This is summer number two where there is no vacation time planned. The Engineer has a large project deadline looming at work, but even more, we simply cannot get our heads around camping with nine people in a tent -- we have a big enough tent for all of us, mind you, but if it rains... which it usually does when we camp -- and a little two burner camp stove, and six girls, some of whom perpetually feel the need to use the facilities, well it just doesn't sound like a vacation. These days even camping on sites with no amenities (we like to rough it) is expensive -- and other options, such as cottaging or hoteling, even more so. We'll aim for some beach days and maybe a day away -- if time off (for the Engineer) and weather allow.
So to have things to look forward to and prevent this Momma from going a little cuckoo (and I might be underexaggerating here), I present to you our summer bucket list (in no particular order):
1} Have the kids decide and make or help make with mom a special summery dessert each week.
2} Make the mixture for giant bubbles and find ways to get the biggest bubbles we can!
3} Do a week of VBS.
4} Swimming lessons for those who don't have all ten levels. With a pool in our backyard and plenty of beach options within 15 minutes of our home, not having the basic skills of swimming to survive and helping others is NOT an option in our home.
5} Swim team for three of them. (Our musician opted out this year.) Beans finds working on technique and going back and forth back and forth in the water just plain boring. She'd much rather practice scales on the piano :o).
6} Encourage the love of reading by going to the library once a week. In the evening!! This is a treat for some of them because it means they get to go to bed later!
7} Go to the bridge(s) to wash the boats, and great big ships slide by. Then...
8} Stop for icecream and eat it under the bridges as we listen to the traffic roll by overhead.
9} Have some scrapbooking nights with the four oldest girls. (Provided I ever get our craft room in order again!)
10} Have the two oldest choose and make a meal one night a week.
11} Do some sewing with the two oldest girls.
12} Read aloud to the five youngest. Currently we're working on
Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
13} "Camp" in the tent in the backyard.
14} Do some storm chasing. No, I'm not talking tornados. It's really amazing to watch a thunderstorm build over the lake though.
15} Have one movie marathon evening with the four oldest.
16}Dance in the rain on a warm summer afternoon.
17} Picnic waaay in the back under the trees.
18} For the older kids. Do a late night swim and float on our backs while watching for shooting stars.
19} Take one kid (older kids only) a week with me to do groceries.
20} Have lots of friends over. I love my kids friends, so this isn't hard to do.
21} Go canoeing at one of our nearby provincial parks.
22} (This one is for me). Do a photo shoot of my own planning of each kid over the course of the summer. I still need some ideas for some of them...okay, most of them...
23} Let the kids watch a movie on a rainy day.
24} Campfires with fun and different snacks -- besides just s'mores.
25} Make that paintable chalk mixture and paint the afternoon away on our laneway.
26} Watch some of the Mackinac sailboat races on the 14th of July.
Oh and out of interest, Beans built her own bucket list without knowing I had built one. You can find hers
here.
