summer break is back!

Summer break is a long awaited experience for this family. My daughter has already been off for TWO weeks! She has already built up tan lines and burn lines, bike rides, day swims at the local pool, night swims and sleepovers at a friend's pool, shopping, and all the things. My only request is that one day a week we do what I want to do and I get a heads up instead of last minute plans. The summer bucket list has been created and tickets have been purchased. We are off to a great start. 

We got a family pool pass to the local pool. She also has a friend who has a trampoline at one house and a pool at the other. Lucky for me, BOTH houses are a bike ride away! Due to the small size of our town, convenience and fun are around every corner. I also don't have to run an Uber business to make it happen.

I, on the other hand, have only been on summer break for one week. I think my body has finally remembered how to pause and relax. I have gone swimming, shopping, to a movie, lots of walking the dog, binging shows, and to-do lists. I agreed to clean something, read something, and craft something daily. The rules are loose, but it keeps me busy and ensures I don't waste this precious gift called break, especially when my high schooler still loves me and wants me around!

Yesterday I spent some time in the basement going through our "garage sale" pile. I looked up local charities and matched what we have with what they need. I now have 6 boxes to distribute throughout Rockford to animals, people, and charities that need our old stuff more. I consider that crafting because it was a creative way to get rid of things and make sure our family is green. 

Other items on the summer list are lots of music. Playlists for swim, craft, bike, or home time are a must. Games every week ensure we use what we have and stay together. Last night we hosted a game night and played the horsey game. Even my daughter participated. Who knew how fun rolling the dice and moving some horses could be?! 

I hope everyone's summer breaks are filled with laughter and memories. I hope you stay safe and have fun. I hope you experience sunrise, sunset, and everything in between with renewed spirit and hope. May your ice always stay cold and you get the best snuggles when the day winds down. And if you play games, may the Playlist rock the house and may you win! 

a Year's worth of fun

Instagram knew the new year was coming and kept blowing up my feed with "12 months of..." ideas. I saw date nights, mother/daughter days, girl's nights in, the list was endless. My family and I do plenty, but I thought this would be a fun little craft for me to give my family something to look forward to. It also guaranteed one on one quality time during stressful or hectic weeks. I called my friend, scheduled a chill day, and packed all the scrap paper and markers. 

We tried to theme out each month depending on if we are camping, traveling, or doing something local. My friend joined in and did some of the same ideas for her daughters, so we can have fun together. They are not all outings or expensive. Some are easy, at home events. Some are nature based or food based. We switched it up. 

I ended up doing a year's worth of activities for my husband, too. I had the time. I had the paper. Why not? One huge sheet of paper folded in an envelope and done. 

January: plan a resale shopping day and do lunch. Husband: Let your wife take you to dinner (we have some giftcards to use).

February: watch the movie Valentines Day and bake heart shaped cookies. Husband: go see a comedian at the Metrocentre. And so on and so forth. Picnics, Souptober, a day at the beach, and so much more will be coming. 

I love all the New Year's challenges so much more than resolutions. They give us something to focus on for growth and happiness. Resolutions make me feel committed and then disappointed if I fail or forget. I even added directions to the envelope: Open on the first of the month. Then we discuss together and put it on the calendar so the plan is legit. Here is to a Year's worth of fun!!!