beating the heat

Redding, California is HOT...

it's sort, kinda known for being HOT....

(although it's a dry heat...if Redding had humidity it would be inhospitable and would have a population of 2!)

I really don't mind the heat...

it's just a fact that you need to be willing to live with if you choose to live in Redding...

which we do!

This is the thing...everything in Redding has AC. 

blog note:  I say that, knowing that we lived almost 6 years in our fixer-upper sans AC...

we had a swap-cooler...

or an evaporative coolers, as those in denial call it...

which takes our lovely dry heat and in turns makes it humid...classy!

anyways...

most normal sane humans that live in Redding have AC...

no cars are sold in Redding without AC...

it's not an extra...

it just IS...cars have AC...

side note 2:  we bought a brand new car back in 2000 and while looking at the extra packages we said, 

"Oh, yeah make sure it has AC!" 

the sales guy looked at us and said, 

"Um, we can't sell cars in Redding without AC!  it's not considered an extra but a must have!"

okay...back to our regularly schedule blog...

about it being HOT and getting the HECK out of Hades!

the forecast for Monday was HOTx10...108+

which is pretty normal for July in Redding 

(as previously stated...

that is why/how Redding is known for being HOT)

so, to beat the heat, the kids, some friends and I packed up and headed for the snow!

yep...we went and played in the snow in July!

something that I've done a few times...but not nearly enough..

pack up the car...

pack lunch and plenty of water... 

and drive (usually...always...without the husband!)

have a minor goal in mind, but be flexible...

our goals...

1.  get out of the heat

2.  hopefully, possibly see/play in snow...

then go...

be spontaneous...

this is the fun part...

drive...see something pretty..

neat...

weird..

interesting...

stop the car...enjoy...

....look kids, it a Sound-of-Music mountain meadow....

trying to get a Sound of Music picture
look really really hard and see the teeny tiny pink spot to the right...
yeah, that's one of our kids!

our closest Sound of Music shot!

we spent about 30-40 minutes
(20 of that crossing the colder than ice creek to get to said Sound-of-Music mountain meadow)
enjoying the beautiful meadow

hey, kids...
look a patch of snow across the street from our meadow...
enjoy!

love the contrast of green field below the snow!

this snow is fun and all...but it's sort-of-kind-of a snow cliff...if the kids take a step or two back they will plunge to their deaths...or at least break a bone or two!

girl getting tagged by a snowball

seriously...
how many times have you had a snowball fight in July!

it's snowing in July...or maybe we just threw snow up in the air

okay, so this is great snow and all...but it's not fun/easy to play in...it's a snow cliff...so lets pack up and find what we set out to find...enough, safe, snow to play in!

hey, look it's a snow tunnel...so what if it's in a parking lot...
it's a SNOW TUNNEL...in JULY....
stop the car...get out and enjoy!

blog note #3...
try not to look too closely at the snow...it's snow in July...
so, this is not pristine white snow...
it's actually old dirty snow...
but, just don't think about it...
and make it VERY clear that there will be absolutely zero eating of any snow! 

okay, so this is fun and all...
but it's a parking lot...
so, lets pack up and find a better place to play!
eventually...
we reach our ultimate goal...
an area with enough snow...
that's not on the edge of a cliff...
or in a parking lot...
and let the kids play...

 midget July snowman!

Get some posed pictures at the ice cold Lake Helen....

Pack up and head home!

*special note...

when heading to the snow...even if it's July...

it would be wise to pack snow/rain boots...

your kids may or may not suggest this to you before you leave for said snow trip, and you may or may not think, "it's JULY and we don't need that"...

it would also be wise to bring mittens...

possibly also something that your kids may or may not have suggested that you bring...

and you may or may not think it's necessary because it's JULY...

trust me, bring the mittens!

so, your kids may or may not have the chance to say, "Told you so, mom!"

also good things to pack for a snow trip in July:
*flip flops 

*towel

*bug spray...snow and mosquitoes don't compute in my head, but swampy muddy areas around melting snow drifts and 75 degrees is the perfect environment for mosquitoes...and since there are little to no humans in these areas you will be eaten alive by them!

Go out and embrace the spontaneous trips!  Pack up the kids, invite some friends...and pack all the things that your kids may think you'll need!

and take pictures!

These are memories that you and your kids will cherish...

so don't NOT go because your husband/wife might not want to go or have to work

don't NOT go because friends can't come

don't NOT go because you have laundry to fold

this was an amazing day...it was in the high 70...when back in Redding it was 108+
the kids, our friends and I all had a great time!

just go...and embrace the spontaneous trip...

don't have any mountain snow anywhere nearby (we drove an hour and half to reach snow), drive to the lake, a waterfall, the beach, a local pick-your-own produce farm...etc...

what are some spontaneous trips that you've taken...or wanted to take?

sum, sum, summa time...a plan

It's here...
today is the first day of summer vacation!

idea that I got from pintest...kids came home to this yesterday.

Can't believe it's here already!
AND I have a plan...
my goal is to not have a mind-numbing summer...
that's 2-fold...
1.  I don't want it to be mind-numbingly boring!
2.  I don't want the kids to have their brains be numb by the end of the summer and then school hurts their brain come August!

I also want it to feel like summer for the kids...
a little carefree
a little laid back
screen time (in moderation)
a little spontaneity here and there

so this is the sum, sum, summa time plan
a minor, not too rigid agenda
*swim team
     this is a great low commitment scheduled 'event' for the kids.  It's 3 days a week; MWF, for an hour.  It's early, but not too early, starting at 8:30.  The early factor is do-able because the prep is zilch...the have to have their swim suits on their bodies and all their swim stuff will just live in the car (goggles, sunscreen, etc) and their towels will hang in the garage right next to the van to be grabbed on the way......then they can eat breakfast on the go in the car, a breakfast burrito or peanut butter sandwich, etc.  Also it's WAY cheaper than actual swim lessons $1.51 per hour compared to $8.75 an hour...AND swim team lasts all summer and lessons are only for 2 weeks.

*reading
     we will take part in the Barnes and Noble summer reading program for kids (download the pdf form here) and we're going to do a family reading program that will be geared for the reading level and age of our own kids (boy child needs to read 7 chapter books to earn a free book, girl child needs to read 5 chapter books...her chapter books are WAY longer than his and takes her longer).
     we're also going to do reading bingo....our own version...for every bingo they earn a coupon and then when then get a blackout they will get a golden ticket.

idea from how does she

   visit how does she to download the printables that are totally customize-able for your kids.

*theme days
     Movie Monday's = our local dollar theater (that's actually like $1.50 but we still call it the dollar theater) has family days on Monday's and a group of 3 or more (aka a family) pay only $0.75 per person.  If there isn't a move we want to see we will do the red box and watch a movie that we haven't seen yet.  We haven't 'rented' a movie all year long and rarely go to the theater so there are a ton of movies for us to catch up on.
     Errand Day Tuesday &/or Garden Tuesday = kids are not in love with errands...or actually the boy child is not, the girl child is on the fence about errands if there is a store involved she's all over that.  Then the garden day will happen early and will be weeding and harvesting our garden.  This is also a day that Redding has a local Farmers Market so errands and gardening go hand-in-hand and we will probably visit that a few times a month.
     Music Wednesday = their piano lessons are scheduled for Wed afternoon...so really not too
musically...but I might make this a day that we also crank up the tunes and rock out while we do our chores.
     Library Thursdays = this doesn't need an explanation...we will go to the library on Thursdays...
     Field-trip Friday = Beau's day off so this is a great day to go on family hikes, visit waterfalls, drive to the coast, etc....
     AND/Or Friend Friday = we will probably let them invite friends along on our field-trips and if we have nothing planned they can just have a friend over anyways.

* responsibilities before screen time

     the kids both have a responsibility chart that hangs in the hallways and they will need to complete all their responsibilities before they are allowed to turn on the tv or play their DS's.  And their screen time will be limited to 1 show per child and then a 30 minute time frame on the DS games....

*various other ideas
     I have pinned a ton of ideas on pintrest to keep the summer fun...visit my School Vacation Idea board to see what we might be doing....

...
also I will have to be working from home most mornings and will have to make trips to the office a few days a week....
so here's hoping our summer is smooth and not-too-mind-numbing....

what's your summer look like...
are you planning it out or letting it just happen?