During the school year, Max went to pre-k 3 days a week, and those three days Rylan got picked up by a van from Max's pre-k and played at that school until I got off work. When school ended, we went to Colorado. After we returned, I dropped my hours from 3 days a week to 1. We asked our niece to babysit our boys. We have a niece that is 24 (I know what you are thinking. How can that young girl have a grown niece?) and stays home with her son. (I KNOW, how can that Sara be great aunt? She's so young!) She very nicely to agreed to come stay with our kids 1-2 days a week so I could work. This worked out so well. She made some money and we spent less than we would have a daycare and I was able to stay home 3-4 weekdays.
The boys and I came up with a Summer Bucket List. We didn't do it all, but we got seriously close. I am proud of all we did this summer.
Here is the before:
Gulley Park
Rotary Park
Vandergriff School Park
Bryce Davis Park
Arkadia
Dickson Street Food Trucks and Dickson Street Book Shop
Springdale Aquatic Center
Rogers Aquatic Center
Prairie Grove Aquatic Center
Toys R US/Petco/Barnes and Noble
Chick Fil A playplace
McDonald's Playplace
Lego Club at the Library
Storytime at the Library
Lokomotion
Tour a Food Truck
High Rise
Fast Lanes
Garage Saling on Fridays
Ricks Bakery to watch cakes be made
Amazeum
Berry Picking
Einstein bagels for breakfast
Prairie Grove Aquatic Center
Chick Fil A playplace
Lokomotion
Tour a Food Truck
High Rise
Garage Saling on Fridays
Ricks Bakery to watch cakes be made
Einstein bagels for breakfast
I think we did awesome. Add in that the kids went to my parents for 4 days, the family did a trip to Branson, I went on a girls trip to Lake Viking, and Rob did his 18th annual Guys Only Camp/Canoepalooza. We summered like we have never summered. We also did chores, the boys started making their beds for the first time in their lives, we volunteered at our church pantry, we participated in the Summer Reading Program, and I feel like did awesome at it. Today is our last day. As much as I'd like to tick off a few more items, I think we are going to go to the gym, chill, clean a little, play and spend time together for one final day. I've said it before, I am a fun mom, but I am not a good Stay at HOME mom. I dont't really stay at home all that well. I like to find stuff to do, see what's out there. Explore new places.
Tomorrow I packup my littles (BOTH OF THEM!) and send them to school. They will be at the same school for 3 years. I am beginning a new shift, working 8am-2:30pm four days a week and making it to carline instead of 3 days a week of 8-4:30. I prayyyyyyyyyy that this works. My job lends itself to making my own hours, BUT, if I have a patient, and no one can take my patient, I can't exactly leave my patient. Sometimes crap happens. I have had to call Rob or other family SOS before to get them at 4:30, so trying to leave 2 hours earlier than that is a scary thought. If it works, and I can leave and get my kids in time for school to be out, we will be saving...................$500 a month in daycare and afterschool care money. And I was only part time!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am sad that the summer is over, but I feel really ready for this next chapter. I have no regrets of staying home and being frugal to make that work. I have no regrets of not completly staying home, always working a little, just to keep my nursing skills up so that I could get the kind of job I have now. It is a good job, but it is a hard job and my years of experience, even extremely part time, helped me get it. My kids have had some of the best teachers at several different care centers and they have also had a lot of mama time. I am so happy I get to be there at the end of their day after school
I am sad to say my phone died and a lot of photos did not transfer to my new one. So, here are a FEW photos from this summer.
Max owning some sparkly shades at Roger's Aquatic Center
Couple of weirdos at Springdale Aquatic Center
Our beach ball sprinkler before our dog ate it
Berry Picking in the blistering heat. Summer got REAL this year
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