Summer Run-down

So here we are again. SUMMERTIME!! Woo hoo!! It never ceases to amaze me at how fast it gets here or how fast it leaves. School is finished. Co-op is finished. Time for a break right?

Nah!! Apparently because I don't think I have enough to do already, I started going back to college this past March, part-time, for my Nursing degree. I am a bit skeptical about what I will be able to accomplish. More than anything, I do not want it to affect our family dynamics. I decided to go back to better our family, but there is going to be a VERY fine line. I'm praying I don't cross it.

If there are blogs and articles about stay-at-home moms who homeschool (and direct a co-op), I haven't found them yet. I'm working on putting together a reasonable schedule of homeschooling, homeschool planning, co-op planning, house keeping, dinners, and quality time with my husband and kids. Shew... That just seems like a lot, but with God's help, I will get it done!

We all know how well I have done at keeping up with blogging, but I want to record my journey for those who do this after me. Hopefully I will be good at it this time.

I am taking 2 classes this summer, Chemistry (yuck) and Human Development. Human Development is online. It's a very in depth class though. I am trying to set aside time at night to read and do homework. Chemistry, on the other hand, is on campus. I still have homework and studying to do, but with the lectures, it's easier to tell what the teacher expects from me. Chem class is Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 pm to 3:45 pm. That's a lot of Chemistry!

Because I am away from the house those 2 days, I have been working on our summer calendar. We usually "fly by the seat of our pants" in the summer, but this year, I am trying to be very intentionally about making it a great summer for the kids, even though mom is gone 2 days and needs to study. So far so good. Here's our "bucket list" for the Summer. Most of these are quite do-able. There are a few that may not get put on the calendar but only because they a little out of budget or driving range.

1. Camp out back- We have a nice privacy-fenced yard on the outskirts of town. We can still see the stars fairly well. My mom and dad bought us a REALLY nice 8 person tent for Christmas, along with really nice sleeping bags. We're excited to get to use it!
2. S'mores
3. Amusement Park- I am happy to say that we've already crossed this off our list! We went to Hershey Park in Pennsylvania on May 31st. It was a really fun 2 day weekend together.
4. DC Zoo with Dad- With my girls' dad, that is. We went last year on a field trip, but my husband was working. We want to go back with him.
5. Family Game Nights- These are going to get scheduled in over the next week. It seems simple, but I really need to be intentional. It gives us something to look forward to also.
6. The Beach- We are only a 45 minute drive from the beach, but last year we only went once. We usually buy a beach tag and go surf fishing, but for some reason, that didn't happen last year. Again, I will be penciling these days in. I need to know they are coming
7. Picnic by the river
8. Color together
9. Tie Dye
10. Pedicures
11. Lemonade stand
12. Homemade facials
13. See a water fall- We have several very nice ones about a 2-3 hours drive. It would make for a nice day trip.
14. Set up a booth at our local festival- My daughter makes all-things-duct tape, and I "upcycle" jeans/shorts/mini skirts into modest skirts.
15. Ride horses as a family- I'm not sure if this will happen. We'll see how the budget goes, and if anyone in our area does this.
16. Star Gazing- Out in the country.
17. Movie at the Park- Our city does these through the summer. Everyone brings blankets or chairs and gets to watch a movie on a really big screen.
18. $1.00 Movies- We will most likely not hit all of these, but a theater near us offers $1.00 children's movies during the day. They are older movies but some we haven't seen.
19. Family Breakfast- We did these a lot when I was growing up. The families got together. Each brought food to contribute to the cooking, and the women cooked a big breakfast for everyone. I enjoyed them as a kid.
20. Bible Reading Challenge- I want to set goals or us all to read together and see how much of the Bible we can get through.
21. Skiing- This one will probably not be happening. It is way out of budget, and way out of season for around here. It's fun to dream though. You never know what can happen!
22. Make cookies together
23. Night time fishing on the River Walk
24. Ice Cream Nights- Grab some ice cream and go eat it by the river or maybe sit a people watch. Just some time to be with each other and talk.
25. Pool Days- Of course! Summer isn't complete without them! My mom and my grandmother have pools, so we can take our pick!
26. Catch Lightening Bugs
27. Silly String Fight
28. Sew Together
29. Cook Together
30. Play in the Rain

So that's what we have planned for this summer. How about your family? What are your summer plans for 2013?