First Day, Last Day

There’s a puzzle of all the presidents on my dining room table, rocks are tumbling in the rock tumbler in the garage, the Playmobil Egyptians are under attack by the Romans, and there’s a caterpillar cocooning himself in a bug hut on my balcony. This week has gently but surely transitioned us into summer like a swift skip in hopscotch.  But today is the day. The official day.

It’s official.
It’s summer.

Other seasons have a more gradual transition, but summer? There’s a day. A clean break between the end of a school year and the beginning of a summer season. There’s an anticipation leading up to a whole season of goodness. I think summer is my favorite season…but than again any current season is my favorite. I’m a big fan of mother nature.

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I thought about something else today. Today’s the last day too. Not just school, but today is the last day of my Master 6-Week Plan.

I got up early today and did a Tabata workout.

Side note: Have you ever tried Tabata? It’s a killer good workout.

While I had some time to myself this morning, I thought about the past six weeks and all the planning that went into it. Meals, blog posts, projects, school. I thought about my plan… how focused it made me…how I DID it!…how we jammed 8 weeks of school into 6…how hard my kids have been working…how the plan worked. I decided I am more focused if I chunk life up into pieces like that. Like if I have a goal or a general outline at least, I feel better…like I’m not floundering.

So I’m doing another plan starting in June. It’s a summer plan, a 12-week plan. I’m anticipating a 20-meal menu, a weekly exercise plan, summer crafts, and a few projects…just a few. For real, I’m not even being sarcastic 🙂 I loved my 6-week plan if you can’t tell.

After my workout, I drove to the grocer’s for donuts. Oxymoron? Maybe, but it’s the first day of freakin’ summer, this calls for a donut!  I’ve been collecting things from the dollar section at Target and clearance things here and there over the last couple of weeks and I put together is fun basket for summer.

I’ve never done this before and my choice-memory-children will probably come to expect it every first day of summer from now on I’m sure, but I’m so excited for them to see it when they get up! You’ve got your:
-big ol’ container for outside toys
-97 cent squirt guns
-goggles
-lemonade
-freezes
-water bottles
-sand bucket
-beach towel
-silly straws
-Popsicle molds
-collection of science experiments
-Brave “movie tickets”
-folder with craft projects
-sunflower seeds
-corn on the cob holders
-colorful cups
-art supplies
-pool toys
-bug net
–and a pillow stuffed in the bottom, making the presentation better

I’m trying something else new this summer; my own summer reading program. Each kid has their own folder to keep track of what they read.  I have a list of suggested reading for each of them to take to the library. They also have a chart in their folder so they can color in a box when they read something. Every so many “points” they get a prize. I don’t have prizes yet, so I  hope they’re slow readers. I’m thinking little treats I don’t normally buy, like candy, Gatorade (I never buy it and my kids love it…I’m mean.), stuff like that.

So this is it! Our first day…and the last day. Today we’re going to a children’s museum we’ve never been to as a “Hooray for Summer” hooray! Then we’re going to Sam’s Club. Then we are cleaning, getting groceries, and twiddling our thumbs until Sunday at 10:40pm when my sissy gets here with her baby, Bennett.

The next few weeks will be sporadic here with me. I’m planning on enjoying my 10 days of family…I might pop back in on Mom’s day, but other than Happy Day Wednesday, don’t expect to see me much.

Happy Friday to you and happy first day of Summmmmer!! to me 🙂

xo,
{alicia}