Summer has arrived. And we are here for it. My friends and I were trying to sync calendars the other day and I described our summer as "flexible busy". We aren't committed to anything like a sport or camp, but we have a long list of things we want to do like berry picking and hiking. Because of that, our days are full, but it's nothing we can't move around or cancel. So our summer is busy, but flexible. I also know our family needs slow days and home days. In fact, it's pretty easy to tell when we need that because the meltdowns and outbursts from one child in particular will let you know. That's my signal to slow way down.
Even still, here's our BIG summer bucket list:
By far, our favorite part of summer has to be the swimming! My kids are so comfortable in the water and you'd never guess they've never had swim lessons. We visit State Farm pool every week with our friends and we try to swim at Nana and Pop Pop's as much as they'll allow us without moving in :)
Co-op is a lot harder for us in the summer. All 13 families are doing all sorts of things- activities, vacations, etc. So it's sometimes hard to coordinate events. So far in June we went to a local homestead of a homeschooling mother of 8. It's always encouraging to meet veteran homeschoolers. And it was really exciting for Isla to spend her day on a mini farm. I really wish we could give the kids more land to live on and take care of. Maybe some day :)
We also had our second annual co-op family cookout. This sweet little group has grown into something special. It's a unique dynamic because they aren't just my mama friends, but they are my fellow educators. We all participate in all of our children's education. It's a cool thing to grow close to each other while our kids learn and grow together. Four families were unable to attend this cookout, but in total there are 13 moms, 13 dads, 34 children (ages 1 month to 9 years old), and someone who is always pregnant and adding on to our numbers.
These women mean the world to me.
And we love including the dads in all of this too. Half of them are State Farmers, most of them smoke meat, and all of them probably think their wives are a little bit crazy for this whole homeschool endeavor ;)
The kids have gotten A LOT of quality time with their grandparents lately. Aunt Rah Rah and the cousins came to town and we had a whole fun time of playing, visiting Amma, riding all Pop Pop's toys, and eating good food. Nana and Pop Pop sure have a fun house!
Mimi has been in town and we've done all our every day things with her. And a couple times Nana and Mimi have done things together with the kids. The two grandmas planned an under-the-sea party together while mom and dad got to go on a date night!! And then they both attended zoo class together with the big kids. Our kids sure are blessed to have grandparents that love them so much and work together to make fun for everyone.
The other day in the garden as Isla was helping me weed and harvest lettuce, she leaned over and said "I am glad you are teaching me to garden so that I know how to do it someday". It was such a small thing to say, but it mattered a lot to me. It reminded me that all the little things we do with our children, both intentionally and accidentally, add up and eventually help shape them and their future. I don't always know what I'm doing in the garden (or life) and I make plenty of mistakes as I learn to grow food for our family, but I think those lessons are just as important as teaching her when the right time to harvest a radish is or how to trellis a cucumber vine. Being in the garden with my kids is truly magical.
Our summer days have been so full and so sweet. Endless drippy popsicles, sprints to the icecream truck, lemon flavored everything, music in the park, post-swim exhaustion, breakfast-lunch-dinner on the patio... I'm trying to savor all of it because I know summer with my babies won't last forever.
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