FUN!

"Fun" is a word that Anna has used quite a bit the last couple of weeks.   Why?  Because we've had tons of FUN, of course.   Now that they are both in "school", I may be on to something.   With 10 hours to myself every week, I've been able to reconcile in my mind that the time I do have with them needs to be somewhat purposeful.   (and then the time I don't have with them I can do the 'chores', selfish indulgences, etc. that sometimes conflict with FUN).   
So like any teacher, (yes I was one at one time, and like to feel like I always will be on top of being a mom), I've started to do lesson plans on Sunday nights.   I map out the "have to's" that week (school, dr. appointments, therapies, play dates, etc.) and then with the wiggle room (typically the afternoons) I try to plan something FUN, and with purpose (even if the purpose it to just have q.t. with my kids).
One pitfall I want to be reminded of is, I used to be VERY schedule minded.   So schedule oriented that if anything or anyone got in the way of my schedule, GOD HELP THEM.   This stressed everyone around me out, so then I went the exact opposite direction the last couple of years.  We'd wake up and just...live.   Instead of living, I felt like we were just chasing our tails and we were directionless and I would never have the drive or energy to do any of the activities I wanted to do with my kids.
This time around I am going to try to find the happy medium.   I will have something prepared/planned to do with my kids, but if something were to come up I will just let that activity go, or save it for another day.  I will also try to be gracious with myself.   My role is more than to just have fun with my kids.   I also have other responsibilities that may need to take priority and the kids will I'm sure have their own fun...I think being bored is good for kids and allows them to be creative.  Eli has had some great ideas while I've been busy doing something else ; )    
So I thought I'd share some of the activities we've done the last couple of weeks that my kids (and I) have thought were "FUN".

(Video of us having fun)

*Pillow towers.   We took all the pillows we could find on the first floor and piled them in the living room.   Then we climbed/jumped all over them.

*Rainy Day activities.   No, we haven't had too many actual rainy days, BUT I mean activities that you have that you pull out when the kids are bored/ have nothing to do.   Presents they received that need some work putting together or something you typically keep out of site is what I use.   For example, last week we put out their circus tent! 

*Sidewalk chalk: we made a town on the driveway and practiced writing peoples names.  

*Cooking: This week we are making granola!

*Nature Walk: We found sticks & are planning on making trees with play dough leaves.  

*Blocks: We made a river using construction paper and then built a bridge/town around it using our blocks.   

***Fall back ideas: when I don't have enough energy/time to plan something, some great fall back ideas are the Library, and a playground!***