Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Why I Dread Summer

Hmmmm.

Thinking.

Still  thinking.

Nope.  Can't think of ANY reason why I dread summer.  What's to dread?!

 I love having 'off' in the summer.   

 As Buddy the Elf would say, "It's my favorite."

I guess it's not really off, just more of a change of pace.  As a matter of fact, during dinner tonight my kids were dicussing some grammar rules.   So, noooooooo, we're not off.  

However, my whole family looks forward to the more leisurely days.  Here are the 
top ten things
  that we are 
looking forward to doing this summer:
1.  Levi (age 3) has swim lessons for two weeks. 
2.   Summer campsLuke (age 16) and Josh (age 14) will attend Home School Legal Defense Association's GenJ government camp in Colorado in August.  Luke, Sophia and Caroline will also go to  other summer camps (church,  gymnastics, horse). 
3.  Host a 12 year old girl from Spain and a 16 year old boy from France for three and a half weeks so they can learn English.
 4.  Go to the beach in Texas for a week with our family (and our two exchange students).
5.  Steve and I will continue attending Toastmasters meetings and I'll be preparing to teach my year long speech class to 7th-12th grade students next year.
6.  Caroline (age 12) will have her friend, who lives two hours away, come stay for awhile.
7.  Compete in a (few) mini-triathlon(s).  Luke will do his first one.  It's scheduled for next Sunday but it may be cancelled...ugh..  we'll find more.
 8.  Maybe, just maybe, take Luke to get his driver's license.
 9.  Proceed with the adoption process.
10.  Celebrate my birthday in August (or maybe I'll just celebrate the anniversary of my 29th birthday!).
 
And here is something that will take most of my time, but not something that I'm necessarily looking forward to:   
  •  Preparing for next year's school year.  That alone, could fill the entire summer.  
I wonder why it takes so long to do that?  Can't I just have each child follow the schedule of the oldest as they get to be his age?

Sigh.

No.

As I think about that, that could actually be worse!  Having each child take the same courses that the child before him/her took.  That wouldn't work.

They need individualized schedules/curricula,  and we need to change schedules/curricula based on what's going on with our family that year.

Now I feel better about spending that time preparing for the next year!

Pro 21:5  The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. 

Galatians  6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.


How do you prepare for next year's school?  

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11 comments:

  1. Whew, you title alarmed me for a second! I love summer too, even though we still do a bit of work (I've learned not to let the math skills slip away). It just feels more relaxed. I'm already thinking about next year's curriculum, but I am so looking forward to some days with no real responsibilities!

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  2. May you have a beautiful summer! I'm remembering the time "off" in the summer when we homeschooled. Not really off at all, but a lovely, different pace. God bless it!

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    1. Yes, whatever made me think I'm off?! I've been busier this week than I am during the school year.

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    2. Oh, and thank you so much for the blessing!!

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  3. I loved reading about your summer plans! Your summer sounds busy and fun!
    I am planning a post on what summer means to me . . . but here is a sneak preview! ;)

    we will be:
    going to the beach and/or pool a few times a week
    watching old movies
    decluttering
    planning for the new school year
    planning a used homeschool book sale
    working on an ebook and course on inner and outer beauty for girls
    exercising more and hopefully eating less

    enjoy your summer!

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    Replies
    1. Mom of 10....you're writing an ebook!? I'm wondering when you find the time?!

      The book sounds awesome. Let me know if you want me to write a review on my blog! I would LOVE to read it.

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  4. Your plans sound lovely. I love the beginning of summer and thinking of all the fun and different things we could do. I also like the break from school and getting a chance to dream and rethink goals etc. for the next year. I am reading a lot of blogs and looking through curriculums that I already have to see how they can be used next year. I'll make my final plans after our homeschool conventon in mid-July. Happy summer!!

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  5. WOW thanks for sharing at "Tell Me a Story". Your summer sounds fun filled and busy. And you have included some ministry time to teach some children some English words. Do include some Bible picture stories.

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    1. Have you experience with using Bible picture stories for that age kids? I hadn't thought of that! It is so easy to learn other languages using baby/small children's books though.

      The kids that we are getting wrote essays to us in English that were pretty impressive, so they have a good grasp of the language already.

      Last year when we had a 17 year old exchange student from France I gave him a Bible in French (I bought it on Amazon). He was soooo excited. He had never been to church before (except for a funeral which he was late for). We brought him to our church a few times and he enthusiastically carried his French Bible, and used it to look up the verses in Church and Sunday School (he needed help to find the verses). There is nothing like having the Word in one's "heart language" (a person's first/primary language).

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  6. Some of summer is filled with enjoyment!! Some is SO hot and humid, lacking in ability to wander/feel free. It's nice to visit with friends and family who are free of school, having vacation. Just would love it to be in the comfortable temp range for me. Picky, picky, picky...

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    Replies
    1. Hi Caryjo,
      Where do you live? I saw a picture on your blog of Mt. Rainier, but I lived in Olympia, WA and it wasn't that hot there...not compared to Texas anyway!

      Where do you want to be? ( :

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