Summertime BLUES ~ what happens when the children run amok!

I found this post that I had put on my blog a few years ago.  Summer Break is coming fast and I have only a few outings planned for the kiddos.  I want to keep them busy, yet still give them time for carefree fun. 

I am interested in ideas!  What do you do with your kiddos during breaks from school when you are not gone on vacation?  I do have some chores for them but also want some fun ideas that are low-cost to entertain them and also stimulate their minds.   Here is what happened in the previous post . . . . . .

 

When in doubt about how to get the kiddos to get along during school breaks - separate them.

If that doesn't seem to work, or you want them to learn to get along - make them play a game together - come up with a NEW way to play an old game - or work together on a fun project (like a welcome home banner for Dad who is on a work trip) - oversee them for a few minutes to get them started - then tell them to find the best way to work together without arguing!  



You can even offer a prize or incentive for getting along well! (yes I do resort to bribing my kids on occasion)

There is always taking them to a local park to let them run off steam - but during hot and humid summer days the park is not always the best idea.  And what about when mom is trying to get Homework, housework (or blogging) done?  Well, again I say separate the little monkeys and give them each something to do alone - read a fun book, color a picture or two, fold towels or washrags (ideas for younger kids) - CLEAN YOUR ROOM - lol for the older ones, or play something alone - 

AND if all else fails - call in the Grandparents for help!

Any ideas?  Please leave comments below with YOUR school break ideas for helping the kiddos not argue, fuss and drive Mom insane! ;)

Mom Loves 2 Read is the Mother of Three Active little monkeys children ages almost 12, 8 and 5.  



WOW - they are now 16, 13, and 10!  Coloring doesnt work like it used to!  How do I get them off the electronics and having fun???



These are my personal experiences, thoughts and anecdotes and may differ from your own experiences or opinions.

What happens when the bride wears BLUE? Find out in this review!

The Bride Wore Blue

by Mona Hodgson

The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek—Book 3

Headed toward a fresh start but tethered by her past, Vivian longs to break free, to find forgiveness and love.



At last, the sisters are reunited! The youngest Sinclair, the family“ baby”, is moving from Maine to Cripple Creek, Colorado and joining Kat, Nell, and Ida. But Vivian is a young woman with a will of her own, and made some decisions back in Portland that have begun to haunt her. Will she be able to live up to the expectations of her three perfect and now happily-settled sisters?

The sisters warmly welcome Vivian to the mountain west, but the wild-and-woolly mining town isn’t ripe with opportunities for a respectable young woman. The youngest Sinclair sister is determined to make her own way, so when she’s offered a job as a

hostess in a sporting house, she takes it, thinking the position is appropriate for a tainted, unlovable woman like herself.



 Although she’s convinced she’ll never be asked to entertain privately, Vivian keeps her employment a secret from her sisters, knowing they’d be mortified—as will Carter Alwyn, the kind and godly sheriff ’s deputy who’s sweet on her.

Vivian is descending into a life of secrets, lying to the very people who love her and could help her heal from her mistakes. Will an outpouring of grace remind her that she is still God’s beloved and that her past can be washed as clean as Rocky Mountain snow? 

Author's Web Site           Author Bio          More Info         Read Chapter One        

My Review:

I have now read all three of The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek stories to date.  This third book in the series gives the reader an in-depth look at the "baby" of the family, Vivian.  I felt like Vivian had been a typical spoiled baby sister, wanting her own way before she went to join her older sisters in Cripple Creek, and had learned some hard life lessons in a very difficult way.  Though she seemed to be more mature and to have learned from the mistakes in her past, she seemed to continue to resent her older sister's influence in her life at times, and I think it led to her making more mistakes that could possibly been avoided if she would have just taken the time to talk with one or more of them.



This realistic sibling dynamic made the story much more enjoyable for me, as well as the estranged romance between Vivian and Deputy Alwyn.  The overwhelming lesson of forgiveness, faith and acceptance is an integral part of the story from beginning to end.  This heartwarming story is one that shows how forgiveness, love, and family loyalty can help overcome difficult circumstances.  I also enjoyed the mystery and danger involved that gave the wild west type feel to this story that I really like.



This is a good christian fiction romance, with some wild west outlaws, soiled doves,  train robbery and so much more excitement thrown in the mix.  Although it can be read alone, I do recommend reading the first two books in the series first in order to get to know many of the other characters in this story.

Disclosure: All my reviews are my honest and personal opinion. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”.

New books in the Fairday collection: Check out this review of the original Secret DMS files!

For this review, I was sent a paperback copy of The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow by one of the authors: Jessica Haight.  I was so excited for the chance to read and review for Jess since she is my most faithful follower on this blog; and since I am always on the lookout for new middle grade books to entice my 10 year old to read more. 



About the book ~ taken from the blog:

The newer book cover!





~ For more info on the book, the authors and some clue-finding fun ~

visit: Jess's blog:   http://jessicahaight.com/The_DMS_Home_Page_.html

or Fairday's blog:   http://thesecretdmsfilesoffairdaymorrow.blogspot.com/

Fairday on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/fairday

Jess on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/@dmsfiles

My Review:

I fell in love with the characters in this book from page one.  Fairday and her family are unique, entertaining, and completely believable.  I enjoyed getting to know Fairday, her family, Lizzy and the kids in Fairday's new school.  The  mystery and suspense is perfect for young readers (and even older ones like me).  The writing flows and I never had to re-read or pause to figure out what was going on.  I love that the story is easy to read and understand and yet written in such a way that kids ages 10 through teen will enjoy the story, the characters and the adventure.  I am anxious to see what happens next!  The story ends perfectly with a mystery solved, yet with more adventure and mystery yet to come!  Excellent job Jess and Stephanie!  A definite 4.5 stars from this book lover!



On a personal note - I was trying to think of a creative way to entice my 10 year old son to give this book a try.  So, I pretended that the spiders on each page were "scary" to me (I would fake shudders and quickly close the page repeatedly to make him laugh and tease me).  Now, all 3 of my kids tease me about the spiders every time they see the book. - lol



I highly recommend you give this book a try - as I've found out from the blog, this is the first book of a series of five.  I can't wait to read the next mystery solved by the DMS team: Fairday Marrow and the Talking Library!

Disclosure: I received free the item(s) mentioned in this post in exchange for my honest review. Regardless ~ All my reviews are my honest and personal opinion. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”.