1. S p e n d T i m e W i t h Y o u r S p o u s e
We often plan and plan and plan for our kids during the summer days. Take time to plan a couple of special moments with your significant other. In late July, all three of my kids (for the first time ever) are spending a week at the farm with grandparents. You can bet there will be sushi for dinner, late movies and nudity. [don't look at me that way. I can say the N word. I've been married for nearly 17 years]
2. M a k e F l e x i b l e P l a n s
I like to jot down fun ideas on the calendar…Groupon for black light golf, the $1 movies, pool days. But if summer is too rigid, it’s not fun for anyone. We don’t fill up every day-just one or two a week. We put the L in Lazy and it’s fun that way!
3. M a k e T i m e F o r D a t e s
Daddy-daughter, mother-son, big sister-little sister, mommy-daughter…you get the picture. While family fun is awesome, one-on-one time can’t be beat! Nothing excites my kids more than time alone with me or my hubby. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. It’s time they want, not things.
5. B e S p o n t a n e o u s
Some of our very best summer memories are unplanned. Here’s a few ideas: Store kites in the back of your car for windy days and impromptu fun, eat a picnic dinner at your local pool, create a giant VAT of bubble water and collect everyday things to see who can make the biggest bubbles.
6. D o S o m e t h i n g F o r O t h e r s
Don’t just make summer about you and yours. Pick a charity or cause and work together as a family to raise money and support. Host a lemonade stand, car wash, garage sale and donate the proceeds. Your kids want to give, they just need you to lead them!
7. R e c o r d Y o u r S u m m e r
Save movie stubs, collect items from nature walks, a flag from 4th of July, take fun pictures…place momentos from your summer into a special box with the SUMMER 2011 written on the outside. This is such a great way to store memories and cherish summer. Or wear matching shirts and have a friend or photographer follow your family around for an impromptu photo shoot!
8. T a k e T i m e F o r Y o u r s e l f
For the last several summers, I’ve scheduled a couple of days of month for a babysitter. It’s been the best way for me to write in bulk for my blog/book, run errands quickly, or attend appointments. You’d be surprised how much you can get done in 1 or 2 days a month. And you need it!
9. G r o w S p i r i t u a l l y
Take the time to read a family devotion together, pray together, lead your family into a deeper walk with Christ. You will never be sorry for looking after your family’s spiritual growth!
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Don’t you just LOVE our shirts???
We do! They were a gift from Union 28 in exchange for a family modeling shoot! It was so fun. We are BIG, GIANT, HUGE fans of this Christ-centered company who loves growing solid marriages.
You can see more fun pictures and shop here.
Your pictures came out SO nicely! How fun!
I was just on Union 28′s site last night and saw those!
Wonderful ideas, Kristen!
What a great list you shared! Thank you for all the good ideas for summer. Your family is so cute!
The shirts and photo’s are fantastic!!
What a great post too!
I’m ready to be a summer wife / mom again……during school, I’m way too wigged out.
My family & hubby deserve a relaxed mama!
Your pictures are great! We love Union28 here too!
I had to laugh at the nudity remark and your comment…I even read it out loud to my hubby, who got a chuckle. We will hit year # 16 this July.
I’m hoping we can make some “us time” plans at some point this summer. I also LOVE LOVE LOVE your shirts. Loved the pics — it’s so cool how your oldest daughter is a carbon-copy of you, and your son is a carbon-copy of your husband! Your youngest is like the perfect mix. One of my best friends is a brunette, as is her husband and 2 of their 3 daughters…the third is toehead blonde. She lovingly (and I think hysterically) refers to her as “The Blonde One”. ha ha!! Thanks for sharing such great ideas for summer. Have a great one!
What a great list! and the photos jsut rock.. and that Hubby of yours? Terrel you are looking good.. get ready for the sushi and nakedness….
LOVE the photos!!! You have a beautiful family! Going to shop at their website now
…. AND I can’t BELIEVE you said the “N” word!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM LAUGHING SO HARD!!!
Hugs,
Melanie
LOve the T-shirts!
Your family is too cute! I LOVE the shirts!!!
Saw your photos in an email from them and promptly used the coupon code to order shirts for my 2 kids & 1 for me as my DH’s birthday and Father’s Day are only a few days apart this year!
He’s a runner and I can’t wait to have the 3 of us be styling these shirts at one of his races to show our support!
Blessings on the journey~
PS – We’ll be praying for your family trip to Mercy House!
I love those shirts! The pictures look great – I’d feel like a goofball doing that, but y’all look pretty natural!
Adorable pics! And I LOVE that you said–*giggling and whispering*–”nudity.”
Love love love this, Kristen. You guys are So adorable!! Off to buy two for my brother and nearly new sister in law to take home to South Africa this summer!
Love the shirts, love the pictures and love this post. Great, attainable tips. I’ve been tinkering with the idea of hiring a babysitter for 2 mornings a month over the summer, your post may be the final shove I need to actually do it.
You guys look great!
Thanks for the summertime tips. We’ll certainly put them into use in our household.
Also – Terrell, veganhood looks *great* on you! Way to go with your life changes, sir! Very proud of you.
oh my gosh! Kristen! that is awesome!! you guys all look amazing!!
and Im buying those shirts for the kids for fathers day!!
I agree with spending time with hubby this summer. After homeschooling for a year, I’m ready for the kids to be out of the house. So the three youngest are all going to camp in a week and a half while hubby and I take a belated 20th anniversary/second honeymoon trip to Costa Rica.
i love this. such a cute photo shoot! the date idea is really a needed one – with my 4 boys i have found that it is essential to take one on one time with each of them and that the whole family is happier and life is smoother with just simple little getaways to read books at the library or split a jamba juice. also, we are focusing on spending good family devotion time each night this summer and really working on memorizing the Word together.
i love all your ideas!
my recent post: the rooster formally known as susan -or- letting go of false expectations
Kristen! You wild woman!
ps….can we send OUR kid to the farm?!?
Love the pictures!
Um, you and your hubby are getting TOO skinny! I’m sending over cookies!
I wanted to come here and tell you over the weekend I got an email from Union28 because I ordered from them in the past and am on their email loop. I saw the pictures of you and your family
that made me smile!
You have a beautiful family
LOVE your first point. . .for the first time in almost 13 years of parenting we are going to be “kidless” for a week in July — and I can’t wait! It will be wonderful (and I hope, too, full of late nights, good food-for-two and nudity — ha!). These are all great ideas. . .Meg from “whatever” posted her summer list today too — you all are inspiring me to be intentional with our time, and sometimes that does mean intentionally lazy for sure!!! Have a great summer. . .and enjoy your “me” time too — all moms deserve a little bit (I get a day tomorrow — woohoo!)
I LOVE that you said the ‘N’ word…rock on! And be sure to have plenty of it!!
And I adore Latonya and her passion for marriage. I got to design a few shirts for them a couple of years ago and have a well-stocked Union28 closet! Love the photos…what a beautiful famdamily you have!
LOVE the shirts!
Your hubby is looking trim and handsome and the rest of the family’s not bad either!
Very cool shirts! What a great way to “show off”!
Great pointers, too! Thanks!
jeez, I wish my parents could be more like you. It harldy feels like we’re a family in my house.
http://www.creamycookielove.blogspot.com
can;t wait for summer to hit the philippines!
Sounds like a great company! Thanks for the link. What a great post, love that you take off 1-2 days a month. That’s a great idea! Those shirts are very cool too!