I've been firming up plans for this summer, marking the calendar with things I'm going to do with the kids. Just like I (sort-of) plan their home school lessons for the year, I find it helpful to (sort-of) plan their vacations, too. I don't want to miss out on anything we could do together, but I also need to be realistic about what's even possible with our time and financial restraints. So I've found that it's best to think way ahead.

If I don't plan way ahead then I end up kicking myself because I forget to do something like plant the sunflower seeds in time to make the sunflower house I have wanted to make for at least two summers now. But, I happen to be on the ball this year and as you can see, the seeds have already been purchased. (I got the tall ones I need and shorter ones for decoration).

Along with plans to make a sunflower house, we'll be maintaining our vegetable garden, making Norah's fort in the backyard, reading for prizes, keeping track of the birds in our yard, going to a few places on Norah's list, playing wall ball (Seriously. I'm thinking about taking Norah to a park with a wall so she can learn this classic childhood game.), eating ice cream cones and taking lots of walks and riding bikes. I know all of that sounds very simple, but if I don't plan it, we'll end up watching PBSkids.org till noon and we'll miss the simple pleasures of the season.