First Day of Summer!

Even though most schools have been out for a few weeks now, today marks the official FIRST DAY OF SUMMER! Many moms from our group were able to come hang out poolside watching our children splash all around. One of the many things I love about our group- all the summer playdates!

This is our first summer in the KC area and I cannot express enough how thankful I am to have found ICC MOPS. This year I am on steering helping with web content, which includes this lovely blog. Want to hear a funny story? It is because of this blog, I decided to join this MOPS. Funny, right?....Now a year later I am writing a post in it.
My husbands job moved us here last summer and I knew that I HAD to get a mom village and if I wanted to keep myself sane, it better be FAST. So, the first thing I did was go to MOPS.ORG and type in our new zip code to find out local MOPS in the area. Listen ladies, I didn't even have a house yet! I just knew we would be in the Olathe/OP area and had my priorities straight, first find a MOPS group then a house! ;) A list of all the area MOPS popped up and I searched each one, hoping-praying-crossing my fingers that I would find one with moms like me! Moms that mess up, a lot. Moms that worry, a lot. Moms who don't want to lose their identity to snotty nose, soiled diaper kids, moms who want to feed their children all organic but also don't want to be judged for the all-too-often run through the Chick-Fil-A drive thru. Moms that I could laugh with, cry with and be in the trenches with. But how could I find this just through a MOPS search? Enter IC MOPS Blog. They had pictures of their playdates, stories of their Moms Night Outs, and I just knew this was a special group of moms.

I emailed Jessi and immediately got a response. From the beginning there was community and I will forever be thankful that the Lord led me to this group and I wasn't alone in those mothering trenches.

As I mentioned earlier, it's the official start of summer and many of us are trying to figure out ways to make it a fun summer of memories while not going insane from the increase of family time. Some of us have created fun summer bucket lists as a way to make sure we can cram in all the summer fun we can before August comes and steals our babies away from us! If you are interested in making a summer bucket list, check out this list for some KC fun summer ideas to help get you started. Here are my 3 ways to have the BEST SUMMER EVER:

1. Create a routine. Easier said than done- I know. But it really is true that kids thrive on routines. Even older kids. Summer should be fun and relaxed for our school aged kiddos but it still should have structure. Especially, structure around FOOD! Create specific times to eat and stick with them so they aren't asking to eat every five minutes.

2. Don't over extend or over commit yourself- this is something I am guilty of! I love to be on the go, go, go! But it can lead to some HUGE frustrations. I am learning it's okay to not show up to a group play date that you RSVP'd to if it means it's the best yes for your family. It's okay to be home and not leave for a day. It's okay not to be involved in everything in order to be fully committed to the things you do say yes to.

3. In a world filled with Pinterest Perfection we need to remember what WE loved about summer. Bike rides, catching lightening bugs and coloring on the sidewalk with chalk. I love me a good Pinterest project but don't believe for a second that our lack of perfection or creativity affects our child's summer.

And to remember every day that this is just a phase. A phase that will pass by so fast and one we will never get back. Cherish those babies and these memories! What's your favorite summer memory? Comment below!