Last week the Savage family spent 8 days in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. It was a much-needed break. We sat on the beach, sat by the pool, sat on the beach, and sat by the pool some more. Yeah, we’re rather boring on vacation. We do NOTHING and love every minute of it.
The boys are more active. Austin learned to skimboard and Kolya loves to run so he ran on the beach alot. Of course we played double solitaire, the boys put together a puzzle, and we watched some good movies (Abel’s Field and Parental Guidance were two favs.)
Erica and 10-month-old Marie went with us. Erica’s husband Kendall will be home from Afghanistan in late summer. Erica is counting the days!
I mentioned that Kolya went with us to Florida. My post on May 1 really touched other moms who are also dealing with mental health issues with their kids. He was hospitalized for a full month and was able to come home right before Florida. His doctors and mental health team are strongly recommending residential treatment to address both his educational needs and mental health treatment. We are exploring that option right now and praying for God’s direction and provision.
My speaking slows down in the summer, but I do have a great event I’m speaking for at 
the end of the month. It’s the Mighty Strong Girls conference in Springfield, IL which is a conference for girls ages 12-20 and their moms. I’d love for you to join me at the conference if you have a daughter between the ages of 12-20!
We’re moving into the summer routine. That means I work from home more which is the beauty of Hearts at Home where we reduce our office hours in the summer so our moms can be home with their kids. My boys have mowing jobs and enjoy time with their friends. (Long gone are the days of taking the kids to the pool—I miss that!) Austin is taking a dual credit course at the community college so he can get both high school and college credit and qualify to graduate from high school in December rather than next May. (He hates high school….anybody else have a kid like that?)
So that’s what’s happening in our neck of the woods! What does your summer routine look like?
Our summer is turning out to be busier than the school year. :-/ I’m chasing kids at softball games and weekend-long track meets. We are working in quick trips to the pool and for the first time in a long time I am working a part-time job. Our big bang family vacation is in September (a Caribbean cruise). An advantage of homeschooling – we can head out on vacation when everyone else is returning to school.
Enjoy your relaxing months.
I remember that vacation advantage when we were homeschooling years ago. I loved the flexibility it provided our family!
Being dairy farmers, summer is a very busy time, and being that I have the “doer” mindset, I have to work hard to remember to also include fun in my day to day routine with the kids. We are going to go to MOPS play dates twice a month, we visit the library once a week to check out books and play before we head to the grocery store or other errands, we’ll go to the pool, and also have a “friend” day where the kids can invite friends over to play. It’s really important to me to take time to teach things during the summer when the kids are home from school. This summer we are due to have a lot of baby calves, so I am teaching my children to care for the calves, while rewarding them with a “paycheck”. We made banks to learn about spending, sharing, and saving, and we are also going to open a savings account at the bank because our bank offers a savings account for kids that can be started with $5. I also incorporate the kids help in cleaning our home and tending our garden. Since I have two older children and one under 2, we also institute “rest time” every afternoon, the older children read books while the baby naps – a tip I learned from Jill!
Sounds like a great summer plan, Robin!
I’m unemployed and home with my kids for the first time since they were little. They are now 12 and 10. I’m enjoying this time with them. We don’t get to do much because we have to watch our pennies, but it is nice to be home together. We are getting chores done around the house and they get to play outside with their friends. We are hanging out at the village pool. Today we are going to go to a local zoo. I’m torn. I would like this time at home to last longer, but I know I need to get back to work. It is all in God’s hands!
Welcome home, Michelle, even if it’s just for a short season!