So they have a lot to write about on their "How I Spent My Summer Vacation" essays.

How is it that you plan to do a "low-key" summer vacation to save some money and wind up spending a lot anyway? After our winter vacation was a semi-bust with Chris breaking his leg skiing, we opted to stay home and venture on day trips. Here's a recap of last week:

On Monday, we went to pick blueberries and raspberries with our next door neighbors. Sadly, that was the first time we have ever done this, and we live in a town where the opportunity is plenty! Yum! Total cost: $27. Definitely worth it, although the raspberries went bad too soon, but we still have a container full of blueberries.

We went out to eat Monday night. $65 for some really good BBQ.

We ventured to the beach on Tuesday afternoon. The tide was low and it was a beautiful beach day! I love going in the late afternoon/early hours. (Yes, I brought home a bag full of beach stones, because I never go and NOT get any for my walls and garden!) Total cost: $90, because the boys just had to get boogie boards and snacks at the store and it cost $8 to park. That cost doesn't include gasoline for transporation!


G and the boys and I took a walk at one point and came upon the beach house we own wish was ours.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

On Wednesday, we went to a local park where they just added a small water park section. The kids loved it. Cost: FREE!

On Thursday, Tommy went to a friend's while Chris and Joey each invited friends over. Here they are monkeying around in the woods. Because they are monkeys, of course.



Friday found us relaxing at home. Chris and Joey had their last Teddy Bear Club session at the school (a fun reading program offered by the district). G took Chris to a free soccer clinic Friday evening while I took the boys to a park to play while Tommy and his friend skateboarded. In fact, except for Blueberry picking, he pretty much skateboarded everywhere else we went.

On Saturday morning after I went grocery shopping, I worked in the garden and convinced G to redo our small water pond. We worked on that in the afternoon and still need to complete it, but it's better than what it was. Total cost: $48 for a new liner. We still need to work on the fountain part and definitely need a bigger pump.

We hung out at our cool neighbor's next door later on, enjoying cocktails while debating about politics. We wound up grilling burgers and hot dogs and home grown zucchini from our garden. We had to dodge some raindrops, but it was still fun. Tommy, meanwhile, had spent the entire day with his friend at Windham park (where I had taken him and his brothers the night before), before coming home and then going over to another friend's house where the friend's dad was building a mini half-pipe. And still, Tommy didn't skate enough last week!


The blur in the middle is Tommy.

On Sunday, I intended to spend a few hours cleaning up downstairs, but it wound up taking all day. The kids had totally destroyed the place and I should have had them down there cleaning with me, but I took advantage of the alone time and filled 2 large trash bags full of broken toys and 4 large paper bags of toys to donate, which I dropped off at Goodwill later on, along with a huge bag of clothing.

So, that's what I've been doing. Did I miss anything? I've also been working on the first school Tiger Tales newsletter, for which I have taken over as editor, while working on getting soccer teams together and last minute sponsors.