This morning we stopped by our community garden spot to pick snap peas before heading to the library. Just-from-the-garden fresh and crisp, those snap peas disappeared in no time. “As sweet as candy,” my older son declared.
At the library, the boys each got to choose a book to keep for completing ten of the reading program activities. Then they participated in a dinosaur scavenger hunt. We checked out a week’s worth of reading material and arrived back home just in time for lunch. There’s much to savor in the simple summer routine that we’ve settled into, and Friday library visits are one of our anchor activities. (During the past three school years, it was just me and the preschooler.)
Summers also afford the chance to do things we may not get around to during the school year. I recently read an article in Minnesota Parent advocating for a realistic summer bucket list. I quite agree that an attainable list of meaningful family experiences and activities is better than an over-the-top list that goes undone. So I’ve written down some of the things that have been and I’d like to see continue to be a part of our summers:
attend VBS
make popicles
complete the library summer reading program
take swimming lessons
memorize a psalm
grow our own tomatoes
go camping
check out a new swimming spot
read one of the Chronicles of Narnia
participate in a Lego Mini Build
send the boys to Camp Clair
bake zucchini bread (because there is nearly always someone who wants to pass along one of those “too-big-to eat” monsters and we can only eat so many zucchini fritters)
We’ve already completed – or have in progress – about half of these. My plan is to hang on to this list for inspiration as we move in to the second half of the summer.
What’s on your summer to-do list?
first teacher 
The summer lists seems to be a big thing this year, many people are posting them. We also try to complete the reading program at our library. I look forward to hearing about your camping trip.
Yes, our camping trips are always eventful for one reason or another. Last year it was a big rain (https://1stteacher.wordpress.com/2015/07/).
I am working on reading 350 picture books and finishing a quilt.
We don’t count the books we read. I wonder if we should start…
The only thing we haven’t started on from the list above is the popsicles. From what I hear tomorrow would be a good day to eat them so perhaps we ought to get busy this afternoon.