Ahhh, Summer...

Before the summer, our days were busy. Having 5 little kids, the day is already full with meals, diaper changes, cleaning up, etc.  On top of that we also homeschool. You can imagine that it's pretty busy juggling our 4 kiddos for school time (while the baby thankfully naps). I'm pushing my kids through a schedule from the time they wake up until after nap time, when they finally have a break for a few hours before the schedule picks back up with dinner & bedtime routines.

At the end of the school year my kiddos were arguing a lot. Pretty much anytime they'd go upstairs (the kid section of our house-2 kid bedrooms & a playroom) within a few minutes there'd be a scuffle over something. And there was always a mess to clean up-the playroom could get completely destroyed in 5 minutes flat (after an hour of cleaning it up the day before). After a full year of school there was clutter in a lot of places. The combo of a tight schedule, arguing, messy spaces & clutter was wearing on all of us.

But then, thankfully, came summer.

Ahhh, Summer...
There has been something almost magical about our summer this year. It has been relaxing, refreshing, sweet, calm, peaceful--Freeing.  Ahhh...so needed.

When public school ended for the year, we ended our school year too. And we've taken it really easy.

We've been home more days than not.
We haven't had a calendar full of running to & fro.
We've had free time to enjoy one another and just be refreshed.
And yes, we've had just the right amount of fun summer activities peppered in...

But our kiddos have spent most of their time just enjoying one another and the freedom of being able to go upstairs and creatively play. It has been so nice and so refreshing. And magically (my favorite part), our kids arguing has dissipated.

On a normal day the kids wake up and play down stairs, then we all eat breakfast, clean up the kitchen & then the kiddos go upstairs for freetime.  Our 7 year old and almost 6 year old (Maria & Elissa) have been buddying up and playing in Maria's room, & our 4 year old and 2 year old (Jessa and Noah), buddy up and play in the playroom and Jessa's room. They've been pretending, imagining, and having so much sweet fun together. Or they might sit at the school table and color or create together.

(sweet buddies-sibling friends)

And while the kiddos enjoy their peaceful hours I've been able to take a breath and peacefully organize many areas of our home. All those "projects" that were in my brain during the school year that I constantly passed by for lack of time. So many spaces in our home are now peaceful and manageable too. I don't think one ever "finishes" organizing their home, but we've made some really big steps this summer.

We/I've organized:
The Playroom
Our School Cabinets
Our Fun Art Play Cabinet
The Bathroom Closet
Maria's Room
Elissa & Jessa's Room-new curtain :)
The Pantry
(blogs to follow on some of these areas)

My mom has always said that when your home (or room) is clean, you feel better. And I can tell you- 
                       it is SO TRUE.








So, thank you, God, for this sweet summer. You so knew exactly what we needed.

Blessings,
Amy