Summer Bucket List

So here's a recap of how our summer went.  I think we did a great job of accomplishing almost everything I set out to do!

My list for Sam and Anna:

1. Sleep in :)
2. Travel to Grandma and Grandpa's cabin
3. Visit other grandparents
4. Go camping (if I can forget the epic failure of last year)
5. Swim in a lake
6. Swim in a pool
7. Play in the sprinkler
8. Enjoy a boat ride
9. Go fishing
10. Play on the beach
11. Go to the Children's Museum
12. Check out current Lowes Build and Grow workshops
13. Cook/bake together
14. Read books outside
15. Sand and water table play
16. Go to a zoo
17. Watch trains
18. Watch planes
19. Blow bubbles
20. Use sidewalk chalk outdoors
21. Hike in the woods
22. Explore a nature center
23. Picnic
24. Bring a picnic to Daddy at work
25. Watch fireworks
26. Attend a parade
27. Celebrate the 4th of July
28. Catch bugs
29. Go to the library often
30. Use playdoh
31. Color
32. Make musical instruments
33. Buy food at the farmer's market
34. Feed ducks
35. Watercolor
36. Paint
37. Art projects weekly
38. Finger paint
39. Handprint art
40. Alphabet Days
41. Discover a new playground
42. Go to our favorite playground, KASH park
43. Eat Popsicles
44. Walk to get ice cream
45. Plant flowers
46. Pick vegetables from our garden
47. Mommy/daughter matching pedis
48. Visit a fair
49. Attend an outdoor concert
50. Eat dinner outside on the deck

The only thing we didn't do on their list was water table play.  Why?  I don't know- our sand and water table is still sitting on our deck.  I think maybe whenever we wanted to play in water we got in our pool, and whenever we wanted to play in sand we went in our sandbox and that's a big reason why.  I'm thinking we'll either give our table to our new daycare person, or sell it on Craigslist (where I got it from).  If it didn't get used all summer, then it's time to get rid of it, I think!

A few Just-For-Me Goals:
1. Scope out garage sales for toddler stuff
2. Hold a garage sale to get rid of baby stuff
3. Read 6 or more adult books
4. Tutor a kindergartner and 2nd grader
5. Take summer graduate classes
6. Set up big kid rooms and get new carpet
7. Attempt potty training

Yeah- I did less than I wanted to on my list.  The 2nd grade tutoring fell through, and I wasn't sad about that.  I am disappointed that the new carpeting and room transition didn't take place, but we bought a new oven, washer, AND had to replace our back window on the back of our SUV all in August; the month we had planned to pay for the new carpeting and furniture.  Plus, I took over 6 graduate credits ($$$) this summer, and we waited longer than I originally planned for the big potty training event, so timing wise it just seemed like a better idea to put it on hold.  Now I think we'll wait until Sam and Anna are completely settled into their new daycare routine before we shake up their world again by putting them in big beds and separating them into two rooms.

Overall though, not too shabby!  My top goal was to make the most of my summer with Sam and Anna, and I certainly accomplished that.  We had a blast and did so many things.  We went on three big trips to see grandparents: to my MIL's cabin, my FIL's home 8 hours away, and camping with my parents and brother's family.  We played a lot; did a lot of art; swam tons, and had a bunch of firsts too; like first fireworks and first time fishing plus we overcame my biggest parenting fear of potty-training two at the same time.  I'm okay with the fact that I didn't really tackle any house projects- I'll have plenty of time for that when they are older and don't really want to play with me during our summers off of school!   I read somewhere that we only get 18 summers with our children, and three of mine are already gone.  Now I just have 175 days of work to go before I get to do it again!