Boyish Charm

Family Fun in the Sun... at the right price!

Times are tough these days, but even if they weren't, finding things for a family of 8 to do over the summer could get quite costly. It is my goal to find fun activities and great places to explore in Oklahoma County for my kiddos.... at a free or cheap price! Of course... I have a few day trips in mind that will only cost us a packed lunch and gasing up the car.

Memorial weekend is the start of summer for most folks and it's no different here. This weekend there are several things to do that are FREE. Can't complain about that. Edmond is putting on their annual Jazz & Blues & Getting Green Festival. We have been to this in the past and had a wonderful time. The music was fun. You could always pack a lunch or dinner and head out there with a blanket or lawn chairs for an entertaining picnic... and don't forget some of the art exhibitors that will be showcasing! Also going on this weekend.... for FREE as well is the Paseo Arts Festival which will run through Monday. You'll find lots of arts exhibits and music here, as well as a childrens area! The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum is putting on their annual Chuckwagon Gathering and Children's Cowboy Festival. This event is not free... unless you happen to have a museum family pass. 

Of course there are plenty of area lakes to spend a day at that are close by. Lots of fun swimming, fishing, and cooking out, but don't forget the sunscreen. If none of these things appeal to you for the holiday weekend... get together with your neighbors and throw a block party or invite some friends over for a barbecue. Pot luck barbecue's are the best!

Besides some much needed yard work at my house, my family will be participating in some of this FREE fun that is being offered this weekend. 

Be sure to check back with me this week. I plan on posting a lot more about activities to do with your kiddos in the upcoming weeks!

Have a Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!!

Summertime

Summertime is finally here and we are ready to have some fun and enjoy every moment of it!

The past month has been a crazy and busy one. Seems like it's never ending excitement in this house. Guess I can't expect much less with 6 boys.

We finished up the donation drive for the family that lost their home in the fires last month. We had an overwhelming amount of donations and the family was thankful beyond words! It felt so great to be able to help this family... it also felt so good to finally have all those piles and piles and piles of clothes and household goods out of my dining room and living room! PHEW

We also spent the past month doing fun end of school activities. The boys had their annual Super Kids day which they were starting to think would never come due to all the rain, but finally, we had a small break that was long enough to dry up the ground and they had a blast. Tyler's grade, being the head honchos of the school, ran all the different jobs for Super Kids day.

This past week was filled with awards assemblies, end of year parties and then a special celebration that some of the parents put together for our 5th graders heading to Middle School next year. I'm still wrapping my head around the fact that my oldest has come so far... wasn't it just yesterday that he was a chubby little baby? I'm sure I'll be thinking the same thing when he heads to High School and so on.

(ignore the typo on the cake, the store decided they needed to go to 7th grade next year, although they are going to 6th!)

I have actually decided to do some simplifying of my life.... I think I've said this before. The past year has been INSANE. I had decided to go to school over a year ago and spent March of 08 to May of 09 taking classes non stop. I noticed a big difference in all aspects of my life and I've decided I need a break. I need to focus a little more on my home and my kids. When I'm ready to do some more classes (maybe the fall, maybe not) the school will be there and be waiting for me!

I haven't done much at all in the way of being artistic in the past year and that makes me feel so sad. I haven't baked nearly as much as I used to... I know, I bake all the time, but trust me it's less... I have spent less time with the kids doing fun stuff and I know that they miss it. So it's time for the old ME to come back! I look forward to it too....

We are going to be working on all kinds of cheap and free activities to do over the summer. I can't wait to get back in my scrapbook/craft room and create while I listen to my boys playing outdoors. AND I hope to work on creating some new recipes. I just got into this recently. I used to strictly bake off of a recipe, but now that I have gotten the gist of quite a few cookies and muffin recipes, I plan on altering and creating my own! I'm excited!!!

(Kind of like these totally simple muffins that I made for my boys this morning to celebrate the first day of summer!)

So... stay in touch. It should be fun. I know the past year my blog was really neglected, but a change is coming! Over the next week I plan on giving my home on the web a facelift... Maybe I can get the Utterly Talented Kristin to create a new banner for me! She rocks!