keeping busy

When I was a little girl, I remember looking forward longingly to the lazy days of Summer...warm weather, the smell of freshly cut-lawns (to this day still my favorite smell ever), splash contests in our little plastic pools in the backyard, and the crowning glory of it all, sleeping in.
Funny thing though, after about two weeks, I'd feel super bored, miss having a sense of routine, and want school to start again.
And, the cycle never changed. I thought it would likely be the same for my boys this summer, so I decided to schedule the days, and do "school" in the mornings. So, we've had a summer filled with themed days, oodles of crafts, cool outings, and yes- even a bit of learning. As we cycled through some simple centers in the mornings, it was fun to see them using toys, games, and puzzles that would have otherwise been neglected.
And, no worries, they had "recess" every afternoon. Ironically, that was actually the part I had to force them to do with the crazy Houston heat!
Here's some pictures from the days we learned about policemen, ocean creatures, rockets, soccer, and turtles. I found tons cool videos on youtube- like of rocket launches and butterfly metamorphosis. For my other favorite video site, click here . For favorite coloring/craft sites, click here , here, and here. For super cool facts on snakes and other critters, click here.