Gearing Up

For summer and babies all at once. 😉 Gearing quite slowly though, just so you know! I always think that quick movements are completely beyond me till I trip over a small shoe with an arm full of laundry. Ha! However, it’s not at all comfy to move that fast, so I think I’ll avoid it for a bit if possible!!

So what does gearing up for summer look like HERE? Well, for one thing it does NOT include Spring cleaning. 😉 I keep thinking that a van full of those fun Merry Maids will just pop up out of no where and scour my home from top to bottom and vanquish all those ridiculous cobwebs, but nah… no such luck. 😉 However, today I did manage to get the kids to strip their beds and ALL the bedding AND mattress pads are getting a much needed wash. I’ll have to have Stu help me put it all back together tonight. Myles wet his bed for the first time in a L O N G time last night, and ended up sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag. I’m surprised there was room on the floor for him as much of a disaster zone their room is. So they’ll be working on that this afternoon, but they don’t know it yet… and that’s a good thing for keeping the peace.

I worked out a “Sumer Routine” for us as well. It looks like this:

SUMMER ROUTINE
WAKE UP
BREAKFAST
GET DRESSED/MAKE BEDS
READING TIME (15-20 MIN)
OUTSIDE PLAY
SNACK TIME
MORE OUTSIDE PLAY
LUNCH
READING/QUIET TIME/WORK PAGES
PLAY
SNACK TIME
CLEAN UP
DINNER
PLAY
BED TIME
READ IN BED 20 MIN
LIGHTS OUT!

You might notice there aren’t specific times on there. That’s intentional. I’ve come to realize that I can handle “routine” much better than I can handle “schedule.” Probably why I’m a SAHM instead of a career woman. 😉 The reason that I wrote this up today (and printed it and hung it on the fridge) is because last summer was a very VERY difficult time for me with one child in particular. I struggled and struggled and there were tears and frustration and more tears and just an all over I’m-the-worst-mom-in-the-universe feeling that isn’t so much fun to have. Especially during Summer when things are supposed to be more relaxed and fun. But then I finally figured out WHY we were having so many issues. Things were TOO relaxed and fun. Kid need structure, some more than others, but just about all of them thrive on knowing what to expect “next.”

So this Summer while we are going to have FUN and certainly be more relaxed, we are still going to have a routine. If they know that after breakfast they get dressed and make beds EVERY day, then they know what to expect. If they know that after lunch is some quiet time and worksheet time, then they’ll know what to expect and that will (I think and hope) help keep them from kind of freaking out in all the “free time” of Summer. I also hung it on the fridge so that people who come in to help us while we’re all adjusting to the twins will know the routine and can keep the kids on it as well.

At least those are my thoughts about it all…. 🙂

Over the weekend my phone kept telling me that Monday’s low was going to be 30*. I had visions of last spring when all the plants/flowers froze right after we got them all nicely transplanted. But my next thought was “Oh well.” Cause there’s nothing really I could do about it and quite frankly, I’d rather let them freeze than attempt to “save” them by dragging down all those hanging baskets and ground planters and trying to find a warm place for them. That is a level of energy that I do NOT now have and likely won’t for some time to come. 😉 So anyway, I was pleased when I checked the weather yesterday and it told me it would only be a low of 36! I’m not sure where these weather apps get their data for our area, I know it’s not completely accurate for our exact location, so I usually take whatever they say with a grain of salt, but I was still a little nervous for all my pretty flowers. They were fine and dandy this morning though, so that’s good!! Looks like our temps are supposed to get into the 80’s this week as well!! Yay!! I know for some that’s on the “too high” side of things, but for this gal with Eskimo blood… or… uh… Hawaiian blood (??) I’m too cold all the time. There are frequent days in the middle of summer when I will be seen in a pull over sweatshirt because it’s too cold!!! 😉 Ha! Today I was FREEZING all morning! It was nice outside, but even with the windows open I couldn’t seem to get it warm enough indoors! So finally out of exasperation and because of an extremely cold nose, I went outside to bake in the sun in my yoga pants, long-sleeved shirt and socks. Ha ha ha!! I thawed out a bit after awhile, and it worked. My nose is not cold anymore. 😉

So anyway, that’s what things look like here today. I’ve got a growing pile of laundry on the couch that is begging for attention, and a few more loads of bedding to wash so I’d better get a move on. 😉 Confession: This week I haven’t folded any of the kids laundry. I just toss it into piles for each recipient and they take them and put them in the right drawer. It all ends up looking like that ANYWAY, so why bother, huh? Qade (of course) was disconcerted that his shirts were not folded, so I invited him to fold them himself. 😉 Ha ha!

Toodles