Depending on where you're at in life summer can really throw your whole schedule for a loop. Last year was the first year my oldest was in school full time so this is her first real summer break. It's also the first real summer with her baby sister, last year Vivi was far too young to really take anywhere for any amount of time, this year she's much more fun (but still requires a nap and a regular eating schedule.) Thankfully with all the attention Vivi needs it keeps us on a fairly decent schedule of our own, but the days can pass by in a blur and suddenly it's dinnertime, we're still in our pajamas and we haven't done a darn thing all day.

I hate days like that.

My best friend who has four kids under the age of seven declared "Clean something, do something, make something" her mantra for this summer and I've happily adopted it as my own as well.

Clean something is pretty straightforward. When you're in a house all day things can get a little out of control and things can become even more unmanageable when you're in and out of the house all day. Grass gets tracked in, toys get left out and who spread these Cheerios all over the floor? Clean something doesn't have to be something monumental, just little pick ups throughout the day and maybe one drawer that has been begging your attention. Even if it's just folding the towels in the linen closet so they look a little more presentable, it counts. Little by little each task will add up to a lot throughout the summer.

Do something means do something fun. I have weekly dates with my best friend where we park it at her kitchen table and work while our kids play all around us. The kids think it's amazing because "FRIENDS ALL DAY!" and we think it's amazing because our kids basically babysit each other. We also make it a point to go on at least one picnic each week, sometimes to a splash park, sometimes to a regular park and sometimes to the indoor playground at Chick-Fil-A. The great thing about kids is that things don't always have to be fancy to be fun. Just changing up the routine and having something to look forward to each day can break up the monotony that can sometimes creep into long summer days. When we're not with friends we plan days to set out the pool in the back, a sprinkler on the lawn, fun crafts in the house or even an over sized bubble bath.

Make something is in regard to food. It can be so easy to get lazy with cooking, the kitchen is hot, the oven is hot, who wants to stand over a hot grill and now everyone's hungry and there's no dinner. Does this ever happen in your house? Since I have all day I've started making dinner in the morning, or even better, a day ahead. That way all I have to do is pop it in the oven or pull it out of the crock pot come dinner time (which is usually when the sad whinys hit in our house) and I'm not left resorting to frozen pizza, cold cereal or PB&J for the second time in a week.

I can feel us hitting a really good summer stride, it only took three weeks! It will be a good schedule to stick with even when Addie is back in school and it has made my days go by much smoother and kept the "MOM I'M BORED" complaints at bay.

What's your best trick for staying on a summertime schedule?