Surviving Summer

I have to admit that for the last few years the thought of summer vacation has made me feel a little panicky. We have a great routine during the school year and S-Boogie really thrives in the classroom with her friends. Being at home together can sometimes be difficult for all of us, as I'm sure is true in many families. Thankfully this summer is going by quickly and so far it is going well.

Last year I tried making a schedule that included a variety of different things, including some learning time. If I had been better about following it, it might have worked out. Instead our enthusiasm petered out after a week or two and it fell by the wayside. Even though I read a lot of different blog posts from other families with varying levels of structure for the summer, this year I felt like I would rather keep things more simple and flexible. So far it is working out well. I typed up some basic 'summer guidelines' for the kids. They have certain things they have to get done in the morning before they each get an hour of screen time for the day. One of the items on their morning routine is a chore; I've given them each one chore for the day, mostly simple things that I want them to learn how to do like helping with the dishwasher or taking care of their laundry (putting it in the machine for me and then folding it when it's done). I also made a master chart for the week that includes jobs for the parents each day, things like library day, and my work schedule. I think it is just enough to give us structure but not so much we are overwhelmed.

Most days we've had so far have actually been quite lovely. The kids are finally getting old enough to handle some boredom creatively, and they both look forward to getting new books from the library and actually reading them on their own. I've also learned that when they come to me and say "I'm bored", I can usually list a few ideas and after a while they'll wander off and find something to do. Another of our summer guidelines is that everyone (including me) has to get some outside time each day, so they are getting better at playing outside. I'd still love to get some kind of swing set, but they can be remarkably creative with the little that is outside.

Yesterday was a good day. We got up, went to swimming lessons first thing in the morning, and then came home and changed clothes. After that we read scriptures and did chores (vacuuming for me, folding laundry and wiping walls for Little Dude, piano practice for S-Boogie), and then the kids started their screen time with some computer games while I left to go to the dentist. Mr. Fob fed them lunch while I was gone and they started some quiet reading time. I was nervous when I came home because my mouth was numb and I didn't feel good, and since it was only one o'clock I worried that the day would be long. S-Boogie and Little Dude whined for a few minutes, and then went downstairs to build a motorhome out of Duplos. I was so happy that they entertained themselves for nearly two hours while I rested on the couch. The baby woke up from her nap, and since I still didn't feel up to taking them over to the 'real pool' we filled up the little one in the backyard. I sat outside watching the white clouds billow over the mountains, soaking up the sunshine. P. Bibby played in the pool while the bigger kids got out to go work on their mud pit. The afternoon passed, we cleaned up and had dinner, and then Mr. Fob and I went out for a bit while his sister stayed and watched a movie with our kids. Not all days are that great, but most have been going well. The weather is nice and it's already July. Some day I will mourn the passing of summer and I think I will look forward to it next year much more than I have in the past.

Reading Roundup: June 2011

A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley

I first read this book a number of years ago and hated it. I read it again and realized that I still hate it. None of the characters in it are very likeable; that's not really a good reason to hate a book, but I realized after reading it this time is that they are incomprehensible. I know the author is trying to model the book after the story of King Lear, but that mostly means a book filled with characters that think and act in ways that seem unbelievable and off-putting.

Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin

I enjoyed this book and it gave me a lot to think about. There were parts where the tone felt uneven, and I had expected it to be more purely memoir rather than a mix of memoir and advice, but generally I thought it was a good read.

The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan

This was our book club read this month and it led into a really great discussion. Although the book is billed as looking at both sides, in reality it does lean a bit more towards sympathy with the Palestinians than with the Israelis. I thought it was a good introduction to both the broad history of the conflict in the Middle East and the personal, human issues that are part of it.

Tangerine by Edward Bloor

This is a YA book that I keep seeing on 'best of' lists and decided to read for myself. It reminded me a lot of Chris Crutcher's books, which also combine dysfunctional families, social issues, and sports. I think Bloor is a worthy heir of Crutcher and this is a good read if you want a YA book that isn't a paranormal romance.

The Good Daughter: A Memoir of My Mother's Hidden Life by Jasmin Darznik

I listened to an interview with the author of this book on NPR and found her family's history to be fascinating. I think she has done a great job retelling her mother's history in this book, but I think I would like to know more about her own history with her mother and what it was like to grow up as an immigrant in the US. It was still a great read and another to add to the list of great memoirs that are out now.

The Lost Books of the Odyssey by Zachary Mason

When I first read the Odyssey in high school I was fascinated by it. It's long been one of my favorite pieces of literature, which I think makes me the perfect reader for this book. I'm not sure how many other people would enjoy it as much. The author has created a book that is a bunch of short (some very short) pieces that retell portions of the Odyssey in different ways. It's very postmodern, but not in a kitschy way. I loved it, but it may or may not be your thing.

Movies

Green Lantern

This is the first movie I've seen in 3D and it wasn't as bad as I had expected it to be. The major flaw I found in the movie was the fact that the entire thing felt like prologue, rather than plot itself. Also, Ryan Reynolds is very cute to watch, but he's not a great actor. I think Green Lantern is the kind of character that needs more depth than just "I'm hot".

True Grit

I didn't enjoy this movie as much as I expected to, but I think that's just because we were having a rather distracted night (phone calls and a baby who wouldn't sleep). The thing that surprised me most was the music--I loved it and I still have some of it stuck in my head.

The Green Hornet

This was another movie that was fun to watch but that didn't have any substance to it. It really needed a plot.