Summer is almost here!

It has felt like summer around here for a long time.  Heck, we live in SW Florida.  It has been in the 80's for a few months now.

But school is almost out for both of my kids!  Ahhhh.... true summer, right?  My son finished school this last week.  And my daughter finishes this week.

But now comes the problem of what to do with them!  I strongly believe that kids should be able to entertain themselves.  That is NOT to say that I don't want to plan fun things for them throughout the summer, but it does mean that I will not be their play thing all summer, every day.  

I recently read an article that stated that children should be bored once in a while, especially today's children.  And you know, at first I was taken aback, but then I thought about it more.  Yes!  Children should learn how to use their imaginations and brains to entertain themselves.  My mom didn't play with my all the time.  In fact, I don't remember her playing with me at all.  She would take me places, and plan events, but she never got down on the floor and played with me.

What's wrong with that?  I think absolutely nothing!

I sit back, often, and notice the differences in my children.  Both are incredibly imaginative, however, my son plays pretend and entertains himself more often than my daughter.  My daughter is getting to that age where technology is becoming more a part of her life.  I don't want her tied to her devices all the time, but I can see value in some of what she uses her devices for.  

So what am I going to do this summer, especially with my kids?  I do plan to take them to the beaches, both here in Florida and up in Michigan, as we will be spending about a month up there.  I plan to take them bowling, maybe for some ice cream, to the parks, mini golfing, and maybe a zoo or something.  I don't have a lot of time here in FL to do some of the things I want to do with them. 

I also have been pinning a bunch of ideas of what to do with my kids, activities to do at home.  

What are your plans for this summer?

Summer...

So it has finally arrived in MI for us.  Just in time for us to enjoy about two weeks of warmer temps and then we head back south where it is hotter than heck.  What can I say?  

So we fully intend to take advantage of these warmer temps.  Today we are hitting the beach.  I haven't been to the beach up here since my parents owned the other house further south than here.  

We used to live right on Lake Michigan, which was awesome.  And our summers and weekends from about May through September were spent at the beach in front of our house and on our boat.  We used to take boat rides, waterski (okay, that was my sister and our neighbor, but I was in the boat driving or spotting), tubing, swimming, riding jetskis... doing what any other good Michigander did.  enojying the outdoors.

The good news is that here, my parents' boat is right out front of our house (or back... I will never get ued to that.  We used to call the Lake front, the front of our house and the road side, the back.).  But our "beach" has been taken over by weeds.  The lake we are on is so different than Lake Michigan.  

It is smaller, but just as beautiful.  But we have snapping turtles, and leeches, and other things that are closer to our shore here.  So swimming isn't really an option.

Anyway, I digress.  The best summer memories for me were spent hanging out with my friends, having bonfires, playing on our boats or jetskis.... in essence, just being kids.  I hope my kids can appreciate and enjoy this house, like we did the other house we owned.  

Here's to summer finally arriving...  and to making amazing memories.

What are your favorite memories from the summer?

Traveling with 2 under 10

I know, I know... Doesn't sound as accomplished as some out there, but I will wiring this throughout my trip up north (as we southerners says).

So, a little background, I have an 8 year old girl and a 3 year old boy.  My hubby is stationed in DC, and we don't live with him, at the moment.

Just a side note, I can't stand when people assume that we are getting divorced.  We aren't, not that it is anyone's business by my husband's and my own.  Sometimes military families have to be separated, whether voluntarily or not.  Our's was voluntary, but it doesn't make it any easier.

Okay, so back to my journey.  The kids and I are going to spend some time up north with family for the summer.  I used to spend my summers along Lake Michigan at our family summer home.  It is still a magical place to me.  Where else do you have gorgeous beaches, along a freshwater lake that seems as big as an ocean... Well, you can't see across it anyway.  

Now, it is a bit different, because we are on a different lake, although it does feed into "the Lake" (Lake Michigan).  Now I can see across my lake, but that's okay.  I still love being there.

So, I'm sure in the next few days, I will become more and more stressed, as I realize there is WAY more than I thought I had to do to get ready.  But we will be fine... At least, that is what I am telling myself!

So I started this post before we left.  And you know what?  We made it... in one piece... and without too much angst.

Seriously, my kids turned into angels in the car... okay, angels is going a bit far.  But my 3 year old, who is a handful and all boy, actually didn't do too badly in the car.

Both kids had a DVD player, and watched them, with head phones!  Unheard of!  

The first day we drove for only about 5-6 hours.  Not too bad.  And I took the kids to the pool when we got to our hotel.  The second day was a long day, but it went quickly.  And we stopped at my Aunt's house in Cincinnati.  We spent 1 day and 2 nights there.  It was a great break.

And we arrived in Michigan, in one piece, without being too angry at each other.  Now the kids are enjoying the lawn, the lake and fishing.  We plan to visit the beach, hang out with our cousins, visiting all sorts of tourist places, and just plain relaxing.

Let the summer begin!