Just a 46-year-old mom of 2 in Northern California. My kids are Monkey Monkey(MM) and Drama Llama (DL). I am married to Monkey Hubby (MH). **School is out - the kids get about 8 weeks of break.
Their report cards were *perfect* and LM wrapped another teacher around his finger. I keep feeling every year we have nowhere to go but down. But for now we still get to ride this wave. I am particularly proud of BM, who after having one teach for *3 years*, changed school campuses (same school/split campus), had a new teacher, and had his class size increased by 50%. Wasn't entirely like going to a new school, but must have felt a lot like it. He did exceptional with all the change.
So the kids asked if they could get some frozen yogurt the last day of school, and we obliged.
The crap they brought home from school this year was insane. I even wonder if the teachers took care of this in the past (or recycled supplies more)? I can't say it would have been my first goal to go through it all BUT we had some friends staying over the following night, so we were already in cleanup mode. So, I am pleased to say we went through everything and it is done.
They brought home about 50 more pencils. O.M.G. Thank goodness I had purged all the "new" and "like new" ones to LM's teacher a few weeks back. 
I just need to take the time to freecycle some of this stuff.
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Summer plans?
Well, we have the pool, first and foremost (it's a couple of blocks from our house, part of HOA).
I commented on another blog that we usually have a few memberships here and there (museum, parks, etc.). But, I don't believe we have any right now? I suppose overall have just been too busy to enjoy. I tend to let them expire and then renew when we use them (to lessen the cost over time).
BM only has a couple of weeks of downtime. 2 weeks of summer classes and 2 weeks in Europe. One week at camp.
DH realizes he will have a lot of time with LM so was thinking about what he could do with him. He is going to help him design his own board game. (LM is totally game obsessed and always making up games, so dh will help him realize a game in physical form). There are companies that will print customized board games and stuff, but will probably be more of a card and a dice type game. Which will be easier to just make at home. We can maybe order him some special dice.
In addition, dh is implementing a reading reward system. (He loves to read, but given the choice, he'd just play video games and board games all day, so dh is trying to fool him into thinking it is his choice to read. Versus like forcing him to read every day, which would defeat the purpose if he only views it as a chore).
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This weekend is kind of an organization weekend, for me. I need to complete the downstairs decluttering/cleaning and we need to discuss updating the kids chores and stuff. I just want to make a list of what needs to get done and see where we are at. I am feeling refreshed and motivated because the house is already clean. Phew!!
I took a half day off work on the kids' last day of school, and it just turned out a friend of ours needed a place to stay the next night. But it's rare to go into the weekend with the house SO clean. So I am more energized to do extra chores. I am hoping this is the last weekend of this. Though I like keeping on top of things, the idea of endlessly de-cluttering makes me want to go live in a tent. 
The more I age the more I feel like this. I still can't get over that we have been in such a purge mode since we had kids, and how we still have so much crap a decade later. *sigh* That said, I think it will be 1,000 times easier once the kids are grown and gone. They are just "stuff" magnets - I don't know what it is.
We were just watching some home videos, and the house looked pretty immaculate when the kids were little. I've always been clear that I am not a neat freak in the slightest. The only thing I could figure was that we didn't have such an avalanche of stuff.
Case in point - the last day of school:
So, I suppose it's a silver lining that it eventually will ease up. That eventually mountains of pencils and paper will stop "falling from the sky."
Anyway, when we finish with the downstairs, I will take a break until Fall. Fall will be the upstairs de-clutter. All I have is our bedroom and closet, and some office space I have at the top of the stairs. Dh already hit his room pretty hard to make room for the music equipment, and while at it we will go through the kids' rooms. We generally keep pretty on top of toys and clothes, BUT BM is a little hoarder. There's probably quite a mess in his room. I don't expect the upstairs to be half as much as the downstairs. But, will see!!
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Oh, and I just remembered. LM lost his lunch box. 5 years of school, and I believe this is the first item we lost. (He lost it a couple of times but we found it every other time). IT was bought on clearance for a few dollars, and I have some extras, so we will survive.
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Next post: Spending doings and some college updates. If I get to it...
Summer Doings
June 15th, 2013 at 03:16 pm
June 15th, 2013 at 04:49 pm 1371314942
June 15th, 2013 at 06:12 pm 1371319941
I agree completely about decluttering as I get older. Stuff is stuff...and stuff weighs us down. I am learning to live with very little stuff, and it is pretty nice, actually.
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