2015 Summer Plans

My sister, Karen, just recently asked about my summer plans.

Here's my answer:

I usually try to hide from the kids and eat the fancy popsicles by myself.
From previous summers, I've learned my children always find me,
and since I don't have a secret freezer with a lock,
my kids get to my fave popsicles before I can.

Here's my plan instead:

1. We are trying out Blue Apron this summer.
I got the idea and a discount from Our Best Bites.
They ship you meals with all the ingredients to your door.
It includes the recipe with good instructions and photos.
Then, you do the cooking.

I'm on the 2-meal, family plan.
It says it feeds 4, but we've been able to feed our family of 7 just fine.
Sometimes I add extra pasta or rice to a recipe,
or just add some extra fruit or veggies we have around.
It's a little expensive. But, our family has loved it,
and I'm learning new cooking tips, recipes, and ideas.
We are all trying new foods and ingredients.
The kids have been excited about it, and
they've each agreed to have a turn to do the cooking.
They and I have loved cooking in the kitchen together.
They are the perfect age, to learn, and have fun with it too.
It works in the summer, since we are much less scheduled,
and we have the time to cook together. The cost has been worth it for me
since it's like a cooking class for me, a cooking camp for the kids, groceries, recipes, etc.

You can cancel your plan anytime, or reschedule/cancel a delivery if you need.
You can choose your meals/menus that are delivered or request certain meal plans.

2. Family camping trip to the City of Rocks

3. 2 day horse camp for Tate and Sadie, and a month of cheer camp for Sadie

4. Month long band camp for Lindy, clarinet, and Kyle, saxophone.

5. Piano lessons for Lindy, Kyle, and Tate.
Lindy is teaching Sadie this summer who is just beginning. Love this!

6. Scout and Girls Camps

7. Family History Mysteries from the Friend Magazine.
They are doing 1 each month starting from last January.
We are going to try some of them this summer.

8. Some school workbooks, flashcards, or learn to type websites.

9. Each summer I take my kids on a tour of someplace in our city. One year we toured Great Harvest Bread Company, another year our local PBS tv station. This year we will try the Police Station.

10. A daily schedule, we don't follow this exactly but it helps:

Mon -Make Something (Crafts, Science Experiments)
Tu -Take a trip (parks, errands, etc.)
Wd -Snow Cone Day
Th-Thinking Day, (Workbooks, Mom School, Library, etc.)
Fr - Friend Day-have a friend over

We try to be dressed, get a job done, eat breakfast and lunch
before they can have some screen time in the afternoon.

11. A gym class for all the kids, except Lindy, at the same time, once a week in the evenings, when it's too hot to be outside. The local gym was offering a great summer discount for the kids, and it's easy, since I can take them all to the same place at the same time.

12. Swimming and lots of family visits to our home!

Photos from our backyard pool being built last fall.