Are you outnumbered once summer rolls around? I know I am.
This is me relaxing on our hammock. Wait, don’t see me relaxing anymore? Exactly.
I’m happy to throw the schedule to the wind and not worry about what theme the kids have to dress for on a particular day. I’m relieved to not find out there’s a science project due the night before the science project is due. But there is one tiny downside…
…the hours of 8:30am – 3:30pm.
So let’s talk survival. If you have Minecraft fans in your house, we’ll call this survival mode. I love lists (lots of you are in the list lovers club, too) so let’s do this:
Top Nine Things We Need to Survive the Summer
9. Headphones. Once and a while, we can focus on our favorite podcast or XM station and let the yelling take care of itself.
8. Bubbles. I don’t know at what age bubbles stop being magical, but we haven’t reached it yet.
7. Make ahead Muffins. Forgot about that ill-scheduled dentist appointment at 9am? Muffins. Tired from the non-existent bedtimes? Muffins for breakfast. By the way, I love Money Saving Mom (it’s her recipe link). I add vanilla and substitute raisins for chocolate chips.
6. Sunscreen. Because the Crisco and Hawaiian Tropics of our teens just didn’t work that well.
5. Popcorn. Going to the pool? Bring popcorn. Raining outside? Popcorn and a movie. Kids want a fifth snack? Popcorn. You want a fifth snack? Popcorn. Also, see muffins.
4. Bored Jars. We may not be prepared for everything, but we’ll be prepared for hearing, “I’m bored” about twenty minutes into summer break.
3. Laughter. Because as Emily of the Indigo Girls said, “you’ve gotta laugh at yourself because you’d cry your eyes out if you didn’t.”
2. Other lists. The information at our fingertips is amazing. What did our parents do before they could google, “kids+free+summer+trucks”
29 Dollar Store Finds for summer
1. FRIENDS. It takes a village my friends, and I’m glad you’re in mine!
What is on YOUR summer survival list?
Great post and excellent advice – especially #1!
Thanks! Headphones are a year-round must, really. I’m always searching for the perfect pair.
I’m with you sister. I love lists too.
Darn, muffins – could have saved me from total insanity during the month of June.
I’m on it.
Do you have a favorite muffin recipe?
Top Five Muffin Recipes:
5. Wait, what were we talking about? Oh, muffins! I can’t remember my favorite recipe.
4. It was a mix of this one recipe that I got started with and then combined with an online recipe because I’m not sure where I set my cookbook.
3. I’m pretty sure it had flour in it. Yeah, flour. But not regular flour, gluten free organic fair-trade free-range coconut flour.
2. I HAD a favorite. I made it all the time & thought to myself, “Self, you should print this out so you don’t lose it.” Then I didn’t do that. And I lost it.
1. Anything oatmeal, pumpkin or blueberry.
Phew, that was fun to write Kellie! And sadly, a fairly accurate representation of my recent baking endeavors. The Book of Bread by Judith & Evan Jones is my go-to muffin and quick bread book, the downside is everything needs to at least be doubled for my family! I really do have a terrible habit of trying different online recipes and not keeping track of what works. Super, right? And don’t worry, we will be insane again in August!