Bucket List....

As the end of the year closes in Charley's class they are doing this thing where they pop a balloon and inside is a little piece of paper that shares something special they get to do that day.  So I took off on that idea for our summer bucket list.  Our ideas are listed on paper balloons and I might surprise the boys with a balloon from time to time that they get to pop to find out what the day's adventure is going to be...but not every time. 

Our list this year has much of what we had on last year.  I added a few new things and put some simple little at home tasks on there too.  I found that the bucket list really motivated me to wake up in the morning and have a plan for the day.  It motivated me to go out and do things with the kids so that I could check things off.  I liked how friends and family asked how we were doing on our bucket list.  And when I was feeling uninspired for how we should spend an afternoon or morning...I had a reference spot.

So our list is big and has some big and some small.  It also includes things that we will of course do.  But I love checking things off and it is also a way to point out all the things that we have done at the end of the summer...and heck, those things that are no brainer things we have on our calendar or will do for sure...well why not get a little credit for doing something that comes easy or is something we are going to do anyway.

So here is our list so far for our summer.  Charley and Henry helped brainstorm our list and I spent a little time actually assembling our list. 

1.  Go to a sprinkler park
2.  Go to Grandma Barb's
3. Go to Grandma Charlie's
4. Go to Morgan's house
5. Go to a farmer's market
6. Go out for ice cream
7. Go pick berries
8. Go to Centennial Lakes
9. Go to the cottage
10. Go to the beach
11. Go to the pool
12. Go to the library (three of them)
13. Go to a nature center
14. Go to the zoo
15. Go to a museum
16. Go to 10 different local parks
17. Meet mama's local blog friend face to face for the first time. Roz :)
18. Feed the fish at Community park
19. Go to an indoor park
20. Watch cars race
21. Bake 3 NEW things.  Things we have never baked before
22. Plant a tree 
23. Get a birdhouse/feeder on a pole
24. Create board games
25. Go to the craft store and pick your own craft Price limit...like under $5.00
26. play bocce ball
27. Ice cream in Bayfield
28. Lunch at Skips
29. Walk for breakfast
30. Playdates with friends (a few for each kid)
31. Make Rainbow pudding pops
32. Make pickles
33. go to lake Superior
34. walk to the coffee shop
35. Go out for donuts
36. Lunch with daddy on a work day
37. Go to a movie
38. Find a garage sale treasure
39. Send 5 postcards
40. Have a pj day
41. Bring a neighbor something yummy we baked (four times)
42. Have a bonfire
43. Charley goes to Boy Scout camp
44. Read in 20 different places (not home) I want Charley to continue to escape into books.  So I am going to challenge him to have a book along and we can go read at parks, sitting on a dock, at the library, in a waiting room, etc.  
45. See fireworks
46. Greg and Liz's wedding
47. Parade
48. Have friends over for waffles
49. Ice cream sundae party with friends
50. Picnic lunch
51. Picnic dinner
52. Picnic Inside
53. Pizza at a park? I am thinking we would go with friends and have pizza delivered
54. Go to a candy store
55. Go camping
56. Go on a nature hike
57. Go fishing
58. Go on a boat
59. Go on a canoe
60. Go to a library program event
61. Go on a waterslide
62. Make play dough
63. Make chalk paint
64. Water balloons
65. Slip and Slide
66. Charley makes dinner He will pick the menu and help make it
67. Henry makes dinner
68. fly a kite
69. Cheer on mom at the Dirty Girl Race
70. camera walk  Go on a walk and let them take pictures with my old camera
71. Rent Redbox movie
72. Write letters to friends and family we love I would like to challenge us to do one a week
73. Celebrate mom's birthday
74. Celebrate mom and dad's anniversary 10 years this year!
75. Go hit golf balls with dad

Other things that I am making a priority this summer:

Since our summer has very little structure I want to establish a small and simple routine that allows for some structure to emerge.  I want Charley to spend time during the week: reading, working on his math facts, and writing.  I want Henry to spend time each week: on his letters, numbers, and fine motor (cutting and writing).

Each week I want to set aside an hour of my free time to plan out the week ahead with a craft or two, a baking or cooking challenge for us, and a little layout to our outings, playmates, etc.

I want there to be a time each day when there is quiet in the house.  The boys take a break from each other and do their own thing.

And I want to get back to our must do responsibilities.  We have let them slide lately, or rather they kind of do them automatically to some degree.  But this summer we can tackle helping a little more around the house.

So the boys are NOT signed up for too much that will take them out of the house for structured activities.  I am realizing how quickly these summers where they follow me like my little ducklings are going to end.  I am realizing that it will be all too soon when Charley will much rather hide out in his room, spend his weeks at sports or summer camps, or will bike off to meet friends.

  So my summer mantra is going to be, "I'm going to miss this."  And I am going to relish in the slow days that might get a little dicey some days...but ultimately, they will be the days I will look back and remember as my favorite in my mothering career.

Many of you waited for my list to pop up here.  I would LOVE to hear any ideas that you have that I should add to my list.  I would like to get our list up to 100.  So I need 25 more!