I think what this blog needs is pictures of freshly picked strawberries and peas from the garden– right?
These actually aren’t the first pickings. The girls ate the first right off the vines and I was horrified. All I wanted was a picture to show off.
So after a couple of days I had a short window before they remembered there would be more, and was able to parade a bowl of fruit around the yard not-so-slyly letting my neighbors check them out…oh and I took some pictures.
Caught.
There are so many wonderful resources for planning a fun and carefree summer with the kids out there….no need to re-invent the wheel when your getting ready to chill out this summer right? The only problem is they can be a little difficult to sift through everything. Here is a list of resources I have collected and hope that you find helpful!
First I have to mention Pinterest. If you haven’t gotten on the Pinterest band wagon…it’s time friend.
Such a great resource for inspiration and organization, just type in what your looking for in the search box and you’ll have endless amounts of ideas at your finger tips from creative types all over the world.
Here are a few of my Pinterest boards that I am using this summer:
Projects – For all the free time you’ll have this summer!
Local Resources
Local Travel Guide Books and Brochures
This might sound strange, but local guide books are a great resource for places that you may not know about in your own backyard. Find them at a local bookstore or visitors center.
Other Parents
Ask other parents that you know their favorite places to take the kids to explore each summer. Who know’s what secret hallows you will become privy to!
State Parks
It’s easy to forget about our state parks…but they can be amazing resources for summer recreation and discovery! Take a minute and look up your state parks website for more information and find state parks near you!
Local Parks and Recreation
Stop into your local parks and recreation center and pick up a catalog or calendar. I like to add all the fun free events to our calendar to have as an option if we feel up to it, like movies in the park.
Public Library
Probably our biggest resource during the summer, the library is more than a place to check-out books. Often public libraries host summer events and readings, as well as display advertising for events and activities going on in your community.
Summer Parenting Inspiration
Safer Lives When We Played With Knives - On allowing more freedom in your children’s lives by The Crowded Nest.
Falling In Love With The World - A challenge to fall in love with the world all over again with your children by Imagine Childhood.
Childhood – On remembering childhood summers and 9 childhood traits grown ups could learn again from kids by…me at Mae Mae Daily.
Our Kind OF Dumb Last Day Of School Tradition by Susanna Grace – Love this post about welcoming in summer, simply.
Organization and Preparing For Summer
Remember to not get to get to carried away with organizing and planning– the purpose of all of this is to be just prepared enough to feel relaxed and carefree this summer…
Preparing for Summer: A Fun, Flexible, Daily Routine by Inspired to Action
Keep Your Summer Organized - a great post on prepping all your summer essentials by Simple Mom
Do It Yourself Summer Camp by Power Of Moms
10 Ways to Get Organized This Summer – On smart ways to prep your home for summer by Manilla.com
Planning A Carefree Summer With The Kids – On getting all those brainstormed ideas for summer organized and ready to be put into action by me at Mae Mae Daily
Summer Eating
Smart Snacking For Summer – by Simple Bites
Easy Recipes That Kids Can Cook – by Simple Bites
Summer Dinner Recipes – at Familyfun.com
Top 10 Healthy Summer Foods for Kids with some great tips! – at WebMD
Summer Lunch Ideas- by Make 5 Dinners in 1 Hour
Summer Reading
Good Reads For Summer – Recommendations for mom by Simple Mom
The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease – A good read this summer for learning more about how and what to read aloud to your child.
Top Summer Books for Kids 3 and Up – by Imagination Soup
HAISLN Recommended Reading Lists 2012
New Chapter Books for Summer Reading – by Imagination Soup
Picking A Book At Just The Right Reading Level – by Imagination Soup
Summer Reading List – Our summer reading list according to theme.
Summer Learning
An awesome pin board on Pinterest for learning outside: Outside learning and Playing
Recommended workbooks (check out the whole series):
Kumon Workbooks - Love these!
Best Summer Learning Apps – by Parenting.com
And again, my Lessons for Home Pinterest pin board is where I collect all ideas for this type of stuff, so check it out!
Projects
There are so many and activities and fun things to do with the kids this summer, but what about mommy activities? Here are some of the for-fun projects that are on my to-do list this summer.
For more project inspiration check out my PROJECTS Pinterest board!
Sun Glasses Sleeve Tutorial – by Sweet Verbena. I need to make a bunch of these and place them everywhere so I stop scratching mine up.
Heart Friendship Bracelets Tutorial – by Charlotte Rivers
Drawing on Pebbles by MagaMerlina. I mean, why not?
All-in-one Picnic Blanket Tote Tutorial by Craft Buds. I’ve really been wanting to make something like this for our morning outings when the ground is wet.
The Weekender Bag Tutorial by The Weekender. This bag is awesome and it would be a really fun challenge!
Sunbathing Companion For By The Pool Tutorial by Very Dark Horse
English Garden Troughs by Imagine Childhood. I want to make these for the back porch…So Cute.
I’m going to finally buy a lemon tree tree for the house!
Hope this large list helps! Next we will be working on prepping (equipment, supplies, uniforms, travel) for summer, so stay tuned.
Also, please share all your favorite summer ideas and resources in the comments…we would love more!
So. The power went out two nights ago for a few hours.
Yes, I was a little freaked out alone in the dark.
Yes, I did entertain the thought that someone cut the power so they could try and get to me and the girls…or steal my beautiful bike (more likely).
No, I did not arm myself
Yes, in my state of fear, the first thing I did was make sure that I ate…I have my priorities straight.
No (looking back), I never checked on my children in their beds. I just ate by candle light.
And yes, I’m starting to have a little city-of-ember-style anxiety wondering when will the lights go out next and how long it will last…or IF they will ever come back on again!!!!! Ahhhh.
And the worst part? The Internet died. It died and has not been resurrected. I’m hoping that the third day will do the trick.
It’s sad that my little world kind of collapses when I don’t have access to the web. No TV shows at night to keep me company while Husband is away, no video chatting, no interacting with my virtual mom friends, no nothin.
I can’t stand that I haven’t been able to blog. Its my solace and I need that as a temporary single parent. Posting from my phone isn’t as fun.
So keep your fingers crossed that I don’t completely lose it, that we get to see Husbands handsome face via screen tomorrow and that Little Lime finally gets to watch “Numba Land” after asking for the millionth time.
This is all sad, but true life…
Here is our preliminary summer reading list. I’m hoping to get suggestions from you all– I totally blanked on a few of these.
When I think of a carefree summer. I think of books. I am a true word nerd…always have been.
Acceptance and understanding for my obsession welcomes me in our little home because we are all avid readers. All of us. So naturally, weekly themes for the summer have to include books to keep us inspired. I’ve included books for Little Lime to look at in bed, books for Miss Raine to read on her own, books for reading out loud together and books I might want to read.
We’ll be taking this list with us to the library and making sure we get popular books on hold ASAP. Another really good option for us (especially in the summer) is using electronic check-out at the library to download books on e-readers and audio books onto ipods for car rides this summer. For audio books that we can’t check out at the library we use Audible.com credits.
PB= Picture Book
ER= Emergent Reader
BB= Board Book
My Backyard’s A Zoo ( Animals/Insects)
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
Chomp by Carl Hiaasen
Bunnicula by Deborah Howe
The Underneath by Kathi Appeit
Poppy by Avi
Hello, Red Fox by Eric Carle PB
The Very Hungry Catapiller PB
Fifteen Animals! By Sundra Boyton BB
Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell BB
Monet’s Garden (Impressionist Art/Sketching)
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Masterpiece by Elise Broach
Amelia Bedelia’s Materpiece ER
Draw Me A Star by Eric Carle PB
The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie DePoala PB
Art by Patrick McDonnell PB
Linnea in Monet’s Garden by Critina Bjork PB
Katie Meets the Impressionists by James Mayhew PB
Plants of Mystery (Plants/Gardening)
The Secret Garden by Frances Burnett
The Elves of Lily Hill Farm by Penny Kelly (For Me)
Fancy Nancy: Poison Ivy Expert by Jane O’Connor ER
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert PB
My Garden by Kevin Henkes PB
The Curious Garden by Peter Brown PB
Pickin’, Cookin’, Eat it up! (Baking/Preserving)
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey PB
Strega Nona by Tomie DePaola PB
I Will Never Not Ever Eat A Tomato by Lauren Child PB
The Science of Where You Live ( Geography/Ecosystems)
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Mexico and Around the World (Mexico/World Cultures)
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan
Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson
Hurricane Dancers: The First Caribbean Pirate Shipwreck by Margarita Engle
Everyone a Scientist (Scientific Method/Naturalist/Research)
Children of Summer by Margaret J. Anderson
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
Charles & Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman
Maria’s Comet by Deborah Hopkinson PB
The Humblebee Hunter by Deborah Hopkinson PB
Survival, It’s the best!!! (Survival Skills/Camping)
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
Hatchet by Gary Poulsen
Little House in the Big Woods
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
White Fang by Jack London
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson (For Me)
Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook (Non-Fiction)
From the Surface (Geology/Maps)
Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
As the Crow Flies: A First Book of Maps PB
Everybody Needs a Rock by Byrd Baylor PB
Right Where you Are Now by Lisa Montierth PB
Rocks and Minerals: A Gem of a Read! Basher Science by Dan Green and Simon Basher (Non-Fiction)
Olympics (Olympic Events/Sports)
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Magic Tree House #16 Hour of the Olympics by Mary Pope Osborne + MTH Fact Tracker #10 Ancient Greece and The Olympics
Asterix At The Olympic Games by Rene’ Goscinny PB
What are some books you hope to read this summer? Do you have any suggestions for us? Please share!
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