Maybe it’s because it’s Spring. Maybe it’s something else, but I can’t stop making lists. I am listing what winter clothes and shoes the boys need for next year as I am packing that crap up. (I’m a thrift shopper, so you gotta know what you’re looking for) I am making lists of things they need for spring and summer and summer camp. I am making lists of classes the boys want to take and places we want to go. I started lists for each boy: things they are interested in, skills and material I want to tackle with them, books that might interest them and ideas I have for their near and distant future.
Here’s a completely random list of things.
1. Things We Like To Do On Our Ipad
We use our iPad for lots of ‘educational’ purposes. (I put educational in quotes because I subscribe to the theory that nearly everything is educational in some way 🙂
I read books to the boys about Louis Armstrong, The Mississippi Flood of 1993, and the State of Texas recently. We pulled up YouTube videos of live performances, news casts, maps and interactive tours about each book. There is nothing we can’t see in action in about 10 seconds 🙂
We also use this, this, this, this, this, & this. Gavin uses the iPad to watch CNN Student News each morning and everyone loves DragonBox.
2. Sports
Hockey Season has started at Greenbrook Hockey Club. We now have 3 roller hockey players on three different practice/game schedules 🙂 Ethan just wrapped up his bowling season, thank goodness.
Gavin and I are batting around ideas for a competitive sport he could play in high school. Curling, bowling, karate & archery have all been discussed. Curling?!?
3. Clothes-a-palooza
This is the process of culling and switching my children’s clothing. It goes like this…
~ Go through each dresser and pull out what doesn’t fit and won’t work for this season. (the dresser is usually almost empty after this)
~ I only save clothes between Mikey and Gavin. Everything else gets donated/passed on.
~ Go ‘shopping’ in the attic – I have very generous people that give us LOTS of clothes!
~ Each kid spends about 1-2 hours over the course of 2 days trying stuff on.
~ I keep minimal clothing for each kid – everyone knows I already have a laundry problem 🙂
~ I make a list of the items that still need procured – an extra sweatshirt, Spring jacket, water shoes, ‘mucky’ sneakers, etc. There have been times we’ve needed nothing 🙂
Clothes-a-palooza got its name from the times I have pulled out ALL the clothes in the attic to start switching all of the boys. I have learned to do one at a time. Sean’s almost done.
4. Games
We play a lot of games. It is an excellent way to develop brain power and teach logic, math and strategy skills. We do not patronize the boys by ‘letting them win’. We help, teach and coach during our games, but letting a kid win is disrespectful. I get beat often. Recently, we’ve played…
Mancala
Spotzy Dotzy
Tenzi
Cathedral World
Ziggity
Life
Othello
Jenga
Play more games!
5. Things I am Looking Forward To
Sitting in a lawn chair in the sun
Getting my feet into the Round Valley Reservoir
Putting my feet in the Atlantic Ocean – and my a$$ on the Jersey sand
My first float
Packing beach coolers full of summer fruit and fresh sandwiches
Walking, walking & more walking – purposeful and aimless
Icing my coffee
A new patio
BBQing all of our food 🙂
