Monday, June 1, 2009

Finding Free Fun is always Good!

If you know me, then you know, I'm thrifty, frugal, or just plain cheap.

So one of my biggest concerns about summer vacation coming up so fast was that I hadn't planned anything for the kids to really do throughout the summer, during those days when there just aren't any big plans going on. I mean, yeah, I'm a stay at home mom. And I know that my joy is suppose to be spending time with my kids. Yada, yada, yada! Truthfully, if I could get rid of 'em for a few weeks, I wouldn't hesitate, wouldn't bat an eye and probably wouldn't miss them... well maybe a little... at first..

I mean, I REALLY REALLY REALLY don't love the crying, the whining, the tattling, the I'M BORED HE HIT ME SHE TOOK MY TOY I'M HUNGRY CAN I HAVE A SNACK IT'S COLD HE WON'T STOP COPYING ME SHE WON'T GET OUT MY ROOM HE PUT HIS FEET ON ME HE FARTED IN MY FACE IT'S HOT I DIDN'T KNOW I DIDN'T DO IT IT WAS HIS FAULT IT WAS HER FAULT!

I think I can get over it pretty fast!

I'm not one for spending money, because, well there just isn't a whole lot of extra dollars falling off the ever green trees this year.

I looked into the Y for summer swimming. When broken down to all that can be done with the membership, it sounds really good. Swimming whenever you want, working out whenever you want, childcare while you work out. Sounds like a good deal for $55/month. But lets not forget that $100 joiner's fee THAT I DON'T HAVE! and didn't I just buy a new car and obtain a $600 car payment???

Well, that deal just wasn't sweet enough for me.


Well, on Friday, I decided that I was gonna take the kids to the library. They've started the summer reading program and the kids needed to pick up their reading packets. First, I wanted to take them to the playground that they have behind the library for a picnic. Well we get to the park and there's a surprise waiting for us. Some extremely smart people added a water feature to the playground!

The kids were ecstatic! Now how could I tell them that they had to sit back and watch the other kids get wet on this hot day because we had NO idea this was here and didn't have a change of clothes???

I couldn't!

So even though I had JUST bought my car a few days earlier and knew that Hubs would have a FIT had he known, I let then get soaked, all the while wondering how those kids were gonna get home!

They had a ball, and for a mom like me, that's all that matters. They dried in the sun just enough that I decided not to make them walk the 15miles to our house, but we never made it to the library.

So here's the deal.

FREE water play! A very cheap day out (just the price of a picnic lunch). And at the end of it all, I get to hear, "This is the most awesome day ever!"

6 comments:

Cynthia said...

Well done Mom! Free is good:)

Amy McMean said...

oh my gosh. That looks like a blast. I would want to play.

Next time take some rope, you can tie them on top of the car. Imagine how much fun that would be for them.

Radical Selfie said...

Cool beans! I'm all for free summer fun, and was battling with the same concerns as well. I got together with some of the moms in one of my daughters' pre-k class, and we're creating our own summer camp with assigned activities chosen by each mom. So far, it seems to be working out well.

Continue enjoying your summer!

Jenni said...

You are a SUPER FUN mom!!!

Barbara said...

LOL. That's because YOU are the most awesome mom ever! Now, you know you're gonna be spending A LOT of time there now, right?? LOL.

Managed Chaos said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier (don't ya just love OHMommy!)

I loved your rendition of your kids converstations. It fits my kids to a tee!