Hello, Summer & Our 2018 Summer List

Ahh....Summer. 

It's the most wonderful time of year, especially when you are a teacher :)

 There's just something about Summer...it is good for my soul.

I always say that Fall is my favorite season because I love the pumpkins, the leaves, the comfort food, Fall clothing & boots...but the past few years I have realized that Summer is just good for my soul...I am a different person in Summer....more relaxed, less stressed.

We've been out of  school for 2 weeks now....it was a magical school year.

It was the one and only year that all 3 kids were at the same school.
The one and only year all 3 kids will be in Elementary School at the same time.
Luke isn't smiling because he was sad TK was over & he was going to miss his teacher too much. 
I can't believe Kate is done with Elementary School now.

I wrote THIS post on Kate's first day of Kindergarten.  

This is a portion of what I wrote on that post:

Today she will be walking into her Kindergarten classroom and into other classrooms for the next 13 years.....the majority of her days will be spent at school.

That thought alone puts a lump in my throat.

The time goes by so quickly and it makes me question everything.

Have I done enough for Kate in her first 5 years?

Have I done enough to prepare her for the world around her?

Is she confident enough? Smart enough?

Will she be a friend to those who don't have friends?

Will she stand up for herself and others?

Will be respectful to her teacher?

Kids at school can be mean....Does Kate know how much she is loved by God and her family?

I could go on and on about how scared/nervous/excited/anxious I am for her, but I will just end this with a prayer.

Dear God,
Please calm my heart and Kate's.
Please be with her today and the rest of her days at school and give her confidence in YOU. Help her stand against peer pressure. Empower her to make good decisions.
Surround her with good friends that are positive influences.
Protect her from bullies and those that mean them harm.
Help me as a parent to be even more supportive of her this year.
Give me the words to help build Kate up during her school years and give her the courage to talk to me if she is ever having a problem. Strengthen my discernment.
You are in control and we need to trust you.
Amen.

 

  Kate’s time at Elementary School ended how it started...me in tears. But this time, my tears are tears of gratitude and thankfulness. Tears because God literally answered my prayers I had for her as she entered Kinder. I will keep praying those things for Middle School (and High School)

Next year, she will be with me in Middle School and I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! 

I am so excited....she is READY.

Last week was our first week of Summer and every year, the first week of Summer is the same...I schedule NOTHING. No camps, no trips. 

We need that first week of Summer to CHILL and literally do nothing. 

We need that margin in our life to relax & decompress.

I am pretty sure we were in our pj's for 75% of the week. It was amazing.

We did make our 2018 Summer List! 

 I love making a Summer List with them because it's fun to see what ideas they come up with.

Here is our 2018 Summer List:

We won't get through all the things on our Summer List, but it is fun to try!

Some of the things I am looking forward to that are on the list:

-Road trip to Oregon (I grew up going to Oregon during the Summer, so I am looking forward to doing this with my kids. We are going to Manzanita....any suggestions on what to do? Also stopping in Portland for a 1/2 day)

- Going to see the last 3 California Missions. We have seen 18 of 21, can't WAIT to visit the final 3 this Summer.

-Museum of Ice Cream in SF

- Movie in the Backyard

I am also a mean mom ;) and each day they have to do 20 minutes of reading, 20 minutes of math,  jumping on the trampoline for exercise & make their bed each day.

Here is my summer list of things *I* want to get done this Summer:

1. Finish Claire's 1st year Baby Book.
(I made an awesome book for Kate's 1st year and haven't finished Claire's yet...she will be 10 years old in September and she keeps asking where her book is. YIKES. I am the WORST.)

I haven't even started it & I obviously haven't started Luke's....I am going to MAKE myself make her a book and surprise her for her 10th birthday. #momfail

2. Read a book a week

Summer is when I do most of my reading. 

Looking forward to keeping my reading streak going this summer!

3. Organize my Christmas Card List/Addresses

I know this is ridiculous, but every December arrives and all my addresses for Christmas Cards are super un-organized. I want to enter them on an Excel spreadsheet and update the addresses of friends who have moved. I know I need to get this done in the Summer when I have time, because I never have time in December.

4. Train for my 5th Half Marathon

 I ran my 4th Half Marathon in May and I just love that distance. I have kept up my running since May and I want to run another Half Marathon this summer.

5. Clean out closets & Finish 40 Bags in 40 Days.

One of the books I want to start off reading is The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up...I know this will help me with cleaning out closets!

(Things get crazy & unorganized as the school year comes to an end. I need to claim back our closets & get rid of things that don't fit the kids and/or that we don't wear anymore)

I haven't finished 40 Bags in 40 Days yet, but I want you to know that the 1st week of summer I barely left my house because I was too busy cleaning things out! 

Just last week alone, I  donated over 8 bags to Goodwill and thrown out 6 bags of trash.

Here is one before & after of the kids craft/game closet that was out of control:

 After:

SOOOOO much better!!!

Here is my 40 Bags & 40 Days list & I have highlighted what I have completed:

When I am cleaning out these areas, I do them one at a time.
I take out EVERYTHING in that section and sort through everything.
It makes a HUGE mess. 
I put back only the items I want and I do it in an organized fashion.
The rest of the things that are not put back are put in the donation bag or the trash bag.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

  Do you have a summer list? 

What are looking forward to doing this summer?