Last year, our neighbors had a group of people help them lay some concrete in the back yard. We didn't get much of a chance to use it due to it going in at the end of the summer, but now that the weather is warming up the kids are loving it! After dinner is cleaned up the kids will go out and stay out till dark. Thank you daylight savings time! Yes we have lots of scrapes and some tears from time to time, but mostly it is all giggles, laughter, and squeals.
Another simple thing that has changed our routine and brightened our evenings has been....chores!!! I waited for a while before getting the kids used to doing "chores" because I didn't have a system in place and thought I would eventually get around to doing a cute chart or board. But that has proved to be low on the priority list.
And then one day I remembered the beautiful invention of sticky notes!!
