Since my son was in preschool, each year I’ve created an informal mental bucket list of things I’d like to do over the summer with him. It’s kind of funny really, because my husband and I are still working even though he’s out of school, so it’s a bucket list of fun experiences crammed into weekends or flex hours just like the rest of the year – BUT, they are things that just have to be enjoyed in the summer. And really, life’s moments come in small cracks and spaces of time when you’re not working – whether it’s around the house, at an office or some combination of the two – we all only have 24 hours in a day and I swear once my son got through the terrible threes (two was easy, three was scary!) it’s like time got stuck in fast forward mode.
So, if you are trying to cram in a few more summer experiences yourself, I thought I’d share our summer bucket list and pass on a few ideas. I would LOVE for you to comment with the things on your own summer bucket list, because I may be able to squeeze a few new ideas onto our list – sharing is caring after all! 🙂
On our list…
- Go to Aerosports indoor trampoline park with friends – yay! We did this twice! Snag a Groupon and head over there, it’s a blast!
- Invite friends over for swimming & pizza lunch – yup, did this, several times
- Enjoy a giant ear of corn on a stick at the Clovis Farmer’s Market on a Friday night – SO delicious! It’s a must! Check.
- Drive out to Kerman for the 3rd of July Fireworks Show – check! Their show is always fantastic!
- Make homemade vanilla ice cream – check! Although, we decided Costco’s Vanilla is just as good 😉
- Go to Coldstone in Figarden Village, enjoy eating outdoors after the heat’s burned off – we went with the grandparents and stayed well past the store’s close chatting and listening to the crickets
- Go Rollerskating at Cal Skate – check! This is one of… well one physical activities I am capable of doing semi-well. It was a blast, but now my legs feel like a sack of cement. (We went on the same day as I’m writing this post) If you’re a local and grew up going to Cal Skate, it’s a blast of nostalgia, nothing’s changed! Well, the price – that’s changed, but if you bring cash you get 10% off. 😉
- Go to a drive-in movie – We’ve never done this with our son, and technically we have to leave town to do it, but it’s only a city away! Looking forward to doing this in the next two weeks.
- Get our toes in the ocean – As much as we love Fresno, a summer is not complete without at least a quick getaway to the beach! Our family favorite is Manhattan Beach and we’re hoping to squeeze a couple of days in there very soon. If you need a new beach to check out, you might really like it! Clean, quiet, lots of restaurants and coffee leading right to the pier and miles of beach strand to walk or bike down.
Ok – now it’s your turn! What are you doing to squeeze every last drop of joy out of summer? I can’t wait to hear!
Before the kiddos are back in school, I’d love to take them to the Forestiere Underground Gardens. We went a few years ago and my son especially liked the visit. We drove by recently and he said “Mom that place was cool, can we go again.” I’ve lived here pretty much my entire life and their first visit was mine also.
I have a very fond memory of a day that was SO very hot as a child, that my sister and I attempted to “build” a pool out of scrap wood on our back patio, and sat in it as the water of course seeped out all of the cracks. My mom said we were going somewhere special and the family went to the Underground Gardens and it was SO nice and cool down there, even though it was well over 100 degrees that day – it was not only beautiful, but a great respite from the heat!
We always make sure to go fruit picking every summer. The Valley has an abundance of delicious options. A great one is Two Sisters in Easton. I blogged about it here: http://tvnewsmom.blogspot.com/2014/06/teaching-kids-money-may-not-grow-on.html
Thanks so much for sharing your post – I had no idea you could adopt a tree! What a neat thing for your kids to experience! 🙂