July 20, 2017​

​Summer has always been my favorite time of year. There is more time to relax and not feel the pressure of the school year. I believe downtime is extremely undervalued in our society, and we are failing to consider what else besides academics and extracurricular activities can shape our children into productive adults. Read more here on “Staying Busy”.

We keep a simple schedule allowing time to express gratitude for the moment we are in. It feels so freeing to not be trapped in the hamster wheel many choose. Busy is a word that I try to eliminate from my vocabulary. I look at “busy” as a negative word that sets limits and adds stress. Instead I like to look at our life as purposeful and abundant in what is really significant. Here are some ways the children and I have spent our time.

Outdoor Time

I start my days before my husband goes to work by walking Gizmo and take some moments to listen to the sounds that accompany the sunrise, say my prayers and might listen to a podcast. This habit has given me a sense of inner peace and calm before starting the day. It benefits my body, mind and soul.

Podcast favorites:

Catholic Stuff You Should Know

Parenting Beyond Discipline

Simple Families

Most days we swim at the neighborhood pool for a couple hours. The kids engage in creative play while building lifesaving skills and get lots of energy out! Though getting ready and taking three kids 6 and under to the pool by myself is not always the easiest task, we all get so much enjoyment from it.

Early in the morning or on days when the Southern sun is not too brutal, we play in our backyard or go to the playground to get in some climbing. We recently purchased bow and arrows (felt tips). The boys are enjoying playing medieval times with these.

We always make sure to pick up our trash from snacks and meals eaten outside and even pick up others’ trash occasionally as a lesson in taking care of the environment and the consequences of not cleaning up after yourself - creates more work for someone else, clogs the pool filters, dangerous to animals, etc.  There are so many ways to appreciate outdoor time.

Reading and Games

We read A LOT and play games. Some of our favorite games are Skip-Bo, Quirkle, Camelot Jr., and chess. We get books from the library every few weeks and make up a list ahead of time. I love snuggling with the boys while reading. I talk to them about the books I read and make sure that they see me reading at times too. It is important to me for the kids to read for enjoyment and explore various topics on their own. Some favorite reads this summer:

The Kids

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis

Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site by Sherry Duskey Rinker

Hello, ninja by N.D. Wilson

Tell Me about the Catholic Faith

Margaret Hillert Early Readers

Me

The Awakened Family by Shefali Tsabary

The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic by Matthew Kelly

Various books on the saints

See part 2 here on  how we are spending our summer incorporating time for others, spirituality and carefree timelessness in our lives. ​

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We love taking vacations each year to the beach. Nature trips are our favorite way to disconnect to focus on our family and take time to think about what matters most.