Summer Plans

Our summer is officially under way. We have set up our binders, we have Summer goals listed and BINGO plans are under way. It is going to be a full summer.

Summer for me is busier because the kids are home. And more kids at that (1-4 extra daily). I don't have my usual 2 free days from which to choose what to do. Alone (or rather with Mitchell - but sort of alone). I am going to miss my freedom. But I will also enjoy having the kids at home.

I think that these things are going to help:

Summer binders - these will keep us organized and hopefully remind us of all that we can do this summer and keep boredom from settling in. They are laid out as follows:

1: Kidding Around title page

2: BINGO rules

3: BINGO Rewards

4: Journaling books - the goal is to have the kids write 1-2 sentences each day on a variety of topics

5: Reading log - listing the books read over the summer (one BINGO ticket is given for every 10 books read)

6: Exercise papers (aka summer homework) note: we are trying to use up all of those old workbooks that are half full - you know what ones I mean???

and finally - blank page protectors for scrapbooking pages to be done. (and btw - the "dolls" they are holding are their "pals" - more info to come - part of "Kidding Around" below)

We are following a combination of ideas from Stacy Julian (Big Picture Scrapbooking) and Tami Morrison (Big Picture Scrapbooking's Kidding Around).

Kidding Around - this workshop is sending weekly emails encouraging us moms and kids to do some fun activities this summer and also to get us all to do a little scrapbooking along the way. If I can get the kids involved in this fun hobby then I'm all for it.

Some of our summer goals include:

Picnic at local Park
Summer BINGO
Cierra – Visit Mom
Sleepover
Summer Camp
Bus Ride
Water Fountains
Library Readoppoly
Nearby Beach
Pond/ River at Senior's Village
Visit a New Park
Orillia Park
Berry picking
Sleep in tent outside
Park near school
Shopping at the mall
Make a secret hideout
Sleep in the bunky at the farm
Scrapbook our summer
Friend’s Cottage
Fishing
Waterfront Park - with round swings
Purple and Green Dinosaur Point Park
Mini Golf

When I am finished with the BINGO cards I'll elaborate further, otherwise you can see last years info here. We are adapting some of it - changing rewards, changing goals etc.

End of the Year and Teacher Thank yous

She made it! Marlee has graduated from kindergarten and is officially in grade one. All day every day next year!
The school had a little ceremony which consisted of the kids singing a song (Together), each receiving a "diploma" and the principal relaying what they would like to be when they grow up. They ended with a good bye song with participation from the audience (Tony Chestnut). We met in the classroom afterwards for a few minutes before leaving them. We've had this particular teacher now for 4 years so it will be a bit of a change next year.

End of the school year also means teacher thank yous. I struggled with this for a few years before we have now settled into a routine. It can be somewhat expensive from year to year but we have really had such great teachers that it is certainly justified.

Basically we give gift certificates. Not extremely creative or original but hopefully useful and well, I like to give consumable gifts. To add a little personality we add some homemade goodies, which ideally, the kids help make. Skor bars have been very popular, as well as Mars Bar Squares. If I have time I make a little bag topper to spice it up.

This year our teachers got $20 gift cards for Michael's or Chapters and the EA in the classroom got $10 for Chapters. We recognized them at Christmas and at year end. They also got a Tim Horton's card back on Teacher Recognition Day. They have been exceptional teachers this year and all did lots of extras for the classroom. We hope they all have a great summer. Now we wait until the Friday before class starts in September to start it all over again. But for now, 2 months of ????

We'll be sitting down on Monday to brainstorm about what we'd like to do all summer. We are somewhat limited in that I don't have the space in the car to drive every day but we are again fortunate that there are lots of things to do around the neighbourhood. I have a few ideas of my own but it will be interesting to see what the kids come up with. We already have "ride the city bus" on the list.

Now I'm off to the leftover goodies...