Screen-Free Summer Day #1

Our screen-free summer has begun! Here's the sad and empty place where our tv used to be. I'm hoping to do something interesting and fun with this space this summer. It looks like a good place to store library books in baskets, or to put "invitations to play" that the kids can discover when they wake up.

So, the kids asked for tv zero (0) times today. Nada. Zilch. Even though I'd given them a few weeks advance notice that we were doing this screen-free summer thing, I still expected that when summer came and they woke up with open, empty days in front of them, they'd be asking for tv and bumming when I said no. But they didn't mention it once today. Awe. some.

This morning, Kasey and I moved some big stuff out of the basement that we're trying to get rid of, like an old dryer that works but takes two cycles to dry clothes. We seem to have accumulated a lot of things that aren't really trash, but aren't in good enough shape to sell. We're trying to clean them all out and get rid of them, so our basement will have space for the kids to climb on the climbing wall without the chance of running into a dryer if they fall off.

Kasey took the kids to the Y for Eden's gymnastics class, and they got some rock wall climbing in beforehand. Then Kasey and Isaac played tennis during Eden's class, and it sounds like Isaac was game for an actual lesson for the first time ever!

After some rest time, which I am now calling "room time" because it sounds much more fun, the neighbor kids came over and the kids ran around together for a couple hours. Yesterday we had two more neighbor kids playing at our house for a total of six kids, and they all had a blast. I LOVE being the neighborhood hangout house, even though it is sometimes trying on my introverted self. And I need to buy more snacks, because boy are kids hungry.

Check out that awesome hobnail mason jar drinking glass!
I've been looking for a fun summer glass and these
were 2 for $3 in the Dollar Spot at Target. Score! 

I got some time to myself while Kasey took the kids to the Y, so I read, ran, and did some online shopping. I'm trying really hard to get away from the screen myself, but it's an adjustment! The basic guideline I'm trying to follow for now is to not have my laptop out at all when the kids are around. I'll add more guidelines as I go.

Reading: I finished Wonder today, which was a sweet and enjoyable book. I found myself trying to think about how I imagine Auggie's face, and it was hard for me to come up with something as grotesque as they describe it in the book. I kind of can't imagine seeing a face that would make me shocked or horrified like the characters in the book were when they saw Auggie. I'm interested to see how the movie portrays him.

Running: I did week 3 day 2 of the c25k program. I'm working my way towards running a 10k on August 12th as a sort of birthday celebration! So far the running is going well, although I stopped running for a stressful two weeks at the end of the school year. The biggest goal I have right now is to consistently run 4 days/week.

When I climbed into bed tonight, I found this under my pillow:

Isaac gave me some of his easter candy that he knows I love--whopper eggs--along with the sweetest note. I have the best kids ever.