Friendship and Preserves

Before I make this post I just wanna say I have an awful lot of draft post. I think I might look them over and see if there is anything worth saving and posting. Not surprisingly, I get sidetracked fairly often lol

OK! the post today is about friendships I am extremely blessed to have amazing friends. Tonight I will test the strength of two of my friends as we attempt to make and can Salsa! lol The recipe we are using is from here http://belleadorn.blogspot.com/2008/08/best-salsa-recipe.html

I have all of my supplies ready I am so excited! I will post how it went...I promise!

Master Summer Schedule

Only one more week until school is out and everyone will be home all day. I am really excited about this. We have a lot of fun in the summer. Last year we started using a Master Schedule and it really helped the children and myself get the most out of summer break and have a whole lot of fun. The Master Schedule is an important tool for helping us stay on track. By no means is it is carved in stone nor do we strictly follow it every day. This is basically how a "Typical Week" will look. I am putting it here as a record for me but also to share it with anyone who might be looking for a way to organize their own summer. I know many folks who prefer not to have so structured a day but for our family it was necessary to avoid hanging out in Pjs all day watching T.V. and wondering where the summer went.

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
08:00	Morning Routine	Morning Routine	Morning Routine	Morning Routine	Morning Routine
09:00	Park Play	Field trip	Park Play	Park Play	Park Play
10:00	Snack Art Activity	Field trip	Snack Learning Activity	Snack Journalling Activity	Bookmobile Snack
11:00	Tidy up and story time	Field trip	Tidy up and Story time	Tidy up and Story time	Tidy up and Story time
12:00	Afternoon Routine	Afternoon Routine	Afternoon Routine	Afternoon Routine	Afternoon Routine
01:00	Swimming	Field trip	Swimming	Swimming	Swimming
02:00	Swimming	Field trip	Swimming	Swimming	Swimming
03:00	Snack	Field trip	Snack	Snack	snack
04:00	End of day Routine	End of day Routine	End of day Routine	End of day Routine	End of day Routine
05:00	Dinner Table chores	Dinner Table chores	Dinner Table chores	Dinner Table chores	M soccer
06:00	Daddy time	Family time	Mommy time	Family time	Dinner
07:00	I’s bedtime Quiet time for M&E	I’s bedtime Quiet time for M&E	I’s bedtime Quiet time for M&E	I’s bedtime Quiet time for M&E	I’s bedtime E Soccer
08:00	M&E Bedtime Routine	M&E Bedtime Routine	M&E Bedtime Routine	M&E Bedtime Routine	M&E Bedtime Routine

Getting the Kids Ready for Summer!

I am so excited! Summer vacation starts a week from Friday! We are planning to have a bit of structure but only to make it as fun as possible. What we have found in the past is that we hang out in our pajamas until way past noon and the day is over before we know it. This year it is gonna be different! This year we will have routines! This week I will go through the process of getting us organized for summer. We will purge the school year first. I have a wall dedicated to the children's art work. We will be putting favourite pieces in a scrapbook and completely empty the wall for our new summer creations. next we will reboot the bulletin board. This is the place where I post our routines, schedules, meal plans and calendar of events. When I get them set up I will post a picture (I have a camera now!)

The routines are guides. They are what we do on a "typical" day. Of course not all days are typical. Some parts will always be the same like the morning routine because we have to get up and get ready to get going everyday. But sometimes we will have field trips and sometimes we will stick close to home all day. The routines I will post below is for such a day. I cannot stress enough how much easier and stress-free life is since we have started using routines. Here they are for you to see and maybe get inspired to start your own. I promise you won't regret it!

Children’s Morning Routines

• Get up and make your bed immediately
• Go to the dinning room for breakfast.
• Do Table Chores (see schedule for duties)
• Get dressed brush hair, brush teeth and wash face.
• While you are in the bathroom; pick up after yourself.
• Check your calendar for today’s activities.
• Morning meeting at dinning room table

Children’s Afternoon Routines (if at home)

• Tidy up Morning activity
• Wash up for lunch
• Have lunch
• Do table chores
• Prepare for afternoon activity

Children’s End of day Routines

• Empty back pack put items away
• Put hat and sunglasses away
• Wash up for supper
• Quiet activity until dinner (reading, TV, etc.)

Children’s Bedtime Routines

• Gather items needed for next day and put on bench
• Go through house and put any belongings out of place where they belong
• Have bath or shower
• Brush teeth
• Put on pajamas
• Hugs and kisses and get tucked in for the night!

Back to Routines

I will be resuming my routines today and man! does it feel good! I already have my meat sauce in the crock pot and I am going to attempt a traditional Italian bread to go with the spaghetti dinner. I made the starter last night and will finish it later today. I will also make a nice garlic butter to go with it.

I have planned my menus for the week and will be sweeping floors when I get off the puter. The project I am working on is our Summer Routines. School doesn't get here until June 25 so I still have a bit of time but I want to do them this week in case they take longer to figure out than I anticipate.

It also looks like it might be a beautiful day so a trip to the park may be in store!

Have a great day!

Get the Funk out!

I am always amazed by how funky the washer gets. I mean you use it to wash things should it not stay clean? I think the biggest problem for us is that the washer and dryer live in our basement and it is super dusty down there. Oh well! To complain would be pointless. For this task I will take a bucket fill it with how water and a cup of vinegar grab a cloth and a tooth brush for detail cleaning. I start with the outside and work my way in. rocking tunes belting out of the player helps too. Today I am scrubbing to the Beatles, Ramones, Rem, Sheryl Crow, Bare Naked Ladies, The cult and Howard Jones. When I am done I am going to reward myself with a Chai Latte made with the best Chai tea I have ever tasted available from Take Charge Tea

Still Taking it Easy

I had a minor surgery last Wednesday and it has put me out of commission! I am glad I have my Home Journal. Anyone can come in to help me and know what I need to do each day. I have all my schedules and the tools I use listed in there. It proved to be very helpful! It will also be helpful for me when I am ready to resume my household duties. In the meantime I will continue to take it easy and get better. :)

I finished my shawl!

I don't have a picture of it to post but it turned out great! it is a light knitted shawl that is a jade green colour. I love it! I think I may make some more in various colours to give away as a gifts. Yes I am already compiling my "To Make" Christmas/Yule gifts. I think my Sister-in-Law would really like one. I am creating a new label for my blog called gift Ideas because I often post idea and then forget them. If I post them on my blog and tag them then I wont loose them and I might actually help someone else looking for an idea.