Yippee!  It’s summer time!!!  July is my favorite month!  It’s the month where there is absolutely no school for my kids, we get to celebrate the 4th of July, and it’s the month I was born.  As a kid, each year my parents took us on vacation in July.  I remember this well because I spent the majority of my birthdays "on vacation”.  Because my dad worked for Delta Air Lines we flew for free, so I have many birthday memories in some cool places. My 21st birthday was spent in Europe, my 16th was in Hawaii and my 12th was in St. Thomas.  My most favorite birthdays are my 9th and my 31st because we were camping.  The most memorable part about these birthdays was my cake.  For my 9th birthday it was a Ding Dong and for my 31st it was a mud pie.  This got me thinking--it seems the most special times in our lives are the simplest times.

July is a great time to keep things simple and make some “simple” fun.  As a mom of four kids here are some things I have enjoyed with my kids:

Got Toddlers?  A small blow up pool, a hose, and a few toys; you have created a great way to cool off and have fun. Throw in a toddler slide and you’ve created a water park.

Got Preschoolers?  Remember the “Slip and Slide”? I personally tried this last year...not a good idea for an adult (the ground is much farther away and much harder than I remember), but my kids love it!  Hours of fun!

Got Beach Lovers?  A day at the beach can be so much fun! The sand, the water, a few buckets and shovels and you have entertainment for the day and nappers on the way home!!! (Don’t forget the sunscreen!)

Got a Potty Trainer?  This is the best time of the year to potty train.  No need for clothes.  Put them in a pair of underwear and visit that potty all day long!

Got a Hot Day?  Pull out the hose or turn on the sprinklers and let your kids run through them.  I can remember as a kid all the neighbor kids came over to run through our sprinklers. That was our air conditioner. Not many people had air conditioners in the 70’s so the only way we could cool off was with water.

I hope you all have a safe and fun July and remember to keep it simple!

Lisa Row