Blog by Jenny Rowan
Ahhh summer time!! These warmer days and school being out brings a new level of excitement in the Rowan house. Not only are the kids glad to be done with another year of school but the anticipation of pool parties, beach time, lounging in our PJ’s all day, and summer trips are just so inviting and exciting.
I remember several years ago reading an article about how you just have 18 summers with your kids and to make sure you are taking time to make memories. Wow! That thought grabbed at me and ever since I have intentionally gone into summer with a desire to make the most of our “ever flying by so fast” time. Our family hash tag is #rowanfabfour. Mark and I have 4 kids: Elena Kay age 11, Cassia age 9, Josiah age 7 and Addie almost age 5. Our family absolutely loves our summer time.
Here are our 5 things that we do with our kids over summer break.
- Play Dates
I always say Church friends are the best friends. We love our connect group friends and not only do we
like meeting at our connect group times but we just simply enjoy doing life with each other. Between
play dates, birthday parties, and let’s go hang out together times we are seeing lots of our friends over the summer. After Wave Women ends for the school year we have a play date that keeps meeting every Wednesday. We do lots of fun outings together like strawberry picking, playing at the park, zoo trips, and just playing at someone’s house. The kids have fun with their friends and the mamas have fun catching up too.
- Pool Party
My parents have a pool in their neighborhood and we are all about going to that over the summer. We
definitely go once a week if not more. It’s fun, gets their energy out and gives us something to do
outside the house. All three older kids have learned to swim in that pool and I have a feeling Addie will
be swimming by the end of this summer.
- Grandparent’s Adventures
Every other year Mark’s side of the family has a family reunion at his parents farm in West Virginia over
the 4th of July. This year is our family reunion so we will be making the trip to the farm. This is
something we always look forward to. The kids get to run around the farm playing with their cousins.
The back yard fireworks show by family is beautiful. The nightly sing old songs in a circle is a hit. The
pick up game of football is competitive. The water balloon fights keep us cool in the heat of the day. The
fireflies show off at night and the memories keep us happy as we leave family that we will not see again
till the next reunion.
Besides the reunion every summer the kids spend a week at the farm with Mark’s parents and my
parents take the kids on dates and trips as well. That grandparent time is so important to us as we love
the memories the kids get to make with our parents.
- Local Fun
This year we got a family zoo pass to the zoo. We have already taken several trips this spring and will
continue to do trips over the summer. I have lots of friends that take advantage of season passes
whether it’s to Busch Gardens, the Aquarium, Ocean Breeze Water Park, or to First Landing State Park.
Day trips are also a summer must with Williamsburg, Richmond and even DC being right in our
backyard.
- Free Family Fun
Who does not like free!! Some days we wake up and the kids just want to stay in their Pjs all day. So we
have PJ party days where we lounge around all day, watch movies and have a picnic in the back yard or
sprawl the blanket out in our living room floor and picnic it indoor style. Then there’s also Mt
Trashmore, the library, the mall, and an array of parks across the city.
Psalm 127:3 CEV
“Children are a blessing and a gift from the Lord.”
I pray that this summer you have lots of fun with your kids. That you make memories to last a life time. That God gives you extra doses of energy just when you need it. That you enjoy the break from not packing lunches or doing homework. That the longer days and later nights are filled with adventures near and far. From our Fab Fam to yours have the BEST summer ever!!