Summer Plans

Summer is soon to be here! Last year, we continued with more formal schooling stuff so that we could have more flexiblity for breaks during the year (which was very helpful, as several unexpected events occurred requiring random days off). However, this year, Michael has requested that we all take a good month or more of actual summer break to focus on a few other things that don't get attended to as much during our school year.

So, here are some of our plans for our summer break:

• Lots and lots of reading! I'm going to re-read Raising Godly Tomatoes and Shepherding a Child's Heart, along with the several other books I'm already working my way through. Isaac and Ezra will be reading some chapter books, and I'll be reading aloud to the younger boys, as usual.
  
• Decluttering! Yes, the thing I hate most and try to get out of doing by filling my days with busy-ness ;-) I'll have no excuse now! I want to go room by room and give each one a thorough decluttering. I found out that there is a Goodwill donation center behind our library, so each week that we go to the library, I aim to have several bags to donate. I'm tired of clutter making me feel suffocated in my own house!
• Character training and discipline! (Hence my rereading of the aforementioned books.) Again, in the busy-ness of each normal day, little things get passed over, until they become big things that need major attention. So we'll be working on eliminating the little things before they can become big things ;-)
• Exercise! Michael and I have agreed to go walking together each evening, while the older boys ride their bikes. I'll wear Judah, and Nate will be chauffeured in the jogging stroller by Michael, and hopefully we'll all succeed in being a little more fit. The boys don't need any help, but Michael and I do! I'm also going to fit in some weight training during the day to help with toning.
• Study! Both Michael and I have branched out and taken on small groups at our church. Michael will be co-leading with another member and doing a study on Hebrews, while I'll be heading up one just for ladies using the book "Lies Women Believe " by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. This decision was a hard one for me, as I don't want any outside "ministry" to ever take precedence over my first and foremost ministry (my husband and children at home!), but the ladies' group will only be once a week, every other week, so Michael did not feel as if it would interfere with my responsibilities at home. I'll also be going through some of Elizabeth George's Bible Studies with my mom and sister!
• Hospitality! We really enjoy having friends over, but often don't feel like we have the time to do it as much as we like. So we're going to make a concentrated effort to really start practicing hospitality. That in itself is a ministry!
  
• Fun! Of course! Swimming at the cousins' house, visiting Stone Mountain Park, and taking time that we don't take often enough to PLAY with the kids!

Even though formal schooling will be paused for a little while, we're all looking forward to the activities our summer days will hold! Does your family have any summer plans? Feel free to leave a comment and share!