Tag Archives: family time

Making the Most of this Season of Life

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Summer is in full swing in the Manney home. It’s one of my most favorite times of year. Fall is still my favorite season, but summer is right behind that. Some people complain about the heat, but I am so grateful for it. I think part of it has to do with Pennsylvania winters. Though they’re pretty mild, winter lasts a long time here. So when summer finally comes, I am so ready to enjoy it.

My Favorite Parts of Summer

There are so many great things about summer that I love—cookouts, park trips, playing in the water, sitting in the sun, beach trips, vacation, iced coffee, fresh fruit…the list goes on and on. But one of the things I enjoy the most is sending my kids out to play in the pool.

We have an Intex pop-up pool in the backyard, and I am so incredibly grateful for it. I always wanted a pool and think it’s the absolute best investment ever! I love watching my kids play for hours in our pool.

summer fun in the pool

Summer is about choosing to spend more time together as a family simply because you can. As a natural planner, scheduler, I have to really work to let go of expectations during the summer and just let my kids enjoy the break. They need it, and I do as well. It doesn’t come easily to me, so I have to choose to make it work.

Taking Advantage of This Current Season of Life

Take this morning, for example. After our walk, Matt told me he was going to go cool off in the pool with the kids for a few minutes. I sat outside to watch the kids swim and have fun with their dad. Of course, they begged me to come in the pool too. I had a choice. I could either sit and work on this blog post (which is what I was planning on), or I could get in the pool with them. I chose the pool. It’s summer; I’m not going to get this opportunity in a few months. I need to take advantage of the hot summer days while I can.

There are certain things you can only do in this season of life, both literally and figuratively. There are things you can only do in this stage of life you’re in right now, and there are things you can only do in the literal season we are in.

Whatever stage of life you’re in right now, take full advantage. You are only in this season of life for a period of time. God has opportunities that will only come during this stage of life. So be grateful for it, and make the most of it!

For More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out Hands Free Mama. It’s all about enjoying the time you have with your kids now while you can.

If you’re looking for a good book to read this summer, check out my summer reading list from 2022.

If you need a devotional for the summer, check out one of our 30-day devotionals, available from Manney Resources.

The Value of a Getaway

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mom and girls on getaway
Me and my girls

Our Getaway

A week ago, our family went on a getaway. We took a few days off and drove about two hours north to Lancaster, PA for a vacation. We spent time playing in the pool at the hotel, going out to eat, visiting some of our favorite stores, building legos, and of course drinking lots of coffee.

I always forget how even just a few days away can make such a big difference. There’s just something about a change of pace and a change of place that helps to bring some much needed peace.

When the pressures of every day life grow to be too heavy to handle, and it seems like the stress is just too much, sometimes all it takes is a few days away to get some peace and perspective. I feel like we were able to get just that.

Matt and I started our morning each morning in the hotel with a coffee from Starbucks and extra time doing our morning time routine. The kids just played or watched something while we did this. It was so peaceful and relaxing. We didn’t have to hurry out the door to go somewhere, we didn’t have to get school started, we didn’t have to get busy working…we just took our time and enjoyed our morning.

Matt and Malachi building legos

Finding Time Alone

I love this verse from the book of Lamentations. Lamentations is one of those unassuming books in the Bible that is chock full of great verses.

Finding time alone is one of the best things we can do when we are discouraged and disheartened or feel like we can’t hold up beneath the weight of our burdens. I think it works best if it’s somewhere other then your home. There’s something about a new location that seems to help us be more sensitive to God’s voice. Maybe it’s a cabin in the woods, next to a creek, in the mountains, at the beach, a hotel, or a coffee shop. Wherever it is, find time to be quiet and alone. Let God be the One to restore your hope.

Planning a Getaway

If you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or just lost your creativity or passion, maybe it’s time to plan a getaway. It doesn’t have to be long or expensive. Nor does it have to be something awesome like Disney Land; it can simply be an overnight stay an hour away. Don’t underestimate the peace that even just twenty-four hours away can bring.

kids in front of a tree

10 Family Fun Ideas to Fit in Before School Starts

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School Starting

It’s hard to believe, but summer break is quickly drawing to a close. School starts up soon, and fall will be upon us before we know it! Because we homeschool, our first day of school is technically today. We always start on August 1st. So today, we set up our homeschool room and got everything ready so we can kick off a great week of school next week.

Fitting In Family Fun

With that in mind, we decided to make the best of the last week of our summer break. On Wednesday morning, we surprised the kids and told them to pack for an overnight in Lancaster, PA. I am not a very spontaneous person, by nature. I have to work at it, but every once in a while I can be. A few summers ago, we did something similar with our kids.

We had an awesome night away in Lancaster. We got to swim in the outdoor pool, go to a park, visit a used bookstore and Barnes and Noble, go to an orchard for fresh cherries and cherry cider, and more.

family fun in the pool
Malachi and Madison enjoying the pool

Then on Friday, our last day before school, we headed about an hour away to a great park. We grabbed lunch and took it with us to the park. The kids played for a while. After they got tired and hot, we sat at the table and played card games together.

We had a great summer, but just taking these last few days and adding some extra special time together as a family set us up for being ready to start back with school. The kids are excited for a new year.

Madison and Macey

10 Family Fun Ideas

If you’re looking to fit in some family fun in the next few weeks before school, here are ten family fun ideas to try before school starts.

  1. Grill out and eat outside. We got Matt a grill for Father’s Day and cooked out almost every night of the week this summer. Each night, we would fill the cooler with ice and put in drinks. Then we just sat on the back deck and talked while the kids played and Matt grilled.
  2. Plan a day trip away. Pack up for a day away without telling the kids where you’re going.
  3. Surprise your spouse or your kids with an overnight. A change of place and pace can be just what we need to relax and enjoy time together as a family before school starts up.
  4. Take lunch to the park. It doesn’t have to be something fancy. Our kids just love doing picnics at the park, whether that’s homemade PB and J sandwiches or a box of chicken nuggets from McDonald’s. Food always tastes better at the park.
  5. Take each of your kids on a back-to-school date. We do this each year before school. Each kid gets a day away with me. They pick where to go for lunch. Then we go shopping for school supplies and a new backpack. We finish off the day with a special treat somewhere, usually ice cream.
  6. Plan a movie night. Movie nights are always a sure thing. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you want it to be. Our go-to is popcorn popped in our popcorn maker with butter and some shaker kettle corn seasoning on it.
  7. Fit in a last trip to the beach or to a lake nearby or a splash park. Getting wet is the best part of summer!
  8. Take a walk or a bike ride together in the evening, just for the fun of it. The other night when it started cooling down a little, we went to the park. The kids played on the equipment for a little bit; then we threw a football around. There was a light breeze blowing; it was so nice and peaceful.
  9. Surprise the kids by taking them out for ice cream or water ice instead of getting ready for bed. I’ll be honest, we don’t do that very often. When we have though, the kids think it’s the most amazing thing ever! Once or twice, they have been in pj’s when Matt told them to get shoes on and head to the car.
  10. Plan a family game night. Our kids love playing games. Occasionally, I will set the table with a fun tablecloth, put some snacks in bowls, put out juice boxes, and stack our games on the table. Some of our favorite family games are Uno, Skipbo, Dutch Blitz, Ultimate Werewolf, Codenames, Guess Who Cards, and Ticket to Ride.

Hopefully, this list got you thinking about some ideas. What are some things that your family does before the kids head back to school?

What We’ve Been Up To- Moving

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A Big Decision

If you follow me online, you have probably noticed I have been absent online since Christmas. Let me catch you up on what we’ve been doing. We started out the year with a bang! In January, we decided it was time for us to make a move. We took a really heavy pay cut last year in the middle of the year. After several months of scrambling, cutting back, picking up extra hours, and more, we decided we needed to bring down our mortgage payments. Our goal was to cut our mortgage in half. So with that in mind, the second week of January we decided to begin the process of selling our home and moving.

We made a call to a realtor friend of ours, and we were off. Our house needed a ton of work, so we got to work. We painted everything in sight. I told Matt if the kids stood still too long, they would get painted. We redid a bathroom, ripped out carpet, put in new carpet, redecorated and staged the house, cleaned out our basement, and packed up most of the house. It was a crazy six weeks. We headed into open house weekend with lots of prayers and our fingers crossed.

selling our home
Selling Our Home

Selling Our Home, Moving, and a Wedding

After a Saturday and Sunday open house with around sixty people showing up, we came away with multiple offers and a bidding war. We officially accepted a bid on Monday night after the open houses. Then all the craziness started with looking for a new house, inspections, appraisals, paperwork, and all that messy stuff. We pushed through all of that and began the moving process. We moved into our new home the second week of April. After just a few days of settling in, we hit the road to head to Illinois for my younger sister’s wedding. We got to spend lots of time with family and friends, laughing, having fun together, and helping to decorate for the wedding.

Here’s a few pictures from the wedding…

wedding picture of bride and groom
My beautiful little sister marrying her best friend.
four kids in wedding outfits
Our four kids all ready for the wedding.
two sisters dressed for a wedding
My older sister and I getting ready for the wedding.

Back to Normal Life

After that, we started the trip home and stopped in Pittsburgh for a few days for some much-needed downtime to relax and have some fun together. Now we are back home, finishing the year homeschooling, and looking forward to summer break!

family photo
Enjoying our time in Pittsburgh.


Christmas Family Series- #2

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photo credit: Element 5 Digital

Do you ever feel like the holidays fly by without fitting any meaningful family time in? I have in my mind all the things I want to do as a family for the holiday season, but all of a sudden January hits and we didn’t get to any of it.

A few years ago, Matt and I talked and decided to do something about it. We decided to be more intentional about the holidays. I knew if we were going to fit more into our schedule, I had to find ideas that were simple and easy. I started trying to find ways to incorporate more quality family time in during the holiday season. We have several things now that we do as a family each year that I want to share over the next few weeks. Here we go!

Idea #2: Looking at Lights

This idea is super easy. Load all the kids into the car, turn on the Christmas music, and drive around looking at Christmas lights. We try to do this several times during the Christmas season. Sometimes we drive through McDonald’s and get hot chocolate for everybody.

It doesn’t sound spectacular, but it’s so much fun for the kids, especially when they are not expecting it. We love to surprise them. Sometimes we wait until the kids are in pajamas and ready for bed; then we tell everyone to grab a coat and put on their shoes. Chaos ensues. Everybody runs around grabbing coats and shoes. We all pile into the van and take off. We don’t stay out long- maybe about twenty minutes or so. It’s just long enough to spend some meaningful time together as a family. 

Creating family time in the midst of a busy season doesn’t have to take a lot of time or money. It just takes a little creativity and planning to sneak it into a busy schedule. We won’t ever regret the effort it takes to spend more time with our family. Our kids won’t be with us forever, so we have to create the memories while we can!

Family Christmas Series: #1 Reading Basket

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Do you ever feel like the holidays fly by without fitting any meaningful family time in? I have in my mind all the things I want to do as a family for the holiday season, but all of a sudden January hits and we didn’t get to any of it.

A few years ago, Matt and I talked and decided to do something about it. We decided to be more intentional about the holidays. I knew if we were going to fit more into our schedule, I had to find ideas that were simple and easy. I started trying to find ways to incorporate more quality family time in during the holiday season. We have several things now that we do as a family each year that I want to share over the next few weeks. Here we go!

Idea #1: Christmas Reading Basket

Create a Christmas reading basket. I got this idea two years from Sarah Mackenzie and her podcast, “The Read-Aloud Revival.” I love this idea! We created a book basket for the month of December. I like it so much, we might continue it into next year.

basket of books

Our Christmas book basket

Place a large basket somewhere visible and fill it with Christmas books. I went to my library and checked out all the best Christmas and winter books I could find! Lots of our books are by Jan Brett. We just love her books, and she has several winter and Christmas books! Whenever it’s time to read, I choose one child to go pick out a book from the basket and we get to read it together as a family.

books on a table

Some of our favorites from our last library run

Finding Extra Time to Read

We try to find extra time each day to read. We might read the book before bedtime, after dinner at the table, in the morning after breakfast, in the car as we travel somewhere, or at some other random time. I love the time we spend reading a good book together as a family. Sometimes the kids sit and color and listen as I read. Other times, they just sit and look at the pictures.

We have enjoyed so many great Christmas books together as a family! It’s an easy way to fit in extra family time. Everybody enjoys it and it only takes a few minutes to pull off and absolutely no prep time! That’s a win in my book.