Christian Children's Book Review | Jesus

Today I am at Christian Children's Book Review discussing the book Jesus. A beautifully illustrated retelling of the life of Christ that highlights specific accounts in His life.

Today my post "How to Make the Most of Your Summer" is also being featured at Africa to America in her Family Fun Friday. Stop by and say "Hi!"

Have a great weekend!

Women Making a Difference | Belinda Cruz: Missionary to Spain

Today, I want to introduce you to someone very special to me. Her name is Belinda, and she is my cousin (my Aunt Ruth's daughter). She is beautiful, intelligent (master's degree and is a licensed minister), and has always had a true heart for serving others. This year, Belinda is planning to head out to the mission field. 

Spain, to be exact.

I thought it would be wonderful to hear her story and for her to get to share her heart with us.

1. How long have you had the call to go to the mission field?

 

My call to full time ministry came first and then my call to missions, all during my last year in high school and throughout my college years. My plans were to become an international lawyer. I was a history/government major.

While serving as a camp counselor in a Christian summer youth camp, I received the call to full time ministry. I responded to the altar call during evening chapel service, committing my life entirely to His service, whatever that meant or whatever that looked like. I thought that I could use my future career, international law, as my ministry. But God had other plans for my life.

 

My missions call came a year or so later, while watching a missions update video during Sunday evening service. I started to cry for no apparent reason at all. The more I tried to stop crying, the harder I cried. I realized it was God. The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart, a ‘knowing’ that this is what God wanted for my life.  

I immediately acted on the prompting and took a short term missions trip for 2 months to El Salvador. When I returned home, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is what God was calling me to do. But human nature being fickle and – let’s be honest – disobedient, I tried to bargain with God regarding law school, even telling Him that I’d use my career to help missionaries. 

Another year or so passed, and  God got my attention again while I was sitting for the LSAT’s. The entire exam the Holy Spirit repeatedly told me, “You are not supposed to be here.” Leaving the exam, I finally died to my desire and submitted to His will. Soon after that encounter, I set out to prepare for full-time ministry, was accepted into a graduate ministry program at a seminary, and moved within weeks to Springfield, MO.

2. Why Spain?

I honestly thought that I would return to Latin America, specifically to El Salvador where I did my first missions trip. I had a heart for Hispanic peoples. In college I took Spanish courses and learned about the indigenous cultures, the countries, their histories, and their contributions to the world. The courses were primarily on the Latin American world and its Spanish language. There never was much emphasis on Spain itself, only its role in conquest. 

 

In seminary, one of my course pre-requisites was a practicum.  At that time, I had become extremely interested in Jews, Muslims and Gypsies. That was God’s doing.  Because of my interests, Spain was the natural place to do my practicum. In Spain, you find all three groups!  

I didn’t ever want my ‘natural desire’ to dominate what God’s Spirit desires, so I prayed about it and decided that if the Spain practicum didn’t open up, I would take the opportunity that God presented. It was a lesson on hearing and ”staying put” in your faith. Not wavering in what God was telling me. 

I learned that God also puts desires in your heart! There was an opportunity to work with a missionary doing Muslim ministry, but the Spain door had not closed yet. So I held on, and God did open the door to help a missionary couple in Zamora, Spain. The money was raised, and I was off to Spain.

Why Spain? Yes, the country is a beautiful place, but that didn’t decide it for me. It definitely wasn’t my 3 months practicum in Spain. My taste of what the missionaries encountered on a daily basis was small.  Being a missionary has it’s challenges. However, I cannot ignore or deny God called me. Bottom line, there are people in Spain, 98% to be exact, who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. There are many who practice religious traditions, but we know that religious observances do not and cannot replace a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  There is no other way to the Father except through Jesus Christ.

Relationship is not about observation; relationship is about intimacy. With God’s help, that is what I and other missionaries set our hearts to do. Introduce people to a God who loves them, sent His one and only Son Jesus Christ to die for them so they can have eternal life, and offers them an intimate relationship with Him right now.

 

3. When do you plan on leaving for the mission field?

 

I am projected to be in Spain by September. Once I receive my funds, I will be able to leave for Spain. I have two budgets to raise – pledges and cash. Many have given one-time gifts that have gone toward my cash budget. Right now, I have approximately 20% of my required monthly pledges. But I believe God to provide the 80% that is outstanding by September.

 

Faith is more than just hoping for a good outcome. Faith believes God will keep his promise, when your circumstances, lack of resources, people and the enemy himself try to take your focus off of God’s promise to you. Faith expectantly looks for the answer, the deliverance, the healing, the 'whatever’ you need and is promised to you by God. 

4. What will be the focus of your mission?

My focus will be church planting. I will be mentored by a couple who are currently church planting, helping them in whatever way I am asked and led to help. In fact, I was placed with the SAME missionaries that I did my practicum with in seminary – all God!  After my term with them, I plan to come back to the US and become a fully appointed missionary, raise funds for a 4 year term and plant a church myself.

5. You have always been pretty independent. Does being on another continent an ocean away from your family make you nervous in any way?

It doesn’t really make me nervous to be away from ‘home.’  Over the years I have been blessed to travel to countries in South America, Latin America, Southeast Asia, Middle East, and Europe. Every time I felt ‘safe’ and more at home than in the USA. Strange, right? God is always with me. I will miss family and friends.

6. What can we do here in the states that will help you in Spain?

Pray for me.  

Actively believe God with me for (and these are just a few):

·         Resources/Finances

·         People to support me on a monthly basis – need 80% more pledges

·         Good health

·         Unity with missionary and other believers

·         Relationships with Spaniards

·         Develop good friends

·         Favor in the community

·         Opportunities to share the love of Christ

·         God to do the miraculous in people’s live I meet and touch

·         Protection physically and spiritually

·         Strength

·         My relationship with God would become deeper and stronger

·         Future church planting team members

 

Prayerfully consider supporting me on a monthly basis.  If God prompts you to support me and the work, you can make your commitment and pledge by typing my name Belinda Cruz in the search box through the following the link: https://giving.ag.org 

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons | A Review

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I was not supposed to be the one to teach my children how to read.

My mother was.

I had never taught anyone how to read before. As a 4th and then 5th grade teacher at a private Christian school, my job was to teach reading comprehension and how to develop critical thinking skills while reading a passage.

My mother had taught me how to read by the time I was two and a half years old using SRA DISTAR by Siegfried Englemann., which my father's cousin, a New York public school teacher, had given her because her school was throwing it out. I remember the spiral bound books and games my mother would play with me using the books. Sadly, Mom passed away a couple of weeks before Addie was born, so I had to come up with a new game plan.

Right before Addie turned one, I saw a commercial for the Your Baby Can Read series. I bought it, and faithfully sat with Addie every day to watch the videos, play the games, look through the books, and review with the flash cards. Within 6 months, she did learn to recognize what each card said, but she was unable to translate her knowledge outside of the cards, videos, and books. (The series is no longer available for babies- it is available for kids, though. Instead there is now a series called Your Baby Can Discover. I personally do not have experience with this product.)

We began watching the LeapFrog: Letter Factory and in no time at all Addie began recognizing her letters and the sounds they made. By the time we began Kindergarten, she could read small words. The curriculum we were using at the time (Christian Liberty Academy Satellite Schools) had a reading program that required a lot of writing. She became frustrated and reading became a dreaded subject for us both.

Mid year, I switched her over to A Handbook for Reading, Phonics Textbook (A Beka Book Reading Program) which gave her the phonics foundation she needed. The pages had colors and fun pictures and the words were grouped in easy to read sections. But she still had no confidence in picking up a book and reading it.

Frustrated with reading and having passed my self-imposed timeline for teaching my daughter how to read, I began asking my father if he remembered which reading program my mother had used with me. After a few phone calls and emails back and forth he remembered the initials SRA. I began researching and discovered that the program my mother used for me was still around, just under a different name- Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. I ordered it and began working with Addie as soon as it came in.

The lessons are designed to be 20 minutes long- perfect for little ones who have short attention spans. Each lesson covers more than just reading. Children are taught to sound out words by "saying it slow" and then reading words by "saying it fast." They also learn the concept of rhymes and how to make up rhyming words through daily oral exercises. They are also taught how to write the letters they are learning to sound out in each given lesson. Sound blends like "th" and "ch" are visually attached to teach children how the sound works.

Lessons are taken in small steps. For example, the first two lessons only teach the sounds for "m" and "s". The type for the sounds to be read is nice and large making reading less intimidating for children. (This had been Addie's biggest issue. She would only read books that had large type in them because she was afraid of reading small type words.)

As the book progressed, I found myself splitting lessons in half. They can be a bit intense the further into the book you get. I had to remind myself that the goal was for my daughter to be able to read with confidence and understanding- not finish the book in 100 days.

One particular thing I loved about the book was that as we reached the last quarter of the book, the type gradually became smaller as the stories became longer. Addie never noticed the size change.

The evidence that she could finally read above her grade level with confidence and speed came one evening as I was preparing to review her Awana verses with her. I opened up to what I thought was a new verse, and she responded, "Oh, I already know that verse." She then began reciting it to me complete with reference. I asked how she had learned it, and her answer was, "I read it, Mom."


Recently she picked up our copy of Now We Are Six and read it in two days. I wasn't sure about her understanding of the book, but when she told me about the poems she was reading, I knew she understood. I was curious to see what the reading level for Now We Are Six was, so I researched it online. I discovered that it is at a 3.6 grade reading level.

God gave me an incredibly smart child and Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons gave her the skill and confidence to enjoy and love reading.

At this point, having enough books on hand for her is my biggest challenge.

Why Every Homeschooling Mom Needs to Attend a High School Graduation Ceremony

Two of my former fifth graders.

My kids are 6 and 2 1/2.

We are a long way off from high school graduation.

Or are we?

As I looked around at all of the families attending our local homeschool group graduation ceremony for 16 graduates, I knew these parents had thought graduation was a long way off for them, too.

I was there for one particular student. I had known this young lady since she 4 years old and had the privilege of being her fifth grade teacher when I taught at the Christian Academy. When she was entering 9th grade, her mother (my dear friend Cathy, already a parent completely involved in her daughter's educational experience) began homeschooling her.

From the moment the processional started and Kenberly walked in, the tears began. In my mind, I could see the little 4 year year old with two pigtails walking down the aisle.... and then I envisioned a grown Addie and Ian making that same march.


Right now in May of 2014, the graduation of my own children is a long way off. I am still very deep in the trenches of homeschooling. Ian is learning his sounds and numbers in a "made-for-him-by-mommy" very loose preschoolish idea. Addie is going into second grade.

• There are days when I wonder why I have chosen to take on myself a responsibility that others actually get paid for. 

• There are days when it takes my super smart six year old 5 minutes to give me the answer for 4+2.... not that she doesn't know it. Her mind takes little trips and she asks me a million unrelated questions in between finding the answer and writing it on her paper..... like "Mom, why do mosquitoes bite? Is it because of Adam and Eve?"

• There are days when being wife, mom, teacher, home-keeper, cook, and launderer are overwhelming.

• There are many days when I have to remind myself that my goal is not to have super smart children but to teach them to be godly.

Attending Kenberly's graduation gave me the long term perspective.

• I was able to see the tape across the finish line as each parent handed their student a diploma.

• I was able to remember all of the answers to my "why's".

• I was able to picture Brian and myself handing our children their diplomas and sending them into their next life adventure knowing that we had completed our purpose in the first part of their lives.

• I was able to celebrate with these families who had once been in the trenches and had reached the end of their race.

At one point in the ceremony there was a recognition of the families who were not only celebrating their child's graduation but the end of their homeschool journey because this was their last child to be homeschooled.

I cried!

• It suddenly dawned on me that homeschooling does not last forever.

• This race has a finish line.

• My children will not stay little forever.

• I will have to let them go at some point.

I am so glad I went to this graduation. Sometimes, you need to see the bigger picture to appreciate the small strokes you are making in canvas of your child's life on a daily basis. These strokes can add beauty or can ruin the overall portrait.

As my friend Kristi often says, "The days are long, but the years are short."

I'll rephrase it: the school days are long..... but the school years are short.

Review- First Language Lessons

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Teaching grammar was always so frustrating for me when I taught in the classroom. So needless to say, I was not looking forward to teaching the subject to my 6 year old daughter.

In the classroom, We had a huge text book that had 170 lessons in it, covered every single part of speech, sentence structure, punctuation, creative writing, and expected students to become proficient in the subject by the end of the school year.

How do you get kids to understand the difference between a subject and a direct object, memorize the list of prepositions and then identify them in a sentence, diagram sentences when all of the parts of speech get jumbled up, and figure out if wind is being used as a noun or verb?

It was frustrating.

Last year as I looked into teaching my daughter classically (check here for a list of all of our 1st grade curriculum), I came across First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind (Vol. Levels 1 & 2) (First Language Lessons) and got an overwhelming feeling of "We can totally do this!"

First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind does not intend to make a child an expert in every aspect of grammar in one year. Instead, the goal is to have the child become so familiar with two or three parts of speech in the course of one year while slightly glancing at other aspects of grammar, such as noun-verb agreement, in a "no pressure" kind of way.

I love the book I purchased last year because I am able to use this same book for second grade as well (Levels 1 & 2). Each year has 100 lessons and those lessons focus on a few aspects of grammar only.

In first grade we learned about nouns, pronouns, and actions verbs, although the full definitions of each of these three parts were taught and memorized the entire year. I honestly thought if I heard the definition of a noun one more time, I would stick cotton in my ears. Towards the end of the year, we also learned about the four different types of sentences. We also learned the art of answering questions in a complete sentence and how to summarize a story that we had heard. Throughout the year, we also learned how to memorize and recite poetry with proper poise and diction.

Looking ahead to the 2nd grade section, the other parts of speech are taught, Nouns, pronouns and verbs are reviewed, and other aspects of grammar (punctuation, capitalization, etc.) are also taught and reviewed throughout the entire year.

The lessons are simple and are done orally with the child. There is a lot of "repeat after me" and repetition throughout the year. Any concept taught can be turned into a a written assignment, and the ideas for the assignment are written in the book but are made relevant to the child. When we learned about nouns being a "thing", the instructions for "enrichment acticities" were to have Addie look around the room we were in and list the "things" that she saw (I had to give her the spelling). Other times, there was copywork which was either based on a poem we were memorizing or something relevant to the lesson for the day. Some days had no copywork.

The only supplies needed for our Language Lessons were pencil, paper, and crayons. Because a classical education uses actual textbooks or just books in general, I will be able to use this same textbook when Ian enters 1st grade.

My favorite part of this curriculum was that my daughter actually learned grammar!

The fact that she truly understood what she had learned in grammar this year came at the dinner table one night. Pronouns had been our focus for about a week at that point, and I was glad for our break from nouns. As we were talking Brian used the word "he" in a sentence.

Addie immediately shouted out, "You said 'he!' He is a pronoun!"

I don't know what my favorite aspect of the moment was- seeing the concept click in her mind outside of "school" or the expression on Brian's face that his then five year old could identify pronouns.

Whether you are choosing a classical method of education of a traditional method, I would highly recommend First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind. What a great way to give your child a strong foundation in grammar. 

How to Cruise Without Spending A Lot

Brian and I went on a cruise in April to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. By this point, you all know that we were married in July, so how could this be our anniversary cruise? As you will see, many of the choices we made were financially based so we could have the time of our lives but not break the bank.

Acquire Help

Do you know of an great travel agent? Someone who can you help you navigate the scary ropes of booking a relaxing getaway? We have a great travel agent who was able to help us book our cruise and found information that was necessary for us to get discounts and make our booking easy. I would highly recommend her. She is a traveler herself, so she is definitely well acquainted with the little details that many of us would over look and can give recommendations on what you need to see and what to skip. (Her button is also located in the sidebar. I am receiving nothing for this endorsement.)

Time of Year

When you go and how long you go for has a lot to do with how much you will pay.  Our anniversary is in July, but that is peak season for vacationers. Peak season means peak prices. We chose a 5 night cruise in April at $299 a piece. In July our only option of cruises was a 7 night cruise (starting at $698 per person- prices taken from priceline.com). Being that this was our first time leaving the kids with family for an extended period of time, we opted for a 5 night.

Parking

There are options for parking other than parking at the port parking lot for $15 a day. We found a "Park by the Ports" parking lot for $5 a day. We paid a total of $30 for our use of the parking lot, the shuttle to take us and our luggage to the port, and the return trip back to our vehicle. We chose to tip the driver of the van for his services.

Keeping On-Boat Costs Down

Once you are on the boat it is easy to lose track of spending because commerce on board is done by swiping your room key, which has been electronically attached to your credit card. It is very easy to become unaware of how much you are spending if you go into "financial vacation mode." Here are some ways we did not spend extra money on our cruise.

• Drinks- Water (from the dining rooms and cafeterias NOT your room), coffee, tea, and (for breakfast) orange juice are completely free, so if you are thirsty take full advantage of these beverages. Specialty coffees, sparkling water, alcoholic beverages, slushies, and sodas are all charged much more than you would normally pay for a beverage of the boat.

• Casino- I almost laughed out loud when I saw a commercial on our room's TV for the now "easy way" to play at the casino- cash free! Just use your room key! That is one area we choose not to go in to, but once evening hits, it is a very busy place. Save your money and your regret when the final bill hits. Remember, since you are using your room key, you can easily lose track of how much you have spent.

• Your Room- Another frugal choice when cruising is your choice of stateroom. Considering that you are probably not likely to spend the majority of your time in your room, is it necessary to have a window or balcony? Interior rooms cost much less. When we wanted to sit out on a balcony, we went to the deck that had the wrap around deck, brought a book, sat back, and relaxed.

• Pack Thoroughly- Forgetting something at home can end up costing more than you bargained for. Make your list before packing and check it two or three times before leaving.

• Dining- Cruise lines offer amazing dining experiences as part of your package. From the breakfast and lunch buffets to the nightly four course dinner, you will never be hungry. However, there are usually a couple of restaurants on board your ship as well. On our cruise, for $25, you could have dinner at one of these restaurants. We heard from others that had tried these, that the food was not at all better than the dining room food. Why pay an extra $50 per couple to eat at an on board restaurant when your food has already been paid for?

• Wi-Fi- We chose to disconnect while on board. The purpose of this trip was to connect with each other- not the rest of the world. The ship did have it's own Wi-fi for a fee, but we chose not to use it. Instead, when I wanted a quick update on the kids, we found a coffee shop when we landed at Grand Cayman (the half way point of our cruise) and, for the cost of two small iced coffees, we were able to text my Aunt Elsa (who had Ian) and Facetime with my sister Faye (who had Addie).

Excursions- Depending on where you go and what type of experience you want to have, there are a wide variety of excursions (field trips that you pay for when you get off the boat at your stops) and prices to match. If you are going to spend any money, this is where I would recommend you do it. Some ports do not offer anything in themselves, and the only way to get anything out of your visit is to take an excursion.

When we stopped at Grand Cayman, we chose not to book an excursion. The only excursion that we liked was one we had already done, and we wanted to have a new experience. The prices for the other excursions did not seem worth the cost to us. We chose to wing it (not recommended by cruise lines for safety reasons). We got on a local bus for $2.50 a piece and asked to be taken to Seven Mile Beach. We were dropped off and walked along the beach (about 3 1/2 miles) back to our ship. A purchased excursion to Seven Mile Beach cost about $50 per person.

When we went to Mexico, we chose to purchase an excursion to the Mayan Ruins of Tulum (a once in a lifetime, check it off your bucket list kind of thing). It was definitely worth the price ($85 per person). The excursion itself was 8 hours long, included a round trip ferry ride, round trip bus ride, plus a 3 hour visit to the ruins.

As with anything, cruises can be either as expensive or cost effective as you choose to make them. What other type of vacation can offer you for one price your lodging, transportation, all the food you care to eat, entertainment, a break from everything, and a chance to travel the world at the same time? Just keep an eye on that room key of yours, and don't let it get carried away.

The Sheep That No One Could Find | Review

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We recently read a darling book entitled, The Sheep That No One Could Find. It is a beautiful retelling of the parable Jesus told of the Good Shepherd and the lost lamb.... with a twist. Join me at Christian Children's Book Review for the rest of my review.

Potty Training: Boys

Our experiences in potty training our children have been completely different. I don't know if it has to do with their personalities, temperaments, birth order, or the fact that Mommy is a little smarter the second time around.

Either way, I did learn something from our potty training experience that can translate into most areas of parenting.

We need to wait until our children are ready.

Our daughter had an oral sensory issue as a baby causing her to not eat table food until she was two. Thinking that she would be behind on potty training as well (and since no mother wants to hear the "Oh, she's not potty trained yet???" remark that is never said to make you feel awkward), I decided to start potty training her soon after her 2nd birthday.

Total fail on my part!

She wasn't ready, had no desire, and was happy with a diaper. After a few weeks, I gave up. She tried. She really did.

She just wasn't ready.

Just before she turned three we went out to eat and she declared at the table that she had to go potty. I took her to the bathroom and she had a dry diaper. She went "potty" and announced on her way back to our table for the world to hear that she did it!

Flash forward a few years and now we have Ian. He has been eating table food since he was 6 months old. He began speaking earlier than Addie did. People are constantly telling us how amazed they are with his vocabulary and how clearly he speaks. He knows all of his letters and their sounds. He can count past 10 and knows consecutive sets of numbers in the teens (I have only taught him to count to 10).

What's the difference?

He has Addie. 

Ian has learned from his sister how to do everything she does. He has listened as I have taught her. He has even learned about the potty from her.

About a month ago, Ian began telling me when he had gone in his diaper. He did not like the feel of being wet or dirty. Brian suggested that I begin potty training our little guy.

I was not thrilled.

I thought back to my potty training experience with Addie, how many accidents I had to clean up off the floor and how we needed to stay home. Summer is coming up quickly, and I have so many outings and activities planned for us to enjoy. Potty training was just not going to fit in my schedule.

But I did what my husband said.

One morning after Ian woke up, I noticed that he was dry. I asked him if he wanted to sit on the potty like a big boy and wear big boy underwear (Mickey Mouse and Thomas the Train- you know... big boy underwear).

He said yes.

I told him that if he went in the potty (I will spare you the "mommy terms" I used with him), I would give him gum. He had never had gum before and had asked for it for months.

He lit up.

After a few minutes, he went.

I told him that if he went again, I would give him more gum.

I did not give him excess amounts of liquid. But I did ask him regularly (every 30 minutes) for the first two days if he had to go. I would then sit him down and tell him to try going. This gave him the muscle control practice he needed.

With the exception of two early morning accidents on our second day, he is completely potty trained.... and I am out of gum.

I posed the question on Facebook if potty training a boy was supposed to be that easy. I got a variety of responses from across the spectrum.

I think the key to potty training, whether it is a boy or girl, is to wait until the child is ready (within reason).

Some children are ready much earlier than others. Pressuring them to potty train because they need to keep up with another child does not help them. Comparing them to other children or shaming them is not beneficial to them or you. 

Watch for the signs. 

Do they insist on being changed right after they wet or dirty their diaper?

Do they show an interest in big kid underwear?

Work with your child.

Is your child naturally compliant or does he or she have a strong will?

Does your child respond to affirmation? (Addie and I had to cheer and high five Ian each time he went on the potty for the first couple of days. He eats that up!)

Is there something that your child really likes but doesn't get often? Use that to your advantage and reward him for going in the potty.

Earlier today, I had a great sense of pride as my son came to me and said, "Please, can I go potty?" But even better than that is the freeing feeling when I realized that I do not have to purchase diapers ever again! That is one aisle at the store I will not miss going down.

How to Make the Most of Your Summer

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I mentioned at the end of last summer that it was our best summer yet.

It truly was.

I felt as though we had taken each and every day of our summer and squeezed as much fun and adventure out of it as we possibly could.

I certainly did not do it alone.

As someone who at that point would much rather stay at home, I needed help in finding ways to get out with the kids and enjoy this season of lazy days, rainy afternoons, and looser schedules.

I discovered that our community was filled with opportunities for us to make memories together and individually by keeping my ears (and eyes- Facebook) open for announcements. Here are some of the things we found here in our county that worked really well for us last year. I am sure your county would have similar activities for you to enjoy.

Library classes- Our library system does a series of classes throughout the entire summer. They are educational, entertaining, and the kids really had fun. We brought home meal worms and planted seeds last year as two of the activities the library provided.

Our library also has a Summer Reading Program that encourages children to spend at least 24 hours worth of time throughout the entire summer reading. At the end, children can earn a ticket to see the Tampa Bay Rays play. Our sports loving family really enjoyed this, and Addie was so proud that she had earned her own ticket!

Check your local library system's event calendar to find out the activities they have lined up for the summer.

Arts and Crafts- We discovered that Michael's Arts and Crafts Store has a program called Passport to Imagination which runs all summer long, three days a week. The cost of the 2 hour class is $2 per day. Addie developed a great relationship with her teacher, Miss Maureen, and still gets hugs when we go back for the Saturday classes.

Movies- Check into your local movie theater's schedule to see what they are offering for children during the summer. We have a couple of theaters in our area that offered free or $1 movies once or twice a week. We really took advantage of these times. It was a great way to get out of the house but still be in the air conditioning.

Fruit Picking- Here in Florida we kick off our summer break with blueberry picking. It is always a great way to get us outside and we bring home pounds of blueberries for a fraction of the cost of buying them in the stores. What fruit comes into season in the summer in your area? Look into where there may be a U-pick farm and have some fun!

Season Passes- Do you have season passes to a local theme park? Summer is a great time to use them and get the most out of that pass. On evenings when you find yourself wondering what you could do, pull out that pass and enjoy your theme park for a couple of hours.

July 11th- Don't forget that on 7/11 each year, 7 Eleven offers free Slurpees!


VBS- Vacation Bible School is a free week long program that churches offer to their communities. Many times, the churches in an area or community stagger their VBS weeks so that parents can utilize as many of these programs as possible.

Beaches and/or pools- Are you located near a beach? Are you a part of a community that gives you access to a pool? Do you have friends who invite you over to use their pool? Does your area have a sprayground? These are all great ways to get out into the summer sunshine, keep cool, and get that summer glow. Just be sure to keep the sunblock generously applied, hats on small heads, and lots of liquids on hand.

Cow Appreciation Day- One thing that our daughter looks forward to each summer is Chick-Fil-A's Cow Appreciation Day. The idea is to dress like a cow (as much or as little as you want). For minimal participation you get a free chicken sandwich. For more participation you get a free meal! Each year, we haven't paid a dime for our dinner.

Sporting Events- Baseball season is under way and football season is gearing up. Summer ballgames are almost an all-American must! Some ball fields will allow you to bring in your own food which helps to keep costs down to a minimum.

Football is also gearing up. Our local team (the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) has a Fan Appreciation evening and open the gates (free of charge) for the fans to watch a night practice and fireworks. Check your local team to see if there are any free fan events happening in the summer.

American Girl Movie Premier- I don't know how it is in your house, but in our house the summer television premiere of the American Girl Doll of the Year movie is a big event. It is a free night, we do not have to leave the house, Addie gets to pick out her own fashionable outfit, and I give her a special hair style using my hair supplies. It's a tradition.

Make the Most of the Holidays- Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Labor Day are all considered summer holidays. Why not make the most of these with crafts, special snacks, and activities? My 4th of July Pinterest board was a huge help to me last year in coming up with a week's worth of stay-at-home activities and fun.

100 Days of Summertime- I think my biggest inspiration for getting out and living life last summer was the 100 Days of Summertime e-book by Jen Tankersley from ListPlanIt. This book was filled with daily ideas from celebrating the big holidays to celebrating the simple days of summer and a slice of watermelon. Each page had me living in the present, but it also helped me prepare early enough for the bigger moments in summer so I could sit back and enjoy those times, too.


I hope I have given you some ideas on how to make this summer your best one yet. I think the most important lesson I learned last year was to make a big deal of the little moments. Those are the moments that our children will remember for a long time to come.