Seven Motivators to Health

Since my post over at Healthy Moms goes along with our theme this week, I thought I'd just send you over there.

Read some things that motivate me to be healthier here.

Sometimes I Blow It

Photo Credit

It seems like such an innocent thing to pick up the weed and blow the seeds across the yard. They fall to the ground and I hold an empty stem. It's later that the weeds come. They cover the yard, and I see only in hindsight what I have done.

 Sometimes this happens in the yard of my heart. My intentions are innocent -- noble even.

But the activity of blowing turns into a messy yard full of weeds. Of course, it depends on perspective, some would call them flowers. Yet I know that a garden of carefully cultivated roses brings much more beauty to the yard than haphazardly placed dandelions.

The difference is in the planting. I can purposefully plant, water and care for the lovely or I can scatter words, thoughts and ideas that reap a harvest of questionably categorized actions.

Blowing is inevitable---either by my actions or the winds of life. God redeems them and makes the weeds into bouquets offered back to me in grubby hands. They serve their time in the vase on the tabletop. When I blow it, I fall into grace.

Yet I endeavor to spend more time among the lovely in the future. So the lovely spends more time in me.

Quick, Easy, Healthy: Italian Chicken

One way to cut down on time in the kitchen for me is to have my husband cook dinner on the grill. It's O.K. -- he likes cooking on the grill, and I don't ask him to do it every night. For those nights, when fancy planning is out of the question, here's a go to grill recipe. Although all of them are easy, I'll put them in categories of good, better and best.

GOOD (Quickest and Somewhat Healthy):
Buy a bag of chicken tenderloins and a bottle of Italian salad dressing (please no HFCS or MSG!). Dump the dressing on the chicken the night before or for a few hours before grilling. Hand the bag to your husband and have him grill them.

BETTER (Quick and Healthier):
Buy some free-range chicken breasts (Preferably ones that were previously free-range. If they are still "ranging", this recipe probably won't qualify as quick.) and some healthy, bottled Italian dressing. Prepare the same way as the GOOD option above.

BEST (Still pretty Quick and Healthiest):
Use your free-range, antibiotic-free (etc.) chicken breasts and make this Italian dressing. Prepare the same way as the GOOD option above.

Disclaimer: This recipe was tested in my kitchen on our grill which wasn't quite presentable enough to include a photo of. The amount of servings depends on how hungry my kids are and the preparation time depends on the number of diaper blowouts, sibling spats and rescue-the-baby-from-consuming-refrigerator-magnets drills.

Making It Spiritual

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 

(1 Corinthians 10:31, KJV)

There are a lot of motivational speakers today who speak on all kinds of subjects from losing weight to developing a business. If you're like me, your tendency is to listen, get charged up and start with the plan, whatever it may be, then fall flat in a week or two. When it gets difficult, we may need to revisit our motivation. 

For many, the motivation has to do with what others think or perceive. They want to lose weight so they'll look better. Or they want a clean home so others will be impressed. They want that dream job so they can make a lot of money and be considered successful by others. Though these motivations may work for a time, pleasing others will ultimately lead to bondage or just plain giving up.

If we are disciples of Jesus and our chief desire and purpose in life is to please Him, each decision we make should be based upon whether it pleases Him and brings glory to Him. Paul must have anticipated someone saying, "Of course, but Jesus doesn't care about some things like what job I have or my weight." He wrote in his epistle that even our eating and drinking must bring glory to God. Wow! 

Whatever your goal, whatever your motivation, revisit it today and think about why you are trying to meet that certain goal. If your motivation is to please God and bring Him glory, you are on the right track and will probably meet your goal. If it is to please others or yourself, you may reach it, but the victory may be shallow compared to what you could have experienced. 

May we all seek to honor God by offering our lives as living sacrifices to Him!

Links: Vision for Our Children

Give Them What They Really Need @ At the Well via A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Are You Wasting or Living Life? @ Generation Cedar

Homeschooling with Purpose - Purposeful Children @ Raising Arrows

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY: 

Outside my window...it is dark and stormy though the rain has finally stopped.

I am thinking...about God's help lately.

I am thankful for...my precious children.

From the learning rooms...Joey can get across a room now although we're not really sure how he does it since he can't crawl yet. Jerrod has been learning more of his letters and Jeffery's reading is getting more expressive every day. Jessica has been at work composing songs.

From the kitchen...I'm making simple meals this week since I'm not home much. I did make these wonderfully easy cinnamon rolls for Jeff's Father's Day breakfast.

I am wearing...my teal blouse and matching skirt.

I am creating...oh I hate this question! I don't create much.

I am going...to bed soon.

I am reading...Kindred Hearts: Nurturing the Bond Between Mother & Daughter by Debra Evans

I am hoping...for good weather this weekend.

I am hearing...blessed quietness since all the kids are asleep.

Around the house...I'm just keeping up maintenance this week. My dishwasher is working much better since I cleaned it out with Tang. Another reason I don't want to give it to my kids--cleaning agents don't make good drinks!

One of my favorite things...spontaneous "I love yous".

A few plans for the rest of the week: Vacation Bible School, library program, piano lessons, picking strawberries.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

When did he...

...turn into him?

They Learn By Example

Have you ever noticed that the things that annoy you the most about your children are the things that you are often guilty of?

For example, I walk into the living room and see piles of library books all over the couch and no kids in sight. I sigh and lecture about how they always leave messes and they need to pick up after themselves and never leave a room until they have put their things away, etc. Then I walk into the kitchen and see a pile of dirty dishes in the sink. Ahem. 

Though I want to teach my children (and myself) neatness, they can probably get through life and into Heaven with messy rooms. However, it is a sloppy, messy heart that troubles me.

They learn by my example. If I allow sloppiness in my walk with the Lord, my children will emulate what I do, not what I lecture. If my vision for my children is for them to walk in the truth, then I must lead the way. What I allow in my own life will only be magnified in my child's.

I've found that the only way to ensure I'm setting the right example is to follow the example of Jesus. If I can emulate what He has done, then my children will see love and truth in action. That's the vision I have for them.

What is your vision for your children?

You Can't Organize Clutter!

The title of this post is especially ironic in light of the fact that my two nifty little organizing containers on my desk are stuffed full of...well...clutter. It is also a bit strange since this is a devotional post. However, my blogger mind was working as I cleaned house this week, so here you go:

We all have our own ideas about clutter. Since the definition can be so broad, I decided to look it up in the dictionary. There are actually three definitions, which surprised me a bit.

• a disorderly heap or assemblage; litter.
• a state or condition of confusion. 
• confused noise; clatter.

       

Photo Credit

Most of us probably think of the first definition when thinking about clutter. We've seen it many times when ordering a child to clean his room! A disorderly heap can cover more than a child's floor, however. It can cover our hearts. Remember when you first got saved? Everything was beautiful. You had fallen in love with your Savior and nothing was going to take you away from Him. Your heart was clean and pure. However, gradually, although your heart may not have become dirty; it has become cluttered. Cluttered with people that aren't a good influence on you spiritually. Cluttered with ideas from the mainstream media or world-loving friends. Cluttered with legitimate things that have crowded out time for the real essentials of the Christian life.

If we would stop when we get to this point and assess the clutter for what it is, we would save ourselves much pain and trouble. However, some of us have become accustomed to "hoarding" and we begin to see the clutter as part of our environment. This will surely lead to the second definition: a state or condition of confusion. After a while of living like this, we become confused. Just what was it God wanted me to do? What does the Bible really say? Satan used this confusion tactic on Eve when he questioned, "Hath God said?" 

Sadly, many have allowed the clutter to accumulate and stayed in a state of confusion so long that now it has just become confused noise; clatter. We hear echoes of what God's Word has taught us, but the world's messages are tucked in right beside them so all we hear is a big noise. We don't know which way to go because the confusion has turned to a cacophony of sound. 


This is when our organization attempts come into play. We try to organize just what is truth and what is not. But Satan's words usually have an element of truth to them and sorting out all those messages just becomes impossible. It's like organizing that collection of happy meal toys, green army men, small game pieces from a dozen different games and assorted craft items. Your heart doesn't have the space for cheap, imitation clutter. It is only large enough to hold God's truth. 


So what is the answer? Maybe you've heard those organization experts tell you how to define what is and isn't clutter. One way is to empty the room completely of everything. After you've done that, put back the things that you really love. When the room looks the way you want it to, get rid of everything else. 


Perhaps it's time we tried this strategy on our hearts. Empty it of all the messages and put back those truths that are settled forever in God's Word. When we have the truth adorning the walls of our hearts, it will be easier to see that those other ideas just don't fit with the decor.

Quick, Easy, Healthy: Cheesy Rice

My kids love this recipe. It's our staple in place of macaroni and cheese. Unfortunately, unless it's in a box that has a K on it, my kids won't eat macaroni and cheese. I can't remember the last box I bought. If we have a craving for cheese and carbs at lunch time, this is what goes on the table.

Provided the rice is leftover rice from dinner or we have another box that comes from Uncle somebody, this qualifies as quick.

If you like "rice and beans" as made famous by a financial guru whose initials are D.R., then this will be just down your alley (you could even add frugal to that wonderful list of adjectives in the title!).

Anyway....

Cheesy Rice

What You Need:
Leftover brown rice (or quickly cook some of the pre-boiled stuff from a box, just make sure it's not white rice, please!)
Shredded cheese (any kind, any amount you like)
Salsa
Beans (optional)
Salt, pepper and spices to taste

What You Do:
Put rice into individual bowls. Let kids top it how they want. Microwave each bowl for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir together and enjoy!

Disclaimer: This recipe was tested in my kitchen which wasn't quite presentable enough to include a photo of. The amount of servings depends on how hungry my kids are and the preparation time depends on the number of diaper blowouts, sibling spats and rescue-the-baby-from-consuming-refrigerator-magnets drills.

Of Rosebuds and Saplings

He's done it every year for as long as I can remember. Every year I see the buds on our old fashioned rose bush in the backyard early in June, but I pretend that I don't notice. He pretends the same thing, and he does it so well that each year I'm afraid that this is the year he will forget. But no....he waits until just the right time when the buds are just unfurling and the scent is sweet and brings me a bouquet of the first roses. It's our tradition---one of those small ingredients in the glue that holds our marriage strongly together.

In the other corner of our backyard are several little twigs poking up through the ground. They're easy to miss if one is not looking. He planted those for me just this year...my berry bushes that I have so long wanted. The promise of berries is far out in the future, but they are there....waiting for the right time to blossom.

This is the way we've begun to grow our children. Our little rosebud came to us, and he brought me the first rose (and, it would seem, the only rose) after the danger was past and she could be safely placed into my arms. Just a tiny bud....but our minds saw (and still see) the promise of a full-blown and beautiful rose, if she is cultivated in the right soil and environment.

We've since begun to grow our three little saplings. There is not much to them yet, but we see the green shoots growing out of the slender twigs....and faith sees the strong trunks of giant trees that can withstand life's storms and offer shelter to those beneath.

This is our vision. There is much to be done in the not-so-very-long gap of time between the little bud and the saplings and the fruitful, matured plants.

Already, we've had talks about those influences that  would try to pry open the bud before it has time to blossom and those influences that would try to bend those tender saplings until they break. We're not the only ones who have a vision. Satan would love to destroy our little garden.

But we have hope. The One Who created the rain and soil and sun is the Master Gardener. He loves our little rosebud and our young saplings even more than we do---because they are His.

And if He pleases to bless us with the fruit of four lives given over to Him, we will offer it back to Him. Because they are His. Because He gave first.

My Blessing of Twelve Years

Today is my husband's and my twelfth wedding anniversary. It has been wonderful and I wanted to let you know how I admire my husband. This was originally posted about a year ago as part of a challenge on Women Living Well.

I am posting it again for another challenge (see button below post). So here goes:

Strength that makes me feel more protected than any woman in the world. Gentleness that causes me to feel more cared for than any woman in the world. Wisdom that makes me feel more secure than any woman in the world. Masculinity that doesn't define him because he defines it. Devotion to his work that is only surpassed by his allegiance to his Lord and family. Firm control when confrontation is necessary and ability to recognize when it is not.

Watching him calm a child's fear in minutes, discern and heal a hurting child's heart, or lull an infant to sleep. The rough and tumbling way he fathers his sons. The way he treats us women in his life as his queen and princess.

How he takes the zigzagging tendencies of extremes in my spirituality and emotions and guides them to the straight path. How he takes the messes I make of life and creates new beginnings from them. His ability to make me laugh, to hold me when I cry, to love me fiercely, to lead me wisely.

Many young women have a profile of the type of man they want to marry, their own idea of "Mr. Right". My mind could never have created or dreamed of a man like the one I have been given. Admire is perhaps too simplistic of a term to describe how I feel about him. Some things just can't be adequately described in words.

Links: Conquering Fear

Expectancy is Trusting God with Not For @ Sacred Mundane
It Was A Slow Fade @ She Looketh Well

Fear About Parenting:
Safely His @ The MOB Society

Releasing the Burden of Mommy Guilt  @  Steady Mom

Disarming Fear (in You and in Your Own Little Mare) @ Raising Homemakers  

For the Mother Who Fears Failure @ Holy Experience

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY: 

Outside my window...it is a beautiful, sunny morning.

I am thinking...some deep thoughts.

I am thankful for...a God that knows me and loves me.

From the learning rooms...Jessica's art show is over and her spring piano recital is coming up. Jeffery only has less than two months of therapy left and it has been successful....praise the Lord! The other two amaze me with new words and actions every day.

From the kitchen...I have a crockpot working to make a delicious smelling chicken broth which I'm trying to decide whether to turn into chicken noodle soup, chicken enchiladas or chicken stirfry.

I am wearing...my comfy, purple robe....it's still early.

I am creating...nothing much right now other than this post.

I am going...nowhere today! An at home day, at least until church this evening.

I am reading...Kindred Hearts: Nurturing the Bond Between Mother & Daughter by Debra Evans

I am hoping...the little boys' colds don't become full-blown.

I am hearing...my baby talking to himself in bed and my son turning pages in his book.

Around the house...I hope to give my floors a good mopping today and get some other chores done as well.

One of my favorite things...sleepy, morning hugs from little ones.

A few plans for the rest of the week: strawberry picking, library reading program, and Jessica's piano recital.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

...become him?

When did he...

For more Simple Woman's Daybook posts, go here.

Seeing in the Dark

I tuck him in, his dimpled grin making my heart melt into a liquid that forms in my eyes. The child that I carried for 9 months and soothed as a helpless newborn has traded the crib for a "big boy bed". He grasps his favorite bears as I walk to the door and flip the switch as I always do.

But tonight is different. He sits up, concerned. "It's dark!" I groan inwardly. Transition is never easy. Fears are inconvenient but real. I walk back over to his bed, pat him comfortingly, then I see it. I smile into his worried little eyes. "Oh no, honey! It's not dark. Look!" He shifts to his knees to peer out the window beside his new bed. "There's your own special night light." As he gazes at the street light, his look of worry turns to wonder. "My light?" he asks. "Yes, if you feel scared or if it seems dark, just look at your light." Contented, he smiles and curls up for a peaceful night in his new bed.

As I leave the room, I think of my own fears and how they seem to crop up in the darkness that life offers. How often I look inward and around at the dark instead of turning to my knees and peering through the window of faith at my Light! Always there. Always shining. But I don't always see.

Now, every once in awhile, I'll tuck in my little one and that familiar look of fear haunts his eyes. He lays down and looks out the window, then looks at me. "That's my light?" he asks. "Yes, honey! Your own special light....and it'll be there as long as the dark is." "Okay."

His trust is simple. He trusts my words. He looks for the light and all is well. He rests.

The Light speaks in the darkness of my fear..."I am here. Your own special Light....and I'll be here as long as the dark is." And I rest.

Why Worry When You Can Pray?

....because praying means you stop doing and start waiting.

....because worrying makes you feel more in control.

....because you're not confident your prayers are heard.

....because you're not confident God will answer your prayer the way you want.

....because you don't trust Him for the future.

....because you doubt His perfect love.

Quick, Easy, Healthy: Lazy Mom's Frittata

Doesn't the name frittata sound like something to slave over for a good portion of a morning? Well, it did to me for many years. The first frittata recipe I tried was fairly easy, but way too time-consuming for my taste. Until I forgot to stir my scrambled eggs one morning....and I got an idea. Which stuck and is still a staple breakfast for us usually once a week.

Photo Credit

All you need:
6 eggs (adjust to how many you're serving--see disclaimer below)
shredded cheese
chopped onion (optional)
other chopped veggies (optional)
1-2 T. butter
salt and pepper, to taste 
cast iron skillet with lid (essential, for me....may be optional for you)



1. Melt butter in skillet.
2. Beat eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl as you would for scrambled eggs.
3. Pour beaten eggs into skillet when butter is completely melted.
4. Gently loosen edges from side of pan with a spatula as they set.
5. When top is almost set, sprinkle with veggies and cheese and remove from heat.
6. Top with a lid for a few moments to melt cheese.
7. Cut into wedges with a pizza cutter and serve them plain or with a spoonful of salsa.

Disclaimer: This recipe was tested in my kitchen which wasn't quite presentable enough to include a photo of. The amount of servings depends on how hungry my kids are and the preparation time depends on the number of diaper blowouts, sibling spats and rescue-the-baby-from-consuming-refrigerator-magnets drills.

No More Marriage Books!

You know me and books. I am telling you about a book I've read or extolling the virtues of reading nearly every week on this blog. For that reason, you might have done a double take when reading the title of this blog post. I trust you didn't take it too seriously and that you'll allow me to explain.

Fear is something that I'm not prepared to adequately discuss. I can only speak from my own experience and that of those close to me. I believe most of the time our deepest fears involve people in our lives. The fear of what people think of us. The fear of ruining our children. The fear of losing a loved one. And yes, the fear of not being a perfect wife.

Which brings me back to the subject of marriage books to which I alluded in the title. I've read many of them, profited from some and recommended a few. I've heard all the practical tips for keeping our husbands' affection and accepting responsibility for his propensity to stray. I've even shared a few here and there.

I accept that there are women out there who literally care nothing about how they look, treat their husbands horribly all the time, allow their homes to remain in perpetual chaos and leave their men to fend completely for themselves in the food department. Perhaps there should be no surprise when their husbands want to leave them.

However, I believe most of us try to be good wives. And we try very hard. We probably even are good wives most of the time. But that time that our husband slips home for lunch and we're still in our pajamas or the time he wants to crawl into bed and finds a mountain of laundry atop it or when we're all alone and see how we really look in the mirror---those times we feel like the worst wife in the world. We remember the warnings in the marriage books, and we begin to fear.

I used to keep these fears inside; but then, like most thoughts of mine, they began to spill out as I talked to my husband. I'm not sure what I expected---maybe a sage nod that yes, I was finally getting it and I should be afraid because my status as perfect wife was definitely slipping. Or even a customized wife-improvement plan from the man I married. No, he reacted by getting mad! Not at me. He was mad at authors that seem to prey on our fears and make us into perfect robot wives always performing so we don't lose our husbands to a truly "perfect" woman. He told me to stop reading marriage books. Well, not as a command per se, but as a strong suggestion.

So I did. And I started reading him. You know what I found out? He loves me. Profound, huh? No really....he does. He doesn't just love me romantically. He loves me when the candles are snuffed out, when I have a bad day, and when I have some wrinkles and pounds that weren't there when we said "I do".

I don't know about the theology of it all, but it has put a new meaning on the verse that says, "Perfect love casts out fear." Not being a perfect wife. Or even the perfect husband. But the love that began when God said, "Let's make man in our image" and came to a grand climax when Jesus called, "It is finished!" That love is perfect.

I need have no fear when I am loved by an Almighty God after which my own man models his love for me. Would he die for me? I have no doubt. But its the daily living where I read the lines of his love in every little word and deed. And that's a book I'm not about to put down.

Links: Preparing for Summer

6 Cheap Day Trips Your Family Will Enjoy This Summer
and 101 Ways to Embrace Summer @ Organizing Your Way

Creating a Summer Schedule That Works @ Cozi's Live Simply

Mom, I'm Bored! @ Anne Elliott

Take a Staycation Anywhere in the United States @ Kitchen Stewardship

Should You Homeschool Through the Summer? @ Family Education

Summer Activities for Preschoolers @ About.com

Mom, I'm Bored Activity Cards (free download) @ The Happy Housewife

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY: June 8, 2011

Outside my window...the sky is somewhere between blue and black as evening approaches.

I am thinking...how quickly my children are growing!

I am thankful for...a loving, understanding husband.

From the learning rooms...we are still learning multiplication tables, alphabet letters, how to stand up to the couch, and how to play a good game of Dutch Blitz.

From the kitchen...I found out how to make homemade rolls when pressed for time and we've traded in soup night for grilled chicken salads.

I am wearing...a teal shirt and black skirt.

I am creating...a million lists in my head for all the activities this month.

I am going...on an anniversary trip with my husband!

I am reading...Healthy Foods: An Irreverent Guide to Understanding Nutrition and Feeding Your Family Well by Leanne Ely

I am hoping...the kids will do well while my husband and I are away and the allergist will be able to put an end to my baby's issues tomorrow.

I am hearing...my husband making himself a sandwich.

Around the house...we need a good top to bottom cleaning before the weekend!

One of my favorite things...the season's first rose from our old fashioned rose bush that my husband faithfully brings to me every year.

A few plans for the rest of the week: an allergist appointment, a trip to pick up food from the farmer, our anniversary getaway, Jessica's end-of-the-year art show and a chance to see my soon-to-be sister-in-law again.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

When did she....

....turn into her?!

For more Simple Woman's Daybook posts, go here.

Ten Things To Do This Summer With Kids

1. Pick strawberries.

2. Run through the sprinkler.

3. Catch lightning bugs.

4. Take a hike.

5. Roast marshmallows.

6.Visit a farmer's market.

7. Have a water gun fight.

8. Go stargazing.

9. Have a family bike ride.

10. Go to the park.

What's on your list?

He is There

Evil has always complicated things. Since that bite of forbidden fruit in a garden long ago, life has been a bittersweet mix of joys and suffering; pain and pleasure; mountaintops and valleys. Often God is forgotten in the good times while we coast along and only remembered when the wind blows frigidly and the rains of life threaten to flood us. We want Him to come to us and remove the suffering. He comes, but the suffering stays, and we doubt Him.

Perhaps the most comforting and beautiful words in all of Scripture are these: "I am with you always."     These words are sweet when He is strolling with us hand in hand down a rosy path, but their real value comes in those "other" times.

When you drop to your knees in the wee hours, weeping out your pain, His tears drop beside yours. The hidden longings of your heart are an ache within His own. In that seemingly insurmountable temptation, when you feel you have no power to resist, He is supporting you with His mighty arm of power.

When words cut deep, they cut Him deeper. When others sin against you, they do "even so to Him". When every friend forsakes you, He alone stands by your side.

When you suffer...

when you hurt...

when you experience loss...

when you are broken...

when you cannot go on...

He is there!

Quick, Easy, and Healthy

As a busy mom that came late to the enjoyment of cooking and even later to my obsession with interest in whole foods, I've adopted three kitchen criteria that I use roughly 90% of the time: Quick, Easy, and Healthy. If a recipe doesn't fit these three categories, it rarely gets on the table at our house.

Generally, this means it has an active preparation time of a half hour or less (this usually stretches to more for me because of all the interruptions---which is all the more reason to make it a quick recipe), has fewer than 10 (and ideally closer to 5) ingredients and is mostly--if not all--real food ingredients. I gave you one of my recipes here so you can get an idea of what I mean.

This summer, I'll share a few of our family favorites and some ways I keep them within my three criteria while also maintaining a reasonable food budget and making food my family loves.

If you have any of your own meals to share, please e-mail them to me. I would love to see them and maybe I'll post a few here--with credit to you, of course.

Homeschooling for the Summer

Since we are home educators, life and "school" often collide. Maybe a better word would be they coexist. Even more to the point, sometimes they are seamless so that we can't see where one begins and the other ends. Therefore, even though academics are greatly reduced through the summer months, we still have a lot of learning that can only be done when days are long, the weather is hot and school books are packed away.

I won't bore you with the details of our summer schedule, but here are my plans to keep up the learning even while enjoying "summer break":

• Have my soon-to-be first-grader read to me every day
• Practice multiplication facts and piano with my soon-to-be fourth-grader every day
• Train all three older children for more excellence in their chores
• Teach my five-year-old to tie his shoes and ride his bike (Busy Mom Confession: I just never got around to buying him shoes that tie or taking the training wheels off his bike yet!)
• Work more with my two-year-old on shapes, colors and alphabet letters
• Make sure they have plenty of time to play and be outdoors
• Field Trips, Nature Walks, Projects---these don't have to stop in the summer!

What are your "schooling" plans for the summer?