Countdown begins for summer and my son is ready to plan the days with his mates, off to Canada's Wonderland fun, fun, fun all the way.

As for myself, it amazes me how much energy he has not only in his body but also his mind. Keeping up with the activities that summer brings with it; as each day the door bells rings and I hear "Michael, we're here .. Come down and let's play our DS games! Good Morning Mrs. Foster, can we have a snack. When is lunch going to be ready?" Aw...... I take a moment, smile and reply "Why don't you go and play for a while maybe till 10:30am like you all do at school and I shall fix you all a snack ...how does that sound?" You know how it is... it's the most wonderful time of the year and no, I don't mean Christmas.

"Great, 10:30am you said right...see you then!" They all run downstairs and suddenly there is the silence I had not heard since 6:30am that morning when I said goodbye to my hubby as he went off to work.

Don't get me wrong I enjoy my life and what I am blessed with everyday but now that summer has arrived I must maintain the balance between keeping my business and the family afloat without losing my MIND.

Most combination mothers, entrepreneurs, wives can relate to this because it is all a part of working your business. If you have the opportunity to close down through the summer months... FANTASTIC, if you do not here are some first hand tips that might help you survive.

1. Before the summer months begin I schedule all of my son's activites with his friends.
   For example: Play days (my home & theirs – parents appreciate that), theme parks, outdoor swimming activities, bike trips & even going to the movies.
2. The majority of my meetings I will book for the evening. That allows me to spend time with my son during the day and he doesn't feel alienated by my business.
3. Stock up on lots of different snacks. Once I was caught with not having a variety and that was a day to go to Shoppers Pharmacy for some headache relief.
4. Making sure that my office is prepared and organized is top priority at the best of times and that will save you a lot of time when the children are calling you away for snacks, lunches etc...

The list could go on forever but I just stick to the simple approach because life is what you make it and keeping the fun within our daily curriculum is vital to our summer survival. As a family we have practiced this regime since our son was born. He is a part of our life no matter what the circumstances are and let me tell you something your children will send you little reminders they are feeling left out; that it's not all about business but enjoyment & some fun must be part of the life plan too!

In saying that we are now taking on another addition to our family, no I not expecting, but we have wanted this for such a long time well you guessed it, a puppy is joining the Foster Family July 25th and we cannot wait. The rules have been discussed and he will be trained along with us, the new owners in order to have a happy and healthy living arrangement for all!

Enjoy the summer, continue to build your passion and have lots of fun doing both, remember life is too short to be taken too seriously.

Women try to do too much instead of reaching out and asking for support
so they can do what they do better.
Always do your best, because you never know whose watching.

Oprah