Summer Bucket List

If I had my druthers (such a fantastic word), I wouldn't work. I am not one of those people who feel like they HAVE to work in order to have meaning in their lives. Not at all. I can find meaning in lots of other places and things that don't involve having a job. Having said that, I am fortunate to have finally found a job that I like: working in a library. All those books...definitely not enough time.

Still, even though, for the first time in my life, I don't feel terrible about having to work, summer is a tough time for me. There are so many things I want to do with Clare while she is out of school and I fear there just isn't enough time. So, in order to maximize our time together, we decided to put together a Summer Bucket List. I saw the idea on The Happy Family Movement blog (go check them out here: http://thehappyfamilymovement.com/2013-summer-bucket-list-challenge/) and thought it was just too fabulous not to do it.

Clare and I are still adding to it, but we have come up with some fun ideas to make our summer time together fun and memorable. Here are some of the things we plan to do:

• Have a lemonade stand (she has been wanting to do this forever so this year we are going for it. She actually wants to donate all the proceeds to our local animal shelter - love this little girl so much!) 
• Tie dye shirts
• Make playdough
• Fly kites
• Go to baseball games
• Go to a drive-in movie (there is actually still a drive-in theatre here in Virginia so we are looking to make it a weekend getaway. Here's where we would be going: http://www.keysvilledrivein.com/)
• Craft day, once a week
• Learn how to ride a bike (Clare, not me, although it would be Remember How to Ride a Bike For Me)
• One new food each week (Clare is a picky little vegetarian, so thought this would be a great way to expand her food horizons)

Of course, throughout the summer, we will be doing lots of readin'. Last summer, I made a bookworm chart for her. I found the idea on Pinterest (of course!). For every 5 books she read, she got to open a little door and get a prize. This was a great incentive for her. Was I bribing her to read? A little, but hey! She was reading! And the prizes were usually fun activities that I got to go do with her, not actual things. I think that this year, we will actually have something like a Book Hour, where we both sit and read. I am not sure if she will sit and read for an hour yet, but if I can get 15 minutes out of her, I will consider it a good day.

We will also do the usual summer stuff - Busch Gardens, Water Country USA, neighborhood pool. Those will get checked off the list quickly. And those are lots of fun. But I wanted to also do things with her that were smaller; just as much fun, just smaller. Stuff for just her and me. The things that will make Summer 2013 a summer full of memories.

What kind of things are you doing this summer? Don't forget, Clare and I are still adding to our Bucket List!