Today is the first day of summer vacation!

I decided it was super important to start the summer off right. I made the girls get up before eight, there was no tv at all for the kids and they did chores first thing. My cousin has a rule with her kids where they have to eat breakfast by nine am. I've decided it's a good idea and I'm doing the same.

Last year I had a terrible problem with the kids casually moving around the eleven, the same time we head towards the park for lunch. The girls would complain that they didn't have breakfast and had to eat first. Apparently the time isn't important to them as much as what the meal is labeled. So I'm hoping by enforcing this breakfast by nine, it'll encourage the girls to get moving and alleviate the problems we had last summer. Since they'll be moving, and I will too, I'll have to feed the boys it shouldn't be to hard to get the kids going on their chores then.

The girls have already been told that whether they get to go to the park or to the movies depends on getting their chores done.

I also want to get in the habit of doing school work each day but reading and school work is much easier to get the kids working on then chores. So the chores first thing in the am will probably work best.

Ean announced that he wasn't doing what I had asked him too. I spanked him. I really try to not use spankings and if anyone can give me a heads up on a book or technique I can try, I'll gladly look into it. I hate spanking but sometimes nothing else works for Ean. I thought Kate was stubborn but I think Ean wins.

Speaking of Ean, that kid is still getting into everything. My purse now sits in the pantry because Ean can't get into the pantry if it's latched. Little turd took my visor and scribbled out all my numbers I had saved on it.

*sigh*

Good thing I love him more then words can describe.

So anyhoo, that's how I have the days outlined for summer. Hopefully it works. I know that if left on their own they'd play all day and that's not going to work. I want them to play but I'd be doing my children a grave disservice if I brought them up to be selfish people that weren't responsible and didn't know how to take care of themselves. I love them to much to do that to them.

I guarantee Kate doesn't see it that way. She was grumbling that summer is for fun not for chores! Kate would love to wile away her summer in sprinklers and friends without a care in the world. Of course Kate thinks that setting and clearing the dinner table is a secret plot to ruin her entire day. Oh the drama. So this routine should be especially good for Kate and Ean.

I bought the summer movie tickets. A great deal, each series ticket is only $6.50 for eleven weeks worth of movies, different movie each week. There's also two friends tickets on each series. It's a great way to break up the week and pretty inexpensive. It'll cost more next year when I buy the twins too. This year I only had to buy four tickets.

We're doing swim lessons in July and the first half of August. Last year we did June and July but the kids were so grouchy in August, I think this will work better, allowing them to have more fun stuff at the end of the summer. Of course it's hotter in August and the kids will probably appreciate the water more.

There's also summer lunches. From the beginning of June until mid August we can get the kids lunch at the park. It's a federal program offered to all kids 18 and younger. It's from the same branch that does free and reduced lunches during the school year. With five children it makes a big difference in our budget and since it's done at local parks the kids have a chance to meet friends and burn off some energy.

I'm hoping I don't lose any twins. They are so hard to keep track of these days.

The only thing left is sunscreen. Ean dumped out what I had so I need to buy more. Those fair headed kids of mine, we'll have to be super careful this year.