Tuesday the kids got up and completed their daily checklist. I've found that my kids do REALLY well with structure and clear expectations. I decided to keep things very simple and created summer clipboards for them. The expectations for the day are laid out for them and there has been minimal whining and complaining about chores and school work. I am being really flexible with things so we honestly don't get to everything on the list every day and I'm totally fine with that.
A closeup (the extra chores change every day and I write them in each morning - this week they cleaned bathrooms, vacuumed, dusted, washed windows in the car, pulled weeds, etc.)
The play list is what they can expect when we don't have other plans for the day. Tuesday is the reading program at the library so we factored that in and Wednesday's are free movie day at the local theater. I don't expect we'll do them every week but they're on the schedule if we have nothing else going on.
After their checklists were done, we went to the store to restock our craft supplies, made a craft, had a picnic at the park, rode bikes/scooters, made cookies, watched a movie and had Popsicles. Even with all that the kids still said they were bored which made me really nervous for the rest of the summer.
Wednesday was the first day of swim team for Carter and Makenna. They both really enjoyed it and it will be my sanity saver this summer. Swim team is every weekday morning from 9-10 a.m., with meets on Saturdays. It is a time commitment but I love having somewhere to be every morning and love that the kids are getting exercise and having fun at the same time.
After swim team we met up with some friends to spend some time at the local children's museum. I love having passes to the museum and the zoo because I can go for a couple of hours and not feel like I have to stay forever to get my money's worth.
After swim team on Thursday, I took the kids to see
it's a weird story made even weirder in the Tim Burton adaptation but my kids liked it a lot and thought having a lunch of popcorn, soda and candy was the best. They rounded out the day with a couple hours playing in the sprinklers.
Friday afternoon we checked into a local Radisson hotel that just opened a big indoor water park. The kids were SO excited and it definitely didn't disappoint. We were able to check in and start playing at 2 p.m. and Allen joined us around 4:00. The park includes two big water slides, a lazy river, a huge kids play area, a water basketball court, a water obstacle course, a huge indoor/outdoor hot tub and an indoor Flowrider ride (a wakeboarding/surfing practice course). It was awesome and we had so much fun.
Allen & Carter on the Flowrider:
Carter was actually pretty good by the time we left and he loved it. Al was a total daredevil doing flips and tricks on his board.
Carter was actually pretty good by the time we left and he loved it. Al was a total daredevil doing flips and tricks on his board.
Obstacle Course:
Hot tub (where Addie would have stayed the entire time if we had let her):
We randomly ended up running into some friends in our ward who were there the same night so our girls got to play together. (And seriously, 1 week into summer would you look at that tan line on her shoulder?! She's well on her way to being my little indian girl already!)
After for playing for several hours we went out to dinner and then came back to the hotel for a quick dip in the hot tub before hitting the sack.
The next morning we went out to breakfast and then were back at the waterpark by 9:00 a.m. We played all morning until the park closed at 1:00 p.m. I tried to get a picture of all three kids right as we were leaving and this is what I ended up with. We were clearly ready to head home and get everyone down for naps!
We had a great time and can't wait to go back sometime this year.
It was a GREAT first week of summer and I'm really looking forward to the rest of summer. My kids are at such fun ages right now and are pretty self sufficient and fun to be with!
4 comments:
You are, as always, the SuperMom. Well done.
As for kids telling you they were bored, when Adam was a kid, every time he said he was bored his mom would give him chores to do.
Also, funny story: when Adam and I were babysitting some kids in my ward this last week, after about the 20th time they asked me what they were going to do next, I told them if they asked me that one more time, my brain was going to explode and a panda was going to come by and lick it up. They stopped asking me after that.
So, you know. Mother of the Year and all that.
Wow!!! That was one crazy week! I like your check list for the kids... I need something like that or a chore chart too!
Swim team sounds fun too! Hope they enjoy that this Summer!
What a great first week - you are such a fun (and organized!) mom! Your kids look like such fish - it makes the Summer WAY more fun when your kiddos are water bugs!
Your summer is starting off perfectly! I can't stand how grown up Miss A is suddenly looking.
I love your clipboards. I used to do something similar when Lacey & Hollie were little. Lily has a summer check list now...
Your hotel get-away sounds fabulous. :)
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