Summer Skills

What do you want your kids to learn this summer?

The summer is going to zoooooom by so if you want them to learn specific things during the summer - you've got to decide what you want them to learn and then schedule it.

Here's my brainstorm of skills:

8 year old

memorize articles of faith 9 -13

multiplication math facts
cub scout stuff
faith in god requirements
basic cooking - boil & scramble eggs, pasta, mac & cheese...
improve in soccer & baseball (especially catching)
violin

13 year old

baking skills

learn about fitness & nutrition
finish reading Nephi to Mosiah
complete eagle project
acting, art and design
improve piano

16 year old
ukulele (he chose this)
driver's trainin
drawing & sketching
D&C scripture mastery
train to climb Mt Whitney
basic household fix-it skills

18 year old

how to plan menu's and grocery shop

learn how to tile floors
mission prep

guitar

Summer Craft Links

I've been surfing the net to find some crafts to do with my kiddos this summer. 

My kids are getting a bit older so I want to do some useful crafts.I thought this "lazy susan" craft supply holder would be great way to start to our crafting.

Click HERE for directions.

Here's a few more:

Altered Clip board HERE

Juice Box Boats Here

Freezer Grafitti T-shirts  HERE

Bleach T-shirt HERE or HERE

Guitar pick pendant HERE

Cool Cuff Bracelets HERE

Personalized Sign HERE

Photo Magnets HERE

Duct Tape Wallet  HERE

Shrinky Dinks pendants HERE 

Buddy Photo Frames HERE

Father's Day Gifts HERE or HERE

Wooden Stool Footprints  HERE

Hot Rocks HERE          Hot Potato HERE

5 minute cake in a mug HERE

Home-made fruit snacks HERE

After you choose the crafts, be sure to gather the supplies ahead of time, so when the crafting urge hits, you'll be prepared!

The Bedroom Zone

This week's zone is BEDROOM. 
In order to PREP for summer, I'm zoning in on the kid's bedrooms. 
My secret plan is to have them de-clutter and organize this week,so it will be easier to keep up the rooms this summer.
Here are some tasks for the week:

• Sort Clothes - take out winter, too small, and clothes they never wear
• Simplify Bedding -
  I love this quote. "It is unreasonable to ask a child to make a bed that has more components than a model car kit. Simplify your child's bedding. I've eliminated the top sheet from my children's beds. Instead of being used, it always ended up pushed into the abyss of the end of the bed. It added a step for my kids when they tried to make their beds. If you have ruffles, sheets, duvet covers, and multiple pillows, the bed can seem impossible for a child to conquer. Simplify the contents down to what they use. Beautiful beds with multiple pillows, blankets, and sheets don't look that great when they're unmade. Trade in the bolsters and multiple shams for simplicity and a neatly made bed." (sorry I don't remember where i got the quote)
• Clean Ceiling Fans,Vents, & Blinds
• Wash Curtains/Toppers
• Wipe Down and Dust Everything
• Trash, Give-Away, or Box up "clutter makers" like happy meal toys, party favors, knick knacks. 

Click HERE for some amazing ideas on taming kids clutter.

What are you doing to prep your kid's rooms for summer?

Menu Monday - The Summer Plan

Being organized doesn't mean EVERYTHING is in perfect order! 
Being organized means that you take time to PREPARE for what's coming.  That's why I suggest Menu Monday each week.  It helps us set aside time to menu plan for the week, month, or entire summer! 

Today is all about the Summer Meal Plan. 
We all know it's tricky to get dinner on the table during the summer.  So let's get organized and create a summer meal plan to save time, money, and frustration.

I always start with a meal-planning outline. 
Then I can easily plug in meals for the summer.  The summer is about 12 weeks! 

Monday:  Sunday Leftovers
Tuesday:  Taco Tuesday
Wednesday:  Dad's BBQ
Thursday: Pasta, Sandwich, or Salad
Friday:  Pizza Night
Saturday: Leftovers or "Make your Own"
Sunday:  Crockpot Meal

Here are some Menu Planning Systems: 

Pocket Full of Posies system HERE

NannyGoats 30 day plan HERE

Apron Girl's business card style plan HERE

My last summer's plan HERE

What's YOUR plan? 

Summer Bucket List

Why should the momma do all the thinking?  

Put a bucket out and watch all the ideas come pouring in.

I just love this idea from Little Wonder's Day great idea from  Little Wonders' Days. 
Click HERE to see all ideas they came up with!  Thanks for sharing Kelly!

What ideas do you have on your BUCKET LIST?

Grab-n-Go Bag

The ability to Get-up & Go is a great skill to have in the summer!  You never know what might come up & you don't want your family to miss out on the fun!

Today's Task:  Invest in a great bag and fill it with daytippin' essentials!

Here's some great bags:

Here's some ideas to fill them:
Small first aid kit
Chapstick & Sunblock
Filled Water Bottle
Non-perishable snacks like granola bars, fruit snacks, and gum
Card games like Uno or Blink
Paper, Pencils, Markers
Camera
Cash

What do you have in your bag?
(and what great bag do you carry?)

 

Start Your Collection

Have your kids started bringing home flyers about summer classes and activities?  Toss the one's you aren't interested in (or can't afford :o/ ) and stash the rest in your summer binder.

Today's Task:  Add some binder pockets to your Summer Binder and start collecting those flyers.  Be sure to transfer pertinant info to your summer calender.  You'll be amazed how quickly your calendar will fill up.  Don't forget to leave some free time to chill out!

Start your collection by by printing out the FREE movie schedule offered by Regal Theatres.  Just click HERE and plug in your state

For the BAKO folks - here's what's showing:

Bakersfield Stadium 14
9000-G Ming Avenue
Bakersfield ,CA 93311
661-663-3042

06/08/2010-06/10/2010
Kit Kittredge: American Girl (G) Alvin And The Chipmunks Squeakquel (PG)

06/15/2010-06/17/2010
Tale of Despereaux (G) The Spy Next Door (PG)

06/22/2010-06/24/2010
Paul Blart: Mall Cop (PG) Surf's Up (PG)

06/29/2010-07/01/2010
Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs (PG) The Waterhorse (PG)

07/06/2010-07/08/2010
Madagascar 2 (PG) Where The Wild Things Are (PG)

07/13/2010-07/15/2010
Doogal (G) Night At The Museum II (PG)

07/20/2010-07/22/2010
Curious George (G) Monsters Vs. Aliens (PG)

07/27/2010-07/29/2010
Hotel For Dogs (PG) Planet 51 (PG)

08/03/2010-08/05/2010
Charlotte's Web (G) Imagine That (PG)

Do One Thing

One of the hardest things for me in the summer is getting dinner on the table.  I want to enjoy the kids, swim, play, go on outings - but suddenly it's 5:00 and everyone's hungry.  Don't Panic - Prepare!

Today's Task: 
Do ONE thing to make summer dinners easy!

I love having Taco Tuesdays in the Summer! 
Spread out the taco meat, refried beans, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese and tortillas.  The family makes their own just the way they like and all is bueno in the world.

Today I'm going to cook up 12 lb.s of taco meat, place it in 1 lb. ziplock bags in the freezer.  That's a summer's worth of Taco Tuesday's all prepared!

What are you cooking up?

Day Trippin' Brainstorms

There's nothing like a Day-Trip to get a family having fun!  Getting out of the house, away from the work, the screens and the schedules.

Today's Task: Summer Day Trips!

Really brainstorm to come up with at least 10 places to visit.  Google things-to-do in your town, ask your friends, ask your kids,and stash your list in your summer binder.

Here is a  few I came up with:

1. Tour Dewars Candy Shop
2. Kern County Museum
3. Bakersfield Museum of Art
4. Buena Vista Natural History Museum
5. California Science Center
6. The Getty Museum
7. Water Spray Park
8. The Beach
9. Hiking Day with Grandpa
10. Placerita Canyon Nature Center
11. The Queen Mary
12. Travel Town Museum
13. Forestiere Underground Gardens 
14. Insect Lor's Bugseum Visitor Center
15. Castaic Lake
16. Tour Frito Lay Plant
17. Hearst Castle   click here for  tips on visiting castle with kids
18. Balch  Park
19. Fort Tejon State Park
20. The Needles Lookout

Where are you daytrippin' this summer?

The Crazy Days of Summer

If your like me, your feeling a little overwhelmed
with the ever-looming 12-weeks of lazy, hazy, crazy, days of summer.

 AND Even though a few weeks without rigid structure sounds wonderful, if much time goes on without at least some kind of schedule - the summer, the household AND the children can become overwhelming and unmanageble.

Without SOME guidelines the kiddos soon decide that summer is their chance to do nothing but watch tv, play video games, snack uncontrollably, stay up till all hours of the night, and take a break from the usual chores.     (or is that just my boyz?)  

SO, every year, about this time, I begin to strategize, organize, and get my evil plans in motion!

Today's Task:  Heat Up your Week Plan!

Change up your Week Plan a bit for the Summer.  Each week will not be the same - but having a plan, not only gives a little structure to your week, but it  provide your kids (and yourself) something to look forward to.  Print a copy and put it in your binder with your summer calendar.

Here's my 2010 Summer Week Plan:

Monday: Catch-up Day
Catch up around the house after the weekend - plan to head out to an afternoon movie when the work is done.

Tuesday: Outing Day
Visit a museum, zoo, or art gallery. Many places have free-days once a month. Check out their websites to find out when they are.

Wednesday: Work Outside Day
Work on a project outside - gardening, building, water-fights...

Thursday: Service Day
Visit a nursing home, help a neighbor, or make & take a treat to a special friend.

Friday: Free-day Friday
Fewer chores, more time for friends, screens, and free time!

What's your Plan?