Summer Break- Two weeks in
The kids have been out of school on summer break for two weeks. Here's a brief overview of the past two weeks.
The first week of break, the kids had that, Is this really happening- do I really not have to get up at the crack of dawn, sit and listen to instruction, be expected to retain said instruction and then do work either in class or as homework five nights a week?- kind of amazement. It was wonderful. I think I could have told the kids they were going to sit on the couch and stare at the wall all day and all they'd say is, "Cool. What will we have for lunch?" It took very little effort to make the first week of break special.
By the second week, a tad bit of the newness of the break had worn off but the appreciation for being at home and not at school was still strong.
Here's what we've up to:
Going to the library- Abby has to read several books over the summer for her upcoming English class. So we've gone to the library to get books and one time Abby picked up a movie for her and Alyssa to watch.
Going to Kings Island- We've gone three times already since the kids have been out of school. I bought meal plans which were pretty expensive. If you hardly use the plans, then it makes each meal that you do use very expensive. So, I plan to go more often than we went last summer (and so far am on target to do that) and try to get our money's worth out of our pass and food plan. We don't like to wait long in lines and we definitely are not stay all day at the park kind of people. We arrive when the park opens, ride several of our favorite rides, eat lunch and then maybe ride another ride or two. We're still home with plenty of time left in the day. And... I don't have to worry about lunches for that day :).
Chik- fil A is part of the meal plan at Kings Island. So that's what we ate the last time we were at KI
We rode to the top of King Island's Eiffel Tower (it's 1/3 the size of the real one, per our elevator operator).
Neat views of the park...
Enjoying the cooler mornings- This week, the second week of break, we've had some gorgeous, cool(ish) mornings. Alyssa and I went to a local park to play tennis one morning, the girls and I went to Cox Arboretum another morning, and we went to Kings Island another morning. It was so nice to not be hot while walking around the park.
Cox Arboretum- We only stayed for about an hour but we covered a lot of ground (we are fast walkers:)).
So pretty
We walked up the tree tower
and appreciated the views
Inside the Butterfly House
We only saw two winged things- they looked suspiciously like moths to me (but I'm not erudite in such things so maybe they were butterflies). The flowers sure were pretty in the Butterfly House.
The outside of the Butterfly House
Perfect weather for enjoying nature
Supporting local businesses- Bonus if supporting the business means you get to eat two homemeade cookies with homemade icing in between them... Another bonus if supporting the business means you get to select a froyo flavor and then add copious amounts of toppings to the froyo. Alyssa and I hit up Cheryl's Cakes & Treats after we played tennis. We know Cheryl personally; prior to her opening up her business I had no idea she was a talented cake decorator and baker. I found out in the sweetest way possible how talented she is 😋. The girls and I went to Town and Country Shopping Center one afternoon where of course we had froyo at Orange Leaf. And lamented (for the umpteeth time) that the Orange Leaf in Springboro closed. How was that possible??
Orange Leaf
Cheryl's
Working- Jacob has been working a decent bit. Keeps him busy and makes him money... Abby has been helping me out in the kitchen (her request; I'm happy to oblige) to learn some cooking basics.
Picking strawberries- Our largest haul was last Sunday's pick with 80 berries. Each day this week, we've picked some but not nearly 80. The berries are small so we aren't getting huge quantities of strawberries but definately enough to keep us strawberry satiated. We were going to go strawberry picking at a u pick strawberry farm this week. The weather would have been perfect for it- but I made the decision that we didn't need to pick strawberries when we have a decent bit here and can go strawberry pickin' in our own little patch :).
Here is Friday's (today!) pickins'
We found a few oddities...
And had dessert for breakfast...
Playing/ Hanging out with friends- Jacob has been spending a decent bit of his spare time with this friends. They've been watching the NBA playoffs together, playing video games, going to the pool, and hopefully not engaging in miscreant activities. The girls have played together a lot and with their friends. Avery was in town last week and she and Avery spent a good deal of time together. Abby has gotten together with some of her dance friends.
The kids have each had a few moments of boredom/ complaints/ bad moods/ surliness, etc. But, overall they seem very pleased with the fortune that fate has bestowed on them the last two weeks- having no school!
The first week of break, the kids had that, Is this really happening- do I really not have to get up at the crack of dawn, sit and listen to instruction, be expected to retain said instruction and then do work either in class or as homework five nights a week?- kind of amazement. It was wonderful. I think I could have told the kids they were going to sit on the couch and stare at the wall all day and all they'd say is, "Cool. What will we have for lunch?" It took very little effort to make the first week of break special.
By the second week, a tad bit of the newness of the break had worn off but the appreciation for being at home and not at school was still strong.
Here's what we've up to:
Going to the library- Abby has to read several books over the summer for her upcoming English class. So we've gone to the library to get books and one time Abby picked up a movie for her and Alyssa to watch.
Going to Kings Island- We've gone three times already since the kids have been out of school. I bought meal plans which were pretty expensive. If you hardly use the plans, then it makes each meal that you do use very expensive. So, I plan to go more often than we went last summer (and so far am on target to do that) and try to get our money's worth out of our pass and food plan. We don't like to wait long in lines and we definitely are not stay all day at the park kind of people. We arrive when the park opens, ride several of our favorite rides, eat lunch and then maybe ride another ride or two. We're still home with plenty of time left in the day. And... I don't have to worry about lunches for that day :).
Chik- fil A is part of the meal plan at Kings Island. So that's what we ate the last time we were at KI
We rode to the top of King Island's Eiffel Tower (it's 1/3 the size of the real one, per our elevator operator).
Neat views of the park...
Enjoying the cooler mornings- This week, the second week of break, we've had some gorgeous, cool(ish) mornings. Alyssa and I went to a local park to play tennis one morning, the girls and I went to Cox Arboretum another morning, and we went to Kings Island another morning. It was so nice to not be hot while walking around the park.
Cox Arboretum- We only stayed for about an hour but we covered a lot of ground (we are fast walkers:)).
So pretty
and appreciated the views
The outside of the Butterfly House
Perfect weather for enjoying nature
Supporting local businesses- Bonus if supporting the business means you get to eat two homemeade cookies with homemade icing in between them... Another bonus if supporting the business means you get to select a froyo flavor and then add copious amounts of toppings to the froyo. Alyssa and I hit up Cheryl's Cakes & Treats after we played tennis. We know Cheryl personally; prior to her opening up her business I had no idea she was a talented cake decorator and baker. I found out in the sweetest way possible how talented she is 😋. The girls and I went to Town and Country Shopping Center one afternoon where of course we had froyo at Orange Leaf. And lamented (for the umpteeth time) that the Orange Leaf in Springboro closed. How was that possible??
Orange Leaf
Working- Jacob has been working a decent bit. Keeps him busy and makes him money... Abby has been helping me out in the kitchen (her request; I'm happy to oblige) to learn some cooking basics.
Picking strawberries- Our largest haul was last Sunday's pick with 80 berries. Each day this week, we've picked some but not nearly 80. The berries are small so we aren't getting huge quantities of strawberries but definately enough to keep us strawberry satiated. We were going to go strawberry picking at a u pick strawberry farm this week. The weather would have been perfect for it- but I made the decision that we didn't need to pick strawberries when we have a decent bit here and can go strawberry pickin' in our own little patch :).
Here is Friday's (today!) pickins'
Playing/ Hanging out with friends- Jacob has been spending a decent bit of his spare time with this friends. They've been watching the NBA playoffs together, playing video games, going to the pool, and hopefully not engaging in miscreant activities. The girls have played together a lot and with their friends. Avery was in town last week and she and Avery spent a good deal of time together. Abby has gotten together with some of her dance friends.
The kids have each had a few moments of boredom/ complaints/ bad moods/ surliness, etc. But, overall they seem very pleased with the fortune that fate has bestowed on them the last two weeks- having no school!
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