Homeschool Supply Ordering Day

I've been looking forward to this day since school ended 3 weeks ago!  I sat down and ordered most of Millie's 3rd grade curriculum.  So much fun!

Here's where I sat:

Here's what the kidlets did while I ordered supplies:

More on my curriculum choices later... :)

Our Summer In Pictures - Week 3

Lots of time spent splashing in the fountains at Upper Landing

Picking a "parfait" for mama

Children's Museum

Elise spotted this rainbow

Rode bikes to visit Elise's friends

Lake Elmo Park Reserve water hole

...more bike riding

Lunch with dad at the Science Museum

When life hands you lemons...

Spending quality time with Aunt Anna

Our Summer In Pictures - Week 2

Crabby Kids + Rainy Weather = Indoor Poetry Picnic

Millie became a Jr Ranger 

We went to a really cool circus show at the library.  Millie got to spin a plate on a stick and do a handstand on stilts!!!  

Playing with juggling equipment at the Children's Festival

Crazy hair at the Flint Hills Children's Festival

Summer Bucket List

Now that Summer is upon us, I've created a list of 50 things that we'd like to do before school starts again.  Cheers to a really fun Summer!

1. Go geocaching
2. Go to the Hastings car show on date night with Bud
3. Go kayaking with Bud
4. Catch fireflies in a jar
5. Go camping at the farm
6. Make s'mores
7. Play with fireworks
8. Can or freeze something 
9. Spend a day helping at the farm
10. Dance together at the history center
11. Read the Little House series to the kidlets
12. Run the entire way on the river portion of my jogging/walking loop
13. Meet Bud on Harriet Island after work for a dinner picnic with the kids
14. Go to the beach
15. Bake a pie
16. Watch fireworks on the 4th of July
17. Have a lemonade stand
18. Go miniature golfing
19. Stop for Icees on a hot day
20. Float a boat down the creek
21. Attend a concert in Mears Park
22. Brainerd vacation
23. Play at a new park
24. Bike along the Mississippi as a family
25. Have an awesome birthday party for Millie
26. Go on rides at Como Town
27. Play in the splash area at the MN Zoo
28. See the dinosaurs at the zoo
29. Go to a Sparky show
30. Order homeschool supplies for next year
31. Go on a boat ride
32. Vacation bible school
33. Go to a parade
34. Day Camp
35. Rollerblading with Elise 
36. Ride the carousel at Como
37. Have a garage sale
38. Nature study
39. Swimming lessons
40. Lots of park playdates with friends
41. Go to the state fair
42. Go to a county fair
43. Have a beer at a patio bar with friends
44. Teach Millie how to sew
45. Book-A-Wocky
46. Play with sidewalk chalk
47. Go to the farmers market, a lot!
48. Go to the Eagle center in Wabasha
49. Tour a cave
50. Read a Ramona and Beezus book to the girls

Our Summer In Pictures, Week 1

Millie learned to ride a 2 wheeler on the last day of school!

Building a jungle fort in their bunkbed.  Can you see two little girls in this picture?

Splashing around the creek in Mears Park on the way back from the market.

Sun kissed cheeks!

Slippin' and a slidin'

Riding her trike.

Playing with kitties all day long on Memorial Day.

Lunch Lady Land

...or The Case For The School Lunch Menu...or Adventures In Our Homeschool Cafeteria...

If I ask my girls what they want for lunch, I'll get two different answers every time.  Both answers will be different from what I have in mind.  Does this ever happen to you?  Fear not.  To combat this problem, channel your inner Lunch Lady, and create a school lunch menu! 

I have one posted on my fridge now, and it has saved me from having to disappoint my kidlets on a daily basis.

What's on the menu?  I rotate the following lunches.  Of course, this isn't set in stone.  We bring lunch with us a lot, which means I pack up my picnic basket with sandwiches, fruit, cheese, and peppers.

Here goes:

Peanut butter and honey sandwiches
Lunchables (homemade - lunch meat, cheese, crackers, and fruit)
French toast
Mini pizzas (I make the crust from scratch.  They pick their own toppings)
Mac & cheese
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
Pancakes
Pizza quesadillas

Each lunch is served with any combination of fruits, veggies, cheese, yogurt, and/or pretzels.

I started out the year doing "Muffin Tin Monday" each Monday.  It was really fun, but for some reason it completely slipped my mind mid-year.  Now is as good a time as any to bring it back, right?

**As a side note: the picture above was taken at the beginning of the school year.  I have been on a major food journey (more about that later!) for the past few months.  The "new me" wouldn't serve her kidlets chips OR Kool Aid Jammers for lunch now...  I'm not sure why, but I felt the need to mention that.  LOL**

Happy May Day

The girls made May baskets for their favorite neighbors!