Summer Home School

Summer vacation is finally here! My son's last day of school was yesterday and although that's one less thing to do during the day, I know I have a long busy summer ahead of me here at home. The Hubbs and I agreed to put my son in some sort of summer school or summer camp, but tuition for these places are ridiculous. I'm not sure we're going to find any within our budget, so while the search continues, I came up with the idea to home school him meanwhile.
In first grade he began learning about different states in the U.S., but they didn't fully get into it. I'm sure this lesson will come up when he's in second grade, therefore I made a mini size poster that we can hang up in his room for him to study.

The map was purchased at The Dollar Tree. All I did was use double sided tape to tape it to scrapbooking paper and hung it up on his wall. He stares at it every night before going to bed and has even been able to memorize some names.

Another thing we want him to practice is his penmanship. My son has horrible writing and it was something his teacher struggled with in first grade. A few weeks ago I was at Target and saw they had a mini white board with lines on it.

It was a dollar so I picked up a couple to have him practice at home. He is currently obsessed with white boards so it's a win win situation for the both of us.

Last, but not least I want him to improve his memory skills. He has a hard time paying attention at times and forgets easily. A lot of the time I have to repeat instructions to him because he won't stop and listen. His teacher suggested we play memory games to sharpen this sense. When I was at Target AGAIN(I feel like I live at that store) I saw they had a memory card game at the dollar section and decided to snatch it up.

He loves playing with cards and I knew it would be great for him. Since I bought them we have played every other day with them. It was a dollar well spent in my opinion.

Although I'm looking forward to all the fun we are going to have this summer, I also want my son to stay on the ball when it comes to school. I don't want him to forget what he has learned and have to struggle when he enters second grade. With so many cheap ways to help him stay on track, I don't see how I cannot help him.

Perris Lake, California

Summer is right around the corner and I'm already planning activities to do with my babies. I don't know for sure that I won't be working by then, but if I'm not I plan on taking full advantage of being home with them for the summer. I have wonderful memories of places my parents took my siblings and I to. I remember being excited for summer because that meant we would spend some Saturdays at Perris Lake. I have many beautiful memories of that place and although it is not what it used to be, as far as the scenery is concern, it is still a great place to spend a relaxing Saturday with the family.





The water has gone down quite a bit from when I barely began going, mostly because it is a man made lake. A lot of people say it is not a great place to for the family anymore because it has turn into more of a boating lake, but to me it still has its charm.

Lytle Creek, California

During the summer of 2011 I found out I was pregnant with my baby girl and I was, as they say, on cloud nine. Everything all of a sudden was beautiful and exciting. I mention this because that summer I went to a river with my parents and I absolutely fell in love with it. I went later with the Hubbs and some friends and they swore it was ugly. The scenery is awesome and the sound of the river is super calming. Every time I go I can't stop snapping pictures, it has definitely turned into a favorite summer spot. I know for a fact that this summer I will be spending many a days there with my babies.
I don't know if it was because I was in a great place with my pregnancy, but I fell in love with this place.