Taking the Summer Off

Generally, we school year round, taking breaks as needed for holidays, vacations, or general burn-out. This year we're doing things differently though for a number of reasons:

1. We are expecting a new baby at the end of May (which is why I want to be completely done with school at least a week before my due date).
2. My DH is deploying overseas in the fall and we want to make sure that we get as much family time in while he is here. He will be taking leave and we'll be making day trips and hanging out together as much as possible.
3. We just made it through our first winter in Alaska (the snow just started really melting yesterday!) After being stuck inside for so many months because of the cold and darkness, I just want to turn the kids loose in the backyard for the entire summer. I know that they will appreciate summer much more this year, knowing that when October comes we will be covered in snow again.

Although we're taking the summer off from bookwork, I do have some goals for what I'd like the kids to be doing:

1. Each one of them is going to a week-long camp (and they are SO excited!!)
2. I would like them to keep nature journals this summer, drawing pictures of what they see and maybe accompanying them with poems or stories of their own.
3. I am going to sign them all up in the local library's reading program to encourage them to keep reading through the summer (maybe in a hammock outside?)
4. I am making chore cards this summer to get a handle on the household mess. I have decided that they are plenty old enough to help out more around the house, but they don't know what is to be expected of them. I am hoping that this summer while we have the extra time, I can get them all trained up in their chores so that I won't have to do this along with schoolwork in the fall.
5. I will have them (with my help) set up their notebooks for each subject and decorate the covers.
6. I am hoping to work on the geography assignment for TOG Yr 1, Week 1. I would like them to work on knowing the major landforms of the world, basic map terms etc. before we get started.

How are you spending your summer??