately missed the park when they were all closed during the spring.
Historical Sites - We had to delay one of our historical site plans until September, just because of finances and weather. But we did add in a more local historical site, and I am totally counting it as a school field trip! We also visited some local fossil beds one weekend.
Fishing - We went fishing twice, with plans to go more this fall! We went to a lake near our church on my birthday, and we also fished in ponds that are very near our house. The ponds looked really promising, but the fish didn't like our bait, so we are going to try live worms and go again soon!
Stargazing - We went stargazing in Arches National Park! It was the perfect place to stargaze as an International Dark Sky site. We found an empty parking lot, and laid on the pavement for about an hour, just staring at the stars with the kids and talking. The boys also saw their "first meteor", which they were super excited about! It was a good one too, with a long tail streaking across the sky.
Porch Camping - We try to do this every summer, and it's a big highlight for our kids! There is just something special about sleeping in a tent. And a bonus is that they spend alot of time playing in the tent the next day as well!
Campfire - The burn ban was lifted for a couple glorious weeks, and we snuck in a campfire a few days before the re-instated the ban. It was lovely, and even Georgie got into the marshmallow roasting this year!
Regular Movie Nights - We tried to have a movie night with the kids every Friday this summer, with pizza and dessert! We are definitely going to continue this tradition. It's fun to introduce the kids to some of our childhood favorites!
Firework Fruit Kabobs - I did make these for the 4th of July! They were so pretty.
Special Kid Drinks - At the beginning of the summer, I froze a bunch of kool-aid ice cubes. When we were having a boring day, I'd just pour Sprite over them for the kids - it's sweet how something so simple can make you "the best mom ever", ha!
Popsicles - I didn't do great at serving up the popsicles this summer, but I redeemed myself in these last few weeks! Popsicles all around.
Spaghetti Salad and Broccoli Salad - These are our favorite summer foods, and I made a batch of each to take on our end-of-summer trip a couple weeks ago.
Circus And County Fair - We visited our county fair for the first time as a family this year! I was really happy they went ahead with it. There was also a free circus at the fair, and the performers were great!
Dates - Derek and I were able to go on a date night this summer (rare occurrence)! We went mini-golfing and had a take-out picnic in the park. We also had a whole weekend away at the Gaylord hotel! It was beautiful, and we had a great time.
Boys' Birthday Party - We threw a joint birthday party for the boys! We did a party for the girls last fall, and had plans for a boys' party in April. We ended up doing it in June instead!
End Of Summer Trip To Arches - We ended up taking a weekend trip out to Arches before we started the school year! It was a really lovely trip, and I'm going to share more in another post soon. I have too many pictures to share here!
---
Stuff We Didn't Get To:
Trampoline Sleepover
Drive-in Movie
Bible Verse Memory Challenge
Make Bird Feeders
Origami "Fortune Teller" with Boredom Busters
Puffy Paint Ice Cream Cones
Hand-clapping Games
H.O.R.S.E.
Tic Tac Toe rocks
Homemade Bouncy Balls
I am hoping to add some of these into our fall plans, and if not, I'll just tack the rest onto next summer's bucket list!
Did you all do anything out of the ordinary this summer?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
