[momraine]

So, it's May, time to start making plans for summer. What do you have planned?

[kretzklan]

Right now, I have high hopes...let's hope my kids cooperate and get to do all these fun things.
We are taking a couple of family vacations - to the Lake of the Ozarks (one of our fave places) with some neighbors in June and we'll hit the mountains a few times for weekends. We, of course, are still busy with baseball, track and softball which runs through most of the summer. We've also scheduled swimming lessons (ds2 and dd), weight training (ds1), hip/hop/cheer camp (dd), sports camp (ds2), architectural camp (ds1) and they are each signed up for a sleep away camp - all different weeks...thankfully it's relatively close. DD will be doing the standard residential camp (they were so open to hearing about the AD) and the boys are each doing an excursion camp...like real camping out for the week! It sounds like a lot, but I find when our summer days are 'lazy' we end up with lots of behavior issues. We also have season passes to the local amusement park/water park...so we'll hit that on off days!

[votemom]

no plans at all here. i have a 15 year old taking driver's training and also working at a camp, and two college kids home for the summer working as many hours as they can get to help pay for next year's tuition.

makes continued attachment parenting easy as we can stay home and keep our routine.

we are gearing up for a road trip to florida at christmas to visit my parents who are up in years.

[momraine]

Lets see
Ds1 is working so that got in the way of too much, still he is doing something called super summer with church, they stay at a college campus and do church stuff. Then he is going to church camp with his girlfriend (different cabins, well supervised, all the staff is aware of the relationship) Other than that he is planning on doing lots of working out (the school gym will be open) and he has a season pass for the amusement park near his GF (two hours from here) and he is working for our church VBS and also volunteering at the amputee camp our younger kids go to. and a few days rafting with dh and some friends.
DS2 is going to Super Summer, working for VBS, volunteering at amputee camp, doing a week of work projects with his youth group and also has a ticket to the same park as ds1 and will go anytime ds1 goes to be a chaperone along with dd and gf's sister. He is also planning on finding other volunteer work and big brother is making him work out and he is doing a dance/theater arts camp. and a few days rafting with dh and some friends.
DD is doing Lions camp (camp for special needs kids) and VBS at our church and then church camp and also amputee camp (where she brings a parent) and hopes to spend a week with a friend from where we lived when she was younger and a dance/theater arts camp.
DS3 is doing lions camp, two different VBS's and amputee camp and a fine art camp. We are actually looking for more because he does not do well when he is not busy, its just hard to find places that take kids in wheelchairs.
Dh and I are going away to a B&B for two nights while little ones are at Lions camp and I am going to meet some on-line friends for a weekend in June.

[Pinkie]

Yiippee!!! We have 11 days in sunny Spain which I am really looking forward to, seeing our friends and soaking up some sun. Apart from that nothing else planned however finances permitting we will hit the zoo's, theme parks and such like during August. When we lived in Spain everything seemed so close to us (waterpark, beaches, etc) but now we are in England everything is so spread out!

[amyfk]

My child is signed up for the local Y day camp three half days a week. I only did half days as she is still young. 3.5yr. We also signed her up for swimming lessons with the local park system which is reasonably priced vs. a private place like we did in the past.
We are going on a short road trip to Lake George, NY in August. It isnt far from Albany, Lake Placid, etc. It's a very kid-centered kind of place. I havent been there since I was a kid. It's probably about a 4hr ride from my home.
I am looking into taking summer school at Rutgers to further my education. I have my degree but wanted to supplement it with a few courses. I am waiting to hear from the chair of the dept. to see if I can audit the class since I already have my degree and Im not planning to go on for any future degrees. I understand that I may not be able to audit. IF that is the case I have to do some thinking. Summer school may just be too intense and I may end up not having enough time to dedicate to my toddler and my husband. (last time I was at school I lived at home with no responsibilities, I was only responsible for showing up for class and gassing up my car for my commute-how times have changed).
I hope everyone has a good summer,
Amy K, NJ

[Purdue]

We still don't know our 1st trip dates, so we're just going with the flow of our normal routine and enjoying our quiet time and time together. We have a standard family vacation with my side in southern NJ every year in July so we're planning on doing that. My mom's side has what we call a "Hen Party" every other summer at my grandma's house in MD. She has a pool so we all go there. It's open to any female in the family (blood or married in) ages 18 and up. Right now the oldest will be 85, 81, and 80 (my g-ma and her 2 sisters). It's a blast. Also, my DH and I own a lake home so we usually go there every weekend in the summer. This year might be a little unusual with our trips, but thats ok! And on top of us having 2 kids by the end of the year, my sister is due in July!

Thanks for asking!

[mcanvasback]

Our trips are California in early June for adoption agency picnic, NJ for my father's memorial service, then Vermont/NH at the end of the summer, maybe one other weekend up there...

Otherwise, I am determined to get a small boat for Bel and me to cruise around our creek - I am sending her to school only 3 days, and my mom will have her the other two - there are tons of camps and kid stuff here, also the Y so she will be kept busy - two friends with pools and the Country Club, she will get plenty of swimming. I would also like to take her on day trips to Assateague, and maybe even the boardwalk in Rehoboth (both 1.5 - 2 hours from us) and we have so many waterfront restaurants and parks, there is tons to do! Constant gardening for me - I am already behind on the weeding and it's not even planted and house projects I would love to do - I think I need to take the whole summer off

Anyway, reading this over, it sounds fun doesn't it!

[TweetyMom04]

After homework, in the morning, then do fun stuff. Zoo, museums, aquarium, lunch with friends, swimming, get to know neighbors and the Boys meet some neighborhood children their age, etc. TKD classes will fill the gap in the mornings and afternoons as they are still on same schedules.

DH & I have planned a H-U-G-E surprise for the Boys over 4 July weekend!! This will be their 1st 4 July Celebration, since having moved back from the UK.

Additionally, start thining out the backyard of some trees, weeds, wild-growth, down to the river. Add hammock, sand pit, benches and relax next to the river. Floaties on the Boys' Arms as they don't know how to swim....yet.

[MamaChinch]

We had to scale back our plans this summer, so sadly, we will not get together with our Russian families but we are planning to drive down to San Diego in July and spend time doing all the fun things there are to there. It will be fun, and we are looking forward to seeing all our friends.
We have season passes to Discovery Kingdom/Marine World which is only 15 minutes away and Delaney is in the Summer Fun program fro her school.
We are also hoping our good friends will have their referral for their little girl from China sometime this summer! The recently moved down the street from us, and they are also giving us their pool !! Delaney doesnt' know yet, so she is going to be surprised when it get's set up in a couple weekends.
Also might take a Monterey weekend this summer, just to have another little get- away. There is an amazing aquarium there I'm sure Delaney will love.
And.......possibly I might spend time preparing a dossier for #2 !! (still working on that......)

Tweety ~ what's the big 4th surpirse for the boys?!?!?

[Movingon]

We have two big trips and several smaller ones set for the summer. We are going to be in NYC for 4th of July. Then it's to Gulf Shores, Al Aug 9-14. Our daughter hasn't been to the beach yet, so she is very excited to be going.
We are also doing some quick weekend trips:NC to see family, Chattanooga to the TN Aquarium, and Nashville to the zoo. This may be our last summer as a family of 3, we are currently waiting on referrals for 2 more children, hopefully this time next year we will be going to Russia for summer trips.
Have a great summer with your families.
Carla