Summer vacation has begun and we are adjusting with our sleeping in schedule and toys everywhere dilemma pretty well. I really thought the kids would sleep in longer but if I'm awake and had my devotions, I'm ready for them to be awake too!!!
Summer jobs is something I've struggled to get accomplished for the kids in previous years. I mean I was determined last year to have a steady, few days of work for Hadassah and she did a day or two but really needs more than that to keep her busy. If she's home all day, every day, she gets bored and then wants to go shopping and spend money that she doesn't always have. :/// So, this spring we asked around and I'm proud that she wants to work for a cleaning crew. This week she was out on a cleaning crew Wednesday and Thursday and then at Quakertown helping in the shed office yesterday. She feels really good about herself if she is out earning money and feeling productive!!! I'm very proud of her!!!
Matthew picked up a summer job the other week with mowing the car wash lawn! He gets paid for each mowing day and it takes him about two hours! The first few times he was frustrated and didn't like it because it was hard work if the grass was really high. But he's got a system now and is doing a terrific job and loving it!!! Any money earned for the kids is a bonus!!! He also cleans out the sweeper systems at the car wash and any coins and money that is swept up, Matthew gets to keep! Thanks Uncle John for this job!
Volleyball is officially over for Hadassah until school begins again. She enjoyed the Volleyball Blast Club. She began the season with a bad ankle sprain but finished strong! On Tuesday evening was a banquet for all the volleyball girl players and when we walked out to leave, there was a beautiful rainbow in the sky!!! Way to give this volleyball opportunity your best Hadassah!!!
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Ashlyn loves shortcake and this is what I found on the shortcake wrapper the other day! :)))
Having a "soon to be teenager boy" in the house is going to be both wonderful and challenging this summer. He does great with these small chores I have him do. The propane tank didn't washed off and cleaned the other day and he was right at it. However, at our first day at the pool yesterday, he wasn't so into the mood to swim. To have him sitting next to me all afternoon and asking every ten minutes when we were leaving, is not very relaxing!!! :/ He needs something to do and when he sets his mind to it, he does it well!!! Today, he is with his dad at the shop learning how to put shingles on the shed roofs!!! :))))
School is out and I'm determined to not let those high expectations and chore lists get the best of me! Summer time is one of our all time favorite seasons and we have high hopes of enjoying it well! However, I did see something from Pinterest that I printed out this morning just to help with some good intentions! :) I loved this Summer Rules list and I'm going to "try" to let this be a good guide for us! And, yes, we went to the library too to help get those reading times in! Last year, I didn't even get the kids those summer reading program papers because even if we would get it all accomplished, the pressure to go use all the coupons wasn't on my "to do list"!!! But, Austin is a year older now and I think it will be fun and challenging to read more! A few weeks ago we set a goal to only have Tuesday and Thursday as our gadget days. I kept finding the kids coming home from school and going right to the gadgets. I get tired of always letting this challenge get the best of me. Even on a gadget day in our home it does not mean they can help themselves freely to my phone or computer! Look who I found on the pantry floor doing "tractor one"!
Ashlyn was ticked pink to be the grocery bagger for me the other day!!! :)
Back to those good cheese fries!
And those fun pool splashes!
We are hoping they will make cocoons and turn into butterflies!
We sat around the campfire for the first last night and it was fun watching the fire burn and roasting marshmallows and eating our first smores for the season! Summer time is wonderful and I'm so blessed to spend it everyday with the people I love the most!!!
Have weekend friends!!!
