I am not ready. I have plans, but mostly ideas. We are not taking an actual vacation this year because we are putting in a pool...a pool that will not be ready until the end of June, if the weather cooperates. So that means that I get to entertain my girls until then. I know it will go by fast, but it is already so hot here in Texas, and they won't, and shouldn't, play outside during the middle part of the day. I have a stack of craft sets, boxes of craft supplies, and Netflix ready to use. Somehow it doesn't seem like it will be enough. I am confident that we will make. I promised them I would teach them to sew. I also promised that they would get to cook more often. All of this means, I will grow in patience.
I will take advantage of their middle school age to make them help me clean the house more this summer. I always think I will get a handle on it early in the summer, but I seem to get lazy and fail. When my oldest was home all summer, and she told me she was bored, I would have her help me clean. After a few times, she quit telling me she was bored. I'm not even going to trod down that path with the girls this summer. I have a list of things they will do each day of the week, that must be done before the, if any, fun begins. The discipline is actually on me. I must make myself make them do the work.
I created a Message Center in the kitchen, complete with calendar, magnetic boards, cork boards, and clipboards for checklists. Everything has a spot, a spot for shopping needs, a spot for messages, a spot for notes, etc. I am hoping, once again, that this space will help me keep it organized for everyone. I created it a few weeks back, and it is halfway working like it should. We keep up with the calendar and notes, but the To-do's and checklists seem to have been ignored. This is, of course, my fault. I vow today to make it a priority of mine to help the girls get their chores done!!
I have addressed chores, and home fun activities. I also have a couple of sports day camps reserved and a week where they go away to an overnight camp. I have a few mini-stayvation trips planned. We are going to a resort hotel for a night of fun, where we can crank up the air conditioning, eat junk food, and swim in the resort pool. We are going to visit NASA near Houston and stay at the Boardwalk in Kemah, and stop by the Battleship Texas and San Jacinto on the way. When the girls go to camp, my true love and I are taking a train ride to San Antonio and back to celebrate our anniversary.
So, chores, home activities, and mini-trips. And a swimming pool. 83 perimeter feet and 15,264 gallons of cool water fun, that is until August, when the water will feel like a bath. We are all willing to push through the heat to try to enjoy it :) I am hoping the pool will be the thing that makes my plans come together. Less laundry because they wear swimsuits most of the time. More fruits and veggies for snacks because they are on their way to play and want somthing light and quick. More smoothies instead of sugary juices because it's hot outside. I will be forced to eat fruits and veggies because that's what I will have to choose from. Since I'm not running as many errands outside in the heat, I won't be tempted to stop and get fast food.
There are three more days of school. My goal this week is to plan my shopping list for foods, finalize my weekly chores lists, and get a pedicure...I will deserve it by next week.
Hold on tight, here comes SUMMER!
