Adventures, Lessons, and Lemonade

What counts as evidence of an adventurous spirit? Certainly not that we now, alas, drive a minivan. A new theme from Alicia, Try New Adventures Thursday, inspired me to consider and share what we've been up to this week that's different. Every new adventure involves risk, right? And for us, there were a couple of unfortunately typical misadventures along the way. Hopefully we're a little wiser through it all.

1. Fish and Sandcastles
Spending an afternoon with friends provided the impetus I needed to create a spur-of-the-moment fishing game. We also tried out a new craft idea I had--sandpaper castles.

2. Latin Sounds
We ventured out of doors in the middle of the day to listen to a free mini-concert of the Dali Quartet. Though I could have done without all the squirming, we still enjoyed the music and the introduction to the various string and percussion instruments we heard.

3. Museum Lessons
The next time this mother feels adventurous, she will make every effort to avoid the following errors:
Mistake #1: Bringing an almost 3-year-old inside an art museum without a stroller to restrain wandering hands and feet.
Mistake #2: Denying outdoor craft opportunity to young boy with no alternative activity direction.
Mistake #3: Thinking one can help daughters with said craft for a moment while son supposedly stays nearby.

4. Fresh Lemonade + Pool in the Backyard = All is Well

I'm linking up to Alicia's Try New Adventures Thursday blog hop and going to chill with the Company Girls at Home Sanctuary this week!

Summer Begins!

School's out!  Summer vacation for my 6-year-old starts today.  While I am looking forward to spending more time with her, managing all those hours together is a daunting challenge.  That's why I was delighted to find some spectacular ideas for "No More Summer Mush Mind " over at How Does She?  Basically, it seems like a morning homeschool plan, which is lovely way for my kids and I to spend the next couple of months.


With our current schooling setup, I think I get the best of both worlds.  Fall, winter and spring, I am partnering with the public school to teach my children; then in the summer months I get to do "funschooling" with my three kids!  Plus we can focus more intentionally on Christian discipleship, starting with the user-friendly summer calendar I mentioned last week.  Now it's time to get my head out of the clouds and actually implement all these ideas!


Here are some of the "field trips" and other fun outings I hope we can attempt this month:


1. Strawberry Picking
We did a spur-of-the-moment outing last year on my other daughter's birthday; we all hope to enjoy an outing to the farm again this year.
 



2.  "The Mammoth Museum" 
Morrill Hall offers free Thursday nights all summer long; my kids had a blast exploring the place last July. 

3.  Jazz in June and/or International Festival
I have always wanted to go to these downtown events but still haven't made it after two summers.  Third time's a charm I hope!

4.  The Farmer's Market
We made it to the market twice already this season; it has become a Saturday morning tradition for us.  Even my 2-year-old son looks forward to going, especially since there are trains.  He adores trains.  I love the personal interactions with the farmers; it reminds me of the daily open-air markets in our neighborhoods when we lived in Asia.

The Reality: Honestly, it's been a tough week.  Fun events and happy feelings are not what will encourage me at the deepest levels.  In order to feed my children spiritual truth, I need to return to the Source of true strength and wisdom.  From my recent study of John, there are so many lessons and insights that I have noticed but not fully applied to life yet.  That is probably my most important summer project. 


Big or small plans, what's on your list this month?

A Free Night at the Museum in Lincoln

My kids had a grand time exploring the UNL museum for free on Thursday night last week. We dined at the picnic tables outside before heading in to see the mammoth, dinosaur, and animal exhibits. The only drawback to the evening was parking; the free spots for museum guests were full when we arrived. But it was certainly a night to enjoy and remember later. Hopefully we can return before the free Thursday evenings end on July 30th! You can find more information here.