Summer School

Excuse the no pics post...one of these days I will spend the time getting my pics onto the mac instead of only my pc laptop! I have been using the mac a lot more...though mostly because the laptop is super old (almost 5!) and the boys love to use it!

it's officially summer for us!!!!!!! YAY! We are enjoying our days...we jumped in with swim lessons right away, and yesterday spent a family day in Monterey doing all those things we want to check off our summer list...train and carousel at Casa de Fruta, Dennis the Menace Park, paddleboats, Carmel beach, clam chowder in a bread bowl on the wharf...it was a great day!

Today Joe let me sleep in on my first day off, so our "summer school" didn't start yet! Yes, I am doing the Brown Summer School. We are studying a theme a week, and that includes books from the weekly library visit, art project, field trip, etc. I bought the boys a workbook for Grade 2 and K, so they are working on those everyday, as well as time for reading. The time is pretty structured in the morning, starting with chores, walk, breakfast, workbook and learning time, reading block, etc. But the afternoons are pretty free, plenty of time for park, walks, bike rides, playdates, etc. this week we aren't starting with a theme yet. We are coming up with our weekly themes, organizing the overflowing art supplies, starting journals, workbooks, and schedules, signing up for library summer program, swim lessons, etc. We have a visit to a friend on Wednesday (Hi Kim!) and a birthday celebration on Friday, party time on Saturday. But I am excited. I have my own list of summer projects and reading lists. I will share as we go along.

Here are some links to see some great and fun "summer school" ideas:

* http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/ (She is doing a Funner in the summer series...scroll through some past entries like THIS one to see how she is doing her program!)

*Like her summer list ideas: http://megduerksen.typepad.com/whatever/summer-list/

*Another idea about themes http://cleanmama.blogspot.com/2010/05/messy-monday-routines-week-style.html

EDITED: here is another post from my fav blog about summer schooling: No More Summer Mush Mind and the one that got me thinking about my summer school!

Anyone else doing "summer school"? don't get me wrong...we are playing and lazing around in pajamas and breaking out the board games (Battleship is a current fav) and being bored (well, not yet!)...but I also want to capitalize on my kiddos interests in learning. they are at such a perfect age! Loving it!