Official Start to Summer

Thursday, June 3, 2010
It is quite possible that I did not properly mentally prepare myself for summer. Today was the first full day. Don't get me wrong - the kids were great and we had a fun day. Just busy. This is them playing a full-on baseball game by 8:30 am. In pajamas.


By busy I mean there are that many more requests, questions, stories, comments, ideas and opinions. Which means my job as cook, maid, entertainment chairman, referee, hygienist, and chauffeur is just kicked up a notch. Bring it on.

To start, I decided to have a task chart for them each day. This is not chores, per se, but just things to make sure they do before they start requesting to do special things that day. These include brushing teeth, making beds, straightening rooms and for Paige feeding Fluffy and for Will taking out recycling. They have stamps to fill in these tasks each day. Cole is not participating despite this picture of him broom vacuuming my floor. His main goal is to avoid tantrums.


To kick summer off right, I borrowed an idea from my friend Nicole and initiated Operation Bedtime Psych tonight. This means that we did our normal bedtime routine and left the kids to fall asleep...except that minutes later we went into their rooms and suggested we all go out for ice cream. Classic. Here are their reactions:
PAIGE: First disbelief and a little confusion followed by full-on giddyness and hugs and thank yous.

WILL: Ice cream? But it's not wake-up time yet. Sure!

COLE: First he slowly uncovered himself and then read the excitement on the others' faces and quickly followed suit.


It. Was. Fun.

For the curious, I stuck a soy ice cream sandwich in my purse and then stuffed it in one of their cones and had them sprinkle it. He was feeling cool.

3 comments:

Alli said...

That is such an awesome idea, Karen! And Nicole. At first I thought this was some kind of cruel joke but how fun! You really are worlds #1 mom. I bet they had a blast!

Anonymous said...

YAY! So glad you did the ice cream run! Cole looks like a big kid :)

I, too, did not properly prepare myself for summer. I'm feeling totally beat up at the end of our first week. Next week will be better...

suzanne said...

what i wasn't prepared for this summer was getting up earlier than we do during the school year (for swim team).
that's so cool that you did the ice cream thing.

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