June Plans & Possibilities

“There’s no time like the present,” the old adage goes.  And, since June is over half-way through now, I guess it’s high time that I should follow another old saying --  “better late than never” – in order to unwrap the gift of June’s potential to get the Plans & Possibilities focus I mentioned underway…

Mind you, as I do this, that I have been without a computer for nearly two weeks now, so much of what I had hoped to research and brainstorm about was put on hold.  Now, with the month more than half way over, it seems a poor use of time to flesh the ideas out further.  Thus, here is a partial Plans & Possibilities brainstorm for June:

Our Core Four:

Faith Formation:

• Liturgical Season: Ordinary Time/ Color: Green, with a few days of White and Red (Resource: Catholic Culture Ordinary Time)
• Liturgical Focus for the Month: The Sacred Heart (Resource: Month of Sacred Heart )
• June 2010 Overview for the Month
• St. Kevin of Ireland (6/3) (Resource: The Blackbird's Nest: Saint Kevin of Ireland)
• Corpus Cristi (Holy Day of Obligation 6/6)  (Resource: Ordinary Time: June 6)
• Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (movable, this year on 6/11) Resource: Ordinary Time: June 11^th ) and Corpus Christi 
• The Immaculate Heart of Mary (movable, this year on 6/12) (Resource: Ordinary Time: June 12^th )
• Nativity of St. John the Baptist (6/24) (Resource: Ordinary Time, June 24^th)
•  Sts Peter and Paul (6/29) (Resource: Ordinary Time, June 29^th )
•  Bible Story Focus: Morning Readings from My Favorite Bible Storybook for Toddlers.
• Catechism Focus: TBD
• Scripture Focus: Five Loaves and Two Fish, Mary Magdelene Washing the Feet of Jesus, and scripture from Bible Story readings
• CSG Focus: Liturgical Colors and Baptism (?)

Reading:

•  Richard Scary’s Treasury (as bedtime “chapter book” since the kids are excited by the related Puzzle Town toy Mom uncovered in the attic)
• Bob Books (to help Luke meet his 10 books for the Borders program)
• Various books on bubbles, a current interest of the kids
• Various gardening, spring, etc. picture books

Writing: 

•  chalk on walkway and drive
• Dot-to-Dot and Maze Themes; Copywork Ideas and Phrases; Etc.

Arithmetic:  

• Chalk Number Jumping
• Cooties
• Math Games; Math Concept Focus; Etc.

Plus:

Habit Training:

• Character Focus: using kind hands
• Habit Focus: potty
• Habit Focus:  better bedtime routines

Sensory Stuff:  

• sensory sand box
• bubbles
• shaving cream

Nature:

•  Yellow irises are blooming in the garden.
•  Stella Dora (sp?) are blooming mid-month.
•  Day Lilies are growing tall and blooming mid-month.
•  Strawberry picking season is beginning.
•   Lots of spiders in the yard, especially along the laundry line.
• Bunnies are coming by yard.
•  Ants are trooping through the house.

Food (and Power Foods Lab):

•  Spring Greens (at market, possibly)
•  Garlic Scapes (at market, possibly)
•  Herbs (at market, possibly)
•   Strawberries (picking season)
•  Rhubarb
•  Peas (towards the end)
• New potatoes (at market, possibly)
• Asparagus (at market, possibly)
• Power Food Possibilities: Strawberries, Peas and Other Framer’s Market and Pick-Your-Own Fare

Enrichment: 

•  Art Ideas; Music Ideas; Etc.

Home & Garden:

• Need to use sun screen and bug spray now, plus do tick checks!
• Turn on outdoor water.
• Buy and plant some seedlings to start a low-maintenance home vegetable garden.
• Research and experiment with planting our gone-by winter-stored onions and potatoes ?
• De-clutter and organize for baby.

National, Local and Other Observances:

•  Father’s Day
• Flag Day
•  National Dairy Month

Family Life:

• Baby almost here
•  Father’s Day (late celebration when Mike gets back from AT)
• Mikey’s Graduation?
• Cousin John’s Service Send Off ?

Field Trips & Outings:

• Cirelli’s BBQ Bonanza and Friendly’s Customer Appreciation Day (6/5)
•  Beach Outings
• Strawberry Picking
•  Hiking in State Park
•  Library (on rainy days)
•   Local Playgrounds
•  Circus?

Special Interests:  

• Bubbles and TBD based on kids

Now, as I mentioned, I know this outline is incomplete.  With the hurdles of the past few weeks (car troubles, computer issues, prenatal ligament problems, trying to find time to de-clutter with Mike away at AT, the kids outlasting me energy-wise, etc.) I know I have neglected to list some things on the brainstorm that I could have.  But, it’s a start. 

That said, now with Baby even closer to making his arrival and our home still in disorder, I am rethinking my June goal.  I had hoped to get almost a full year’s worth of Plans & Possibilities brainstorms done.  But, now I am considering changing my focus and pushing off the rest of the Plans & Possibilities brainstorms until later in the year…  We shall see.

Regardless of what I end up doing, I would love to hear about your monthly or sesonal learning and fun plans.  Please leave a comment.