Staring Down Summer

Now that the three day weekend with daddy home is over, it's time to officially "stare down summer." I'm all about arming myself with plans, activities, and tricks up my sleeve.

After spending the entire school year hanging with just my little one, it's time to get the game face back on and get used to being full-time mommy to both girls at the same time.

It's going to take some good ammo, ya know? Oh right, I'm the only mom who has to go into each day with a plan of attack so no one goes nuts, is that right? hm. Well, here is some of my ammo....

Besides the usual things like swimming lessons and Mom's Day Out, one thing that I've tried to do with Brooke the past few summers and will definately do on a big scale this summer is learning activities. I'm breaking out the worksheets. I'm breaking out the flash cards, crayons, notebooks, pencils. I've been AMAZED by how much she has learned this past year in kindergarten, and I don't want her brain to go to mush and lose a bunch of it over the summer.

Lucky for me, she's on board with this plan. Last night as she was going to bed she asked me to have a math worksheet ready for her when she got up. (I did, and she aced it. Way to go!) . Her teacher sent home a fun little calendar with one simple thing to do each day on it. Today it was "make a sandwich and cut it in half" so Brooke made lunch for her and Hannah.

We're going to participate in the summer reading program at the library. Some days, after she reads a story, I'm going to have her write three sentences telling about it.

Our learning goals are: drawing better people and animals, tying shoes, and maybe just maybe getting rid of training wheels.

I'm hoping to teach Hannah a few of her colors, and mmmm potty train her! (Lord help me!).

Brooke took a daily nap/rest time up until she went to kindergarten. Even on weekends this past year she has done that. I know if I make her actually rest/nap every day, then our bedtimes are going to be rough. So our Mom's Day Out days will be official "rest/nap" days, and probably on the weekends, but the other days we are doing "FOB" time. From back in the days of church camp, it will be "Fanny On Bed" time. We will still stick a movie in for her in her room, but some days she will get to have her DS in there too, or some activity books, or art stuff, etc. I told her it is Mommy's Choice on what her option is on which days. I'm calling this a nap time promotion, we'll see if she can hang with it!

All work and no play makes for a crabby kid....so we will swim, play in the sprinkler, have movie times in the basement, cook, and do other activities. Playdates with friends are always high on the must-do list, days at grandma's house, and other outings are on the books.

I'm going to make a big tub of that colored rice for them to play with on rainy days. Although I'm sure it will be a mess.... I've got a dyson. More ammo. ;)

What are your plans for the summer? What are you arming yourself with to battle boredom or craziness?