Summer Time.....

Here at the Lund house, my kiddos would really like to just sleep in every morning, stay up late every night, and just watch tv and play video games every day.  I think that would be their ideal summer. Unfortunately for them, I am not that mother.  I do not put too many expectations on them during school.  They each have their various activities and homework and if they are over 12, I expect them to manage their own laundry and do their nightly chore or responsibility in reference to dinner---which translates to, they either wash the dishes, empty the dishwasher, take out the trash and sweep the floor, or clear and wash the table and put away the food.  Yes, I have to spell it out that clearly, or it doesn't get done.  And sometimes even when they are busy, they do not do their job and I end up doing it in the morning.  Ugh!

But!  During the summer, they are mine, Baby!!  I try to help them keep some kind of a schedule, just because this group of kids will do nothing if they can get away with it.  This is probably the most structured summer we have ever had!

I thought you might like a look into our schedule.  So here it goes.  I gave each of the kids a day to plan, prepare, cook, and clean up after dinner.  They voted to do the whole enchilada one day, instead of having little jobs each day.  That was fine with me, as long as they do the job!!  For dinner this week, this was the menu:

Monday (Sun's Day):  Hawaiian Haystacks.  Rice, broiled chicken, homemade gravy, pineapple, olives, and peas.

Tuesday (Shorty's Day):  Potato Pizza (ya...I thought this would not be so great....but it is actually pretty good.....as long as you provide some kind of vegetable.....I'll throw out a recipe for this one in a few days).

Wednesday (Spike Spike's Day):  Breakfast Souffle.  This is hysterical.  Spike has been planning on cooking since I told the kids they would be doing this.  Every day, he wants to know if it is his day.  This morning, when I went to wake him up for prayers before Drew left for work, he says, without moving any of his body and laying on his face, "What time is it?"  "7:30."  Still not moving, "What day is it?"  "Wednesday"  "You mean my souffle day?"  "Yes!"  He whipped the covers off and jumped out of bed......."I am the cook today!"  I died laughing!  Yes, your souffle day.  He doesn't even like eggs.  He just asked for a cooking set for Christmas and this recipe was one in the kit.  So this morning, we put together the souffle.  It is sitting in the fridge, ready to be pulled out and cooked later tonight for dinner.  I'll be totally shocked if he actually eats it!

Thursday (Speedy's Day):  Chili Egg/Potato skillet.  I'm not terribly excited about this one either...but I'll let you know later how it was.

Friday (Smiley's Day): Campbell's Bean Soup, fried bread, carrot sticks, and pickles.  I have been trying to encourage more use of vegetables and carrot sticks and pickles is the extent Smiley would compromise.  So be it for this week.

Saturday (Mom and Dad):  Tuna Sandwiches and Salad

Sunday (Mom and Dad):  Asian Salad and Rice

We ask them to get up at 7:30 a.m. so we can say prayers as a family before Drew leaves for work.  I have also been trying to get my teens to do their own scripture reading so they can develop those habits for themselves.  Shorty probably does the best at this.  He is the most organized and on top of managing himself and his stuff.  I never have to remind him to do his work, or wash his laundry, or shower, or anything!  Speedy is taking some summer classes, so he is still a little bogged down.  But he and Sun both are trying to finish their seminary reading of the Old Testament, before we start the New Testament in the fall.

I also gave each child a specific day of the week for their laundry.  Again, Sun and Speedy have trouble with it.

Sun also has a hike next week, so we are trying to walk some each day to help her prepare.  By next week, she needs to be able to do five miles.  We are still at one......working......bit by bit, right?

And so that we weren't bored this summer, I decided that each day we would focus on a specific area that we could do together as a family.
Monday:  Bedroom day--each person spends some time in their bedrooms to organize, clean out, dust, etc...
Tuesday:  House day---clean out a major room in the house including deep cleaning--maybe by the end of the summer our house will show the work we put in???
Wednesday:  Brain day---today we are going to the library and doing logic problems  We also have to do some of our house cleaning since yesterday we planned and prepared for girls' camp and worked on Sun's quilt.
Thursday:  Yard day----weeding and weeding and weeding......need I say more?
Friday:  Play day--this week Shorty is trying to complete some merit badge requirements for his Geo-cashing merit badge.  So we are going to do a few of those as a family.
Saturday;  Sun still has rehearsal for three hours and Drew is home (so the schedule fluctuates).
Sunday:  Reserved for observance of the Sabbath.

That is what we are doing this summer.  We don't have any specific family plans.  Later in the summer the boys have scout camp and Sun and I have girls' camp and a trip to Disneyland for her KidCo group.  When we get back, school starts!  Crazy!

And I am hoping I can convince my sweetheart to spend some money and let us all swim at the neighborhood pool for a month.  Everyone swims except Spike.  So if we could just go almost every day and play for a couple of hours, that would help him to begin developing some of the skills necessary.

Spike Spike is also working on his reading skills, as he will be entering kindergarten in the fall.  I know he doesn't need to be reading for kindergarten, but the schedule and demands of conforming to someone's schedule beside his own is going to be difficult enough for him.  If he doesn't have to stress about the academics, it will be an easier transition for him.

What plans do you have for your people this summer?  Do you have specific goals, temporal or spiritual for each of those little ones who live with you?  Now is a great time to make up things, or prepare for what is coming....when we don't have other matters pressing in upon us!  Make the most of your time with them, and have fun!!