A few more Summer pictures before we actually move into fall

In a past year we tried to make sure that each activity we did filled each letter of the alphabet, remember that?

Last year we did what my friends Laurenda and Amanda called "The Hour of Power".  I think Amanda made it up or saw it somewhere but tailored it to her kids.  I tailored it to mine in turn and it worked really well.  They had their morning tasks (make bed, get dressed, say prayers, etc.) and the 15 minutes of each: mulitplication, penmanship, spelling, and time alone with me every other day while the other day they read for that 15 minutes.

This year, however, I wanted to do the Hour of Power and then add something fun for each day.  My plan was to do writing (penmanship again - it's kind of a pet peave of mine), typing, multiplication, and practice the piano.  Then we would have

• Make Something Monday
• Time to read Tuesday (which really meant we went to the library and hung out for a while - something my children absolutely LOVE doing!)
• What's the Movie Wednesday (free movies at the theatre close to our house)
• Be thoughtful Thursday (write and send thank you note, serve a neighbor, etc.)
• Fun Friday (we'd go on a trip somewhere around KC)

We did pretty well with Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, but the other two days didn't happen often, if at all - it turns out that my kids would rather stay at home then go see a free movie in the theater, crazy...and a little awesome.  And we are pretty good at writing thank you notes, but not so good at the delivery.  Also, we only did the Hour of Power once or twice this summer - oh well! 

But all the plans looked fun on paper!

Here are some of the things we did end up doing and some of the outings we made (in addition to this and this): 

Hotdog and Marshmallow roast on our back deck.

The kids helping to deep clean.

 Elise making grilled cheese sandwiches for the first time.

 Elise making a build and grow project.

Max making Perry the Platypus designs.

Max making pancakes (doesn't even have his glasses on for the day yet!)

Ha! This was a project we tried but did not read the instructions all the way through first (I've always had trouble with that). The measurements were completely wrong, so we had mini-baskets...they did hold earrings, Reese's pieces, and origami Star Wars characters.

 Obviously, we had a lot of fun and the kids still learned a lot even if my plans didn't go...well, as planned.  And though I don't remember it, it sure looks like we did most of these activities on the same day and mostly in pajamas.  Tja!  WE LOVE SUMMER!