Our {Close to Home} Summer Bucket List

Today I’m sharing our Summer Bucket List which has changed in the last six weeks due to an injury Dan sustained in late April. His bad ankle sprain has translated into complications requiring frequent visits to the doctor and continued monitoring. Sometimes you just have to roll with it and that’s what we’ll aim to do.

The official Blog, She Wrote Summer 2013 Bucket List!

Blog She Wrote: Summer Bucket List

Use the different paint additives we have on projects- we have a fabric medium which turns our Biocolor paint into fabric paint. We can make puffy paints along with shimmery and glittery paints.

Volunteer at a Wildlife Refuge- I read in a regional magazine about some opportunity and we think it would be a great experience. Especially for our falconer.

Spend regular afternoons at the pool- we’re joining a community pool this year which I hope will be a fun way to cool off and learn more water skills. My kids have been slow to enjoy water and some are still working on it. I’m hopeful there won’t be tons of camp kids there!

Blog She Wrote: Summer Bucket List

See a kids’ play at a local theater- we’ve purchased season tickets in the past. It would be fun to just pick one to see that everyone would enjoy.

Trips to the library in our old town along with a stop at the ice cream shop- we had our first cone of the season last week. R12 was asked to teach a session making Zines for the summer library program. So, we should have ample chances at this one.

See our garden through to a good harvest- this is our first concerted effort at a big garden. Some plants are in and some are being planted this weekend. Wish us luck!

Blog She Wrote: Summer Bucket ListPrepare projects for and participate in the 4H County Fair- we have until the end of July to get this in order. We have some projects in the works and others are still in the planning stage.

Explore some local parks- we live adjacent to one and a few blocks from another just for starters. Just today they took off for the park with their Swallows & Amazons flags!

Enjoy summer nature studies- which can include observation, sketching, painting, or research. Whatever the kids find to discover works for me.

Blog She Wrote: Summer Bucket List

Set some reading goals and achieve them- I haven’t decided on a goal yet. My kids read all the time, but there’s no reason not to encourage them anyway. Still thinking on this one. I have my own reading goals so it might be fun to share those with the kids and see what comes of it.

Read aloud together the next two books in the Swallows & Amazons series- Have you read these Arthur Ransome books with your kids? They’re just FUN. You can’t help but enjoy the adventures these children have. Oh the freedom to set sail and camp on an island! My kids are ready to embark on this one already. I’ve been asked several times to start reading. I’m looking forward to it! Swallows and Amazons forever!

Spend time outside on our porches- we have three…well two since one isn’t covered, but we can easily read aloud on rainy afternoons on a good porch. I adore my porches. We can play games or read or anything.

Blog She Wrote: Summer Bucket List

Play games. Lots and lots of games. – We hope to get through some we haven’t played yet and enjoy others we already enjoy. We have a new game on the floor right now my kids are hoping to sit down and play tomorrow.

Enjoy our local science center- which is a fantastic place. We’re going to renew our membership and have fun. They have a new summer exhibit to learn about. This will be a fabulous stop on super hot days. Or super rainy days!

Take walks- we have wooded trails behind our house along with any number of park trails in and around our town. If you like outside, this is the place to be!

Blog She Wrote: Summer Bucket List

Make a pie crust- I’ve only done it once and I was not impressed. But, I’ve always wanted to be able to make a great pie crust. I know I’ll have some eager helpers. And eager taste testers.

Take a trip to the William Seward House- this is the home of Lincoln’s Secretary of State and it is full of wonderful artifacts. If we can’t get to Gettysburg this summer (still hoping for the fall), then we’ll pick another fun spot with some Lincoln artifacts. I’m hoping to put together a scavenger hunt based on our last visit a few years ago.

Try some new snack recipes- I’ve always wanted to get good at making fun, healthy snacks and Pinterest is calling to me to try some new things. It’ll be tasty and it’ll get more kids in the kitchen to learn their way around.

Blog She Wrote: Summer Bucket ListTake care of our garter snake successfully for the summer- we will likely return him to his habitat at the end of the summer, but so far we’ve learned a great deal about this species and hope to learn more.

Paint some rooms in the house- we can’t do them all at once, but we hope to get a few more places painted. Even if their personal space doesn’t get finished, whatever is done is one room closer to their rooms being painted!

Install ceiling fans in the kids’ bedrooms- I think I can safely say this one is on everyone’s bucket list. They can hardly wait!

Blog She Wrote: Summer Bucket ListMake a batik fabric- using the directions from our Craftsy class on Making Wax Fabric Resists. Very excited to try this one and I know the boys will like it too.

Pursue a passion daily- our kids always have something going on and we’ll spend time nurturing our projects this summer.

Camp at our favorite state park- this one is on the calendar and reserved for the week before Labor Day. Usually we camp at least once more for a week, but this is where we are rolling with it.

Blog She Wrote: Summer Bucket List

Instead of providing you with a printable for your bucket list, I thought this would be a great reminder for you about how much I adore notebook paper! I made my notebook paper bucket list in just a few moments. Need more refreshing ideas on how to use loose leaf paper? Check out my series on Using Ordinary Notebook Paper!

I do reserve the right to add to our list though it was a group effort. Whatever your plans are this summer, be sure to enjoy them!

Be sure to visit some other iHomeschool Network bloggers for a peek at the summer plans for other families!

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12 Comments

    1. The pictures took the longest! Usually I commission my 12yo to take them. She has such great composition, but this time I went for it. Thanks!

  1. We like playing Dominion and Ticket to Ride (recognized them in your photo). I’ve never tried my hand at making a pie crust and don’t really have the desire to but I feel like it’s something I should teach my kids so we may have to get around to that at some point. Sounds like you are going to have a pretty fabulous summer!

    1. We like lots of variations of those games too Sharla. We hope it’s a good summer. I’m hoping to really crack the pie crust code!

    1. You’re welcome. Dan thinks the whole bucket list thing is a bit grim…so let’s make this a Summer Fun List! Or pretend it’s an end of the summer bucket we’re working on and not the other one! ha

  2. We love “Ticket to Ride” !! I haven’t had success with pie crust either .. love that you have it on your list .. suppose I should do the same. Can’t get better if I don’t practice, right?! 🙂

  3. Hey there,
    awesome blog by the way, I loved this article on summer bucket lists. I run summerbucketlist.org and we offer 7 dollars to people who submit their ideas and write a bit of an article about their idea. Maybe some of your readers would be interested? Anyway, sorry to just email out of the blue, I don’t want it to feel like a spammy email but thought you might be interested. Feel free to email me and connect
    Keep it up
    Will

    1. Thanks Will- maybe some of my readers will take you up on it. Not a day goes by when this post doesn’t see a reader!
      Heather

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