Surviving Summer Vacation

 Summer is a lot of fun for not just me, but my kids. I love summer time! I count down the days with them until we have the full summer to spend together. I am blessed that I am able to spend the days with both my kids rather than send them off somewhere to enjoy it while I go to work. 

At the beginning of the summer I get a piece of paper and our calendar and we write down all the stuff that we have to do:

• Swim Practice
• Swim Meets
• Family Vacations
• Family Reunion
• Birthdays

And then I have them start naming off what they want to do:

• Swim playdates
• Trips to the water park
• Library
• Parks
• Beach, Lake, River, Pool
• Sleepovers

And then we pull out local magazines we have picked up, the library fun schedules, the Summer movies, and whatever else we have picked up and gather ideas from there. After all this legwork, we write down what we have to do in pen and then mark in everything we 'want' to do in pencil. Because sometimes plans change, Like today for instance. The plan was to be at the Waterpark with friends - everything is better with friends- but Miss Priss woke up sick and so we are spending the day at home instead. We also have empty dates where we just figure it out as we go, and home days. Everyone needs some home days. The main thing, plans change so we have to be okay with that.

 But even with all that, I am up for new ideas. So when I heard about the Surviving the Summer with Plans and Prayers for Moms Sanity, I requested to review it. And I have learned so much from it. Especially from the prayers. I have printed a couple out and added them to my bulletin board by the desk to keep in mind.

Kathi Lipp gives such fun ideas and recipes in her book to make summer fun and manageable. And by reminding us moms to not do too much. She says that if we are constantly filling the calendar with stuff we will get burned out. But if we add in things we enjoy as well it helps it go smoother. I also love that she adds in downloadable calendars, bucket lists, chore chart, scavenger hunt and even a kids cookbook!

Most of all, She's real! Yes real! She admits at the beginning she's a 'starter.' Aren't we all, feels good to know I'm not the only one with things started but not finished. I am pledging to finish this summer off just as strong as I started! She gives great tips on teaching the kids responsibility and not just doing it all for them as well as lots of yummy recipes that I am ready to try! We are even growing lots of the same things in our garden right now! And have added the Popsicle Garden Markers (downloadable in the book) to the craft list to do soon! Since It's a guessing game out there right now.  And have made a copy of the craft/imagination bucket list she suggests to fill the containers I just got for just that!  It's always nice to be able to tell the kids grab a bin and have at it sometimes.

This book is perfect, even for the moms who think they already have it all together! We will be adding lots of her ideas to our fun list! 

Head over to Amazon to get Surviving Summer Vacation for FREE (at time of posting = don't know how long it will be free)

 I was provided this book free for my honest review from NetGalley, all opinions are my own