The Saturday 7

First week of summer break! We jam packed it full of fun.

1. We'd been sticking strong to our "Weekend Only" Screen Time rules while school was still in session, but I knew that wasn't realistic for the summer. So I decided to allow one free hour of screen time a day, and then opportunities to earn more by doing chores/reading/exercising/etc. And I've finally started to see the fruits of limiting screen time more harshly. I told Levi that he can't do screen time until 8:00 each morning. He's usually in my room around 7:50 counting down the minutes. I hand him my phone at 8 then go back to sleep until 9. Then we get up and have breakfast. Sometimes he asks me to turn on an audio book for him, but sometimes he actually finds something to do! I never thought I'd see the day! And in another crazy twist, he and Lena have been playing together! Making up games, playing outside, entertaining each other without my input! It's a summer break miracle! There were a couple of days that he asked what he needed to do to earn more screen time, but yesterday he never even asked. After their first hour, he and Lena played together all day!

2. We've also been staying busy, so he hasn't had a ton of time to get bored. On Tuesday, we checked off another item on our bucket list by going to the nature center. We've been there multiple times over the years for school field trips, but never by ourselves just to explore without a guide. We invited my sisters, but they were all busy, so I resigned myself to going alone and downloaded a map of the trails so I wouldn't get lost. Lol. But then I had the bright idea to invite my Dad. He and my mom were watching Libby's kids so he brought them, served as our nature guide ("That's skunk cabbage. Come smell it. This is sassafras root. That's what root beer is made out of. Don't touch that one. It's poison sumac."), and kept us from getting lost! Winning! The kids loved it, the weather was beautiful, and we only got a handful of mosquito bites.

I even remembered to bring bread for the turtles!

Dad made me get in a picture

So I returned the favor

Smelling the sassafras root

Salamander!

We also had a picnic lunch (bucket list item!) and played at the playground at the nature center.

3. On Thursday, we had our first Cousin Fun Day of the summer at Boulder Ridge. We schedule these in advance to get them on the calendar before we're all too busy with other things, and we purposely did Boulder Ridge as one of our first ones - in early June - so it wouldn't be too hot. So wouldn't you know that it was 85 degrees on Thursday. Lol. Fortunately, it didn't get that hot 'til later in the afternoon. We got there right at 10 and were able to enjoy everything before it got unbearable.

This adorable cousin crew will be gaining a new member in the fall . . . (not from me!)

Levi loves the bird enclosure. I had to drag him out of it. Meanwhile, Lena sat outside refusing to come in. Lol.

They were doing a promotion for a free "mining kit" with every ticket purchase, so the kids all got to play with the miner's sluice and dredge for jewels. Levi loved this as well.

Checking out his loot.

The prairie dogs are so cute!

Ok, enough suspense . . . there's the new baby. See him/her?! Fun fact about this one . . . my parents' oldest grandchild (Tyler) is turning 30 in October, and their youngest grandchild (not even great-grandchild) is due in November. They'll have grandchildren that span 30 years!! We're so excited! Keep those babies coming!

4. We spent a few days at the pool this week, but apparently I didn't take pictures! Haha. I also started my new schedule at Once Upon - working three evenings a week. I wouldn't say I'm loving it, but it's ok. I like not having to get up early, and being able to be home with my kids most of the day. But I've also been doing stuff like cleaning my basement and my van and then going to work, and it's wreaking havoc on my back. Yesterday was so bad, I was back to laying on ice again as soon as I got home. C'mon, back! You have to be tougher than this!!

5. This morning, I ran to Aldi and Meijer for groceries, where I ran into my mom and Libby! Haha.

We were all shopping separately, and happened to converge in the chip aisle.

Don't mind the random stranger in green. He turned the corner just as I snapped the pic. Lol.

Then I went home to pick up the fam and we headed up north to Dunes Harbor for the day. Justin's parents are up there and invited us to come hang out at the pool and have dinner/ice cream together. The kids had fun at the playground and in the pool . . .

NGK came too

And Lucy, Justin, and I enjoyed reading the afternoon away.

6. I actually read two books this week: A River Between Us by Jocelyn Green and The Letter Tree by Rachel Fordham. They were both meh. They've gotten good ratings, so I think it's probably just me. I'm a little bored with Christian fiction. But I'm trying to stay away from trashy alternatives. 🤷

7. Pics and memes: