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teachingmyown
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| Posted: June 25 2009 at 1:18pm | IP Logged
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We live a pretty relaxed life year round, but summer gets super relaxed, maybe too relaxed.  I am wondering what your days look like in summer, especially those of you with large families of a big age span.
We don't belong to a pool and don't have any neighborhood kids to play with. It is really just us. I have so many projects that I would like to tackle and planning/research I would like to do. But our days seem to fly by without anything productive or memorable happening.
So, what's summer like at your house?
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: June 25 2009 at 1:30pm | IP Logged
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we do swim team/lessons.. that covers mornings and whatever weekends we choose
we do a garden.. and that needs care and the food needs put up at the end of summer (and used as we go along)
this year we're doing a campout over 4th of July weekend.
August is our slow time.. and the more time for just going to the pool for play.. also tends to be hot.. and without a/c I don't want to be doing anything too much during the peak heat.
The county fair is early September and we're back at full time school and starting soccer for the younger kids through parks and rec.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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Leocea
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| Posted: June 25 2009 at 1:49pm | IP Logged
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Well, this summer we are sleeping in until 9 am every day that we can! Then I usually tackle an organizing project or two while the kids play in the yard or the baby pool. They are also just laying around reading or playing their Nintendo DSs after chores are done.
We are having a new baby in September, so the rest is doing us good. I am trying to implement a family walking time every evening, and sometimes we make it, lol.
I am planning on doing my school planning in July and August.
We will visit friends once a week or so, but staying home is fine with me right now!
Your sister in Christ,
Leocea
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snowbabiesmom
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| Posted: June 25 2009 at 5:26pm | IP Logged
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We are attending Daily Mass, MWF, in the morning and this week and next, we are in swimming lessons. That takes us to lunch, then the little ones nap and older ones read, practice piano, and do some math.. I 've been trying to sew or smock. We also enjoy the $30 molded pool from WM.. its funny how little it is, yet all 5 kids get in it and play. We do the sprinkler in the yard. Once or twice a week, we are ttrying to go to the pool on post before I physically can't.. 7 mths pg right now... we also try to walk the dog while the kids are on their bikes around 6:30 am before the TX heat comes in..
I've been cutting out a lot of patterns so I have something to do when we have to go to san Antonio and wait for baby.
I also make a list of books to encourage reading on their own... they don't have to read any of them, but if they chose to, I pay them a dollar a book. Deadline for dollars is Aug 15 every summer. They go back and forth reading from my list and from the library.
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Kaleigh'97,Brett'00,McKenna'02,Reesie'04,Madelyn'07
+Luke'05,+Mark'08,+Karoline'08
+Matthew '09,
Nico'13;Zelie Oct'14, *Mary Joseph Jan'16
God's Canvas
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Cay Gibson
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| Posted: June 25 2009 at 6:47pm | IP Logged
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Math and reading. Math has only happened maybe two days since June arrived. Reading only seems to happen at night.
Weekly storytime at library.
We belong (courtesy of dh's employer) to our local recreational center that includes an outdoor waterpark so swimming and exercising happen at least 3 to 4 afternoons weekly.
We're still dancing two days per week but that will end soon...rehearsal is Saturday, recital on Sunday.
Cousins in from Houston. Back and forth w/ that...swimming at my aunt's and sleepovers.
VBS this week.
Two many friends and cousins celebrating June b-days but gosh! we love 'em.  So we go and have a wonderful time. 
16 yr old ds playing summer soccer. Games every Monday night and practices two other days per week.
16 yr old now has a job so we plan around that.
We've been having discussions about the co-op plans for the new school year. That seems to take up a lot of time.
And to think I was wondering just this morning why my "peaceful" summer was still so crazy. Thanks for allowing me to map it out. Now I "see"! 
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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KackyK
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| Posted: June 25 2009 at 8:37pm | IP Logged
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So far my 4 boys have been in and out of baseball and basketball camps (thanks to Maryan's other half!) for the past 4 weeks. Tomorrow marks the last day, for a while. Now I think I have an idea of what it feels like to drive every morning, early morning, to some place, yuck! So glad we don't do school!
In the next weeks of summer, there will be overnight boy scout camp for one ds, week long art workshops for 2 kiddos, summer dance for 4yrold, her little intro to having her "own" thing, puppet shows to perform at VBS, and 4H fair camp. Oh and another basketball camp for oldest ds.
For the whole family though, free bowling! There will definitely be a trip to HersheyPark and probably to Buffalo to see family, and crossing fingers that we can get to Charleston SC & Myrtle Beach to see family too.
I plan plan plan and oh yeah, plan all summer. To me summer is WAY more busy and crazy than the school year, but it is sort of exhilarating too. I get to let loose on some creative juices and although the kids have lots of activities, they have way fun!
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KackyK
Mom to 8 - 3 dd, 5ds & 4 babes in heaven
Beginning With the Assumption
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Maryan
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| Posted: June 26 2009 at 7:50am | IP Logged
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KackyK wrote:
| So far my 4 boys have been in and out of baseball and basketball camps (thanks to Maryan's other half!) for the past 4 weeks. Tomorrow marks the last day, for a while. Now I think I have an idea of what it feels like to drive every morning, early morning, to some place, yuck! So glad we don't do school!! |
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Dan loves having your boys! We're so glad you send them! And my feelings about driving too! After my one week of driving, I was wiped out! I think I'm just recovering from my camp and driving today.
We're not large, but we do an hour of something that remotely looks like learning in the morning and extensive reading at afternoon quiettime. And everyone does quiettime. Other than Daddy's camps, we do sprinkler, backyard baseball, fort building with sticks or whatnots, gardnening, haybaling, raking,.. and popsicle eating sprinkled in for a reward. We did a bonfire the other night for St. John the Baptist and that was a big hit. (What's not to love about a S'more??) In college, my roommates and I had a bonfire with a candle in our room (I know -- fire hazard). We made Smores with toothpicks and our candle. It was a fun diversion!
I recently saw that posted somewhere that someone had kids build structures with toothpicks and mini marshmallows. I think we might add that to one of our spice it up activities. Hold a contest for highest tower?
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Maryan
Mom to 6 boys & 1 girl: JP('01), B ('03), M('05), L('06), Ph ('08), M ('10), James born 5/1/12
A Lee in the Woudes
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KackyK
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| Posted: June 26 2009 at 8:36am | IP Logged
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Oh yes, the popsicles! I think there is an i.v. popsicle drip going on over here. It's a constant question...but I love them too!
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KackyK
Mom to 8 - 3 dd, 5ds & 4 babes in heaven
Beginning With the Assumption
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Mary K
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| Posted: June 26 2009 at 8:46am | IP Logged
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my dh and some of the kids put our huge tent (sleeps10/4"rooms") up in the backyard. that joins the screenhouse, wading pool, and small tent. looks like a minicampground. the kids and neighbor kids had a huge wter balloon/ squirt gun fight yesterday.
god bless,
Mary-NY
1dh, 8 kids-19,16,14,11,9,6,3,11m
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stellamaris
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| Posted: June 26 2009 at 8:56am | IP Logged
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Beach...beach...beach...vacuum sand out of car!!!
Travel across country to grandparents, where we do beach with rocks...toss rocks out of suitcases!
Travel to VA where we do community pool...toss damp towels in wash!
Seems like mainly drive around, get wet, and clean up after! Fun !
I think it's because we're studying the seashore...everyone is trying to become a fish!
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In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to  dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
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Lisa R
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| Posted: June 26 2009 at 10:16am | IP Logged
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We're not a "big" family, just 4 kids, but this summer is all about moving across the country for us and dh retiring from the Air Force.
Honestly, I have so much to do in the next 5 weeks before the movers come and I feel so overwhelmed and emotional about it all that I'm just procrastinating everything! 
Our boys are preparing for their black belt test at the end of July so most of our time is driving to and from Taekwondo right now.
We're also trying to spend as much time as humanly possible with all our friends here before we leave. Okay, now I'm crying again. 
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God Bless!
Lisa, married to my best friend, Ray and loving my blessings Joshua (17)and Jacob(15), Hannah(7) and Rachel (5)!Holy Family Academy
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joann10
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| Posted: June 26 2009 at 10:27am | IP Logged
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We are on a "real" 2 week break right now---hopefully we will do nothing but sleep-in, read, and spend time at the nearby state park beach--it will basically be "free play"
We do go to story and craft time at the library, and we are going to have our own "book club" for the teenagers and momma everyweek this summer.
The 16,15,13 year olds are in 3 theatical productions in the next 2 months--thankfully dd-20 is assistant director so she is the transportation.
The second week of July we will start morning schoolwork for the littles--and we are have a real lot of fun "Reading our way through the 20th century"
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teachingmyown
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| Posted: June 26 2009 at 10:35am | IP Logged
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I think part of my problem, as I look around, is that the kids are in vacation mode and I am staring at a messy house in need of an overhaul. It's not really something the kids can do but I can't seem to break away from the daily management to dig in to something more time consuming. I wish we had somewhere close and free to go to so that I can forget what I "need" to be doing" for a few days.
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Large families and summer
