{"id":7518,"date":"2011-05-26T00:44:08","date_gmt":"2011-05-26T05:44:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.momstoolbox.com\/blog\/?p=7518"},"modified":"2011-11-07T08:47:18","modified_gmt":"2011-11-07T14:47:18","slug":"make-it-a-great-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.momstoolbox.com\/blog\/make-it-a-great-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"Make it a GREAT summer!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Friday marks the last day of school for my children and I am really looking forward to spending more relaxed time with them over the next few months.<\/p>\n

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I will admit that, a few years back, I looked at summer with a bit of fear in my heart as I wondered what in the world I would do each and every day with them. But, even then, I vowed to make the best of it and so I did… and every summer has gotten better and better and better.<\/p>\n

Now that I’ve learned, here’s how I make it a great summer:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. I think about what I <\/em>want to do with the kids and make a list.<\/p>\n

2. I ask them what they<\/em> want to do and make a list. (Often their answers to this question surprise me.)
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3. I plot special events, vacations and things that have to happen on certain days on the calendar.<\/p>\n

4. I plot the fun things from each of our activity idea lists on the calendar so that I won’t forget them.<\/p>\n

5. I make a list of fun things to do around the house and keep it out so I won’t forget about those, either.<\/p>\n

This year, my list-making has just become a LOT easier… and it can for you, too.<\/p>\n

My friend Jessica over at Life As Mom<\/a> has put together the most incredible resource for summer adventures that I have ever seen. And no, I am not a member of her affiliate program, I just honestly believe her ebook to be the best Summer Survival Guide<\/a> anyone could ever hope for. Really. And at $9 for 204 action-packed pages, it really is well worth the price.<\/p>\n

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The Summer Survival Guide maps out 16 themed weeks of fun, using books, crafts, recipes, field trips and in-the-house exploration based on anything from blasting into space, to dinosaurs, to the ocean to a safari and much, much more. The guide also gives you planning pages to plot your fun, meal ideas to keep cooking simple, road trip tips, family night suggestions and a summer reading plan for all ages, plus lots more.<\/p>\n

I love this book so much that once I downloaded it, I sent to the printer and had it printed and bound so I could flip through it with my kids and mark off our favorite ideas… and I have a feeling this guide is going to be dog-eared and marked up quite a bit!<\/p>\n

If you are looking to beat summer boredom, and have a blast with your kids, this book is definitely for you.<\/p>\n