Summer for the Win!

Fall has always been my favorite season…until this year.  I think summer may be taking the trophy this year.  The season has just begun, but I already feel like it is half over.  We have done so many things and my summer “to do” list is nearly complete.  I realized that this is the first summer in 16 years that I have been able to do “whatever I want”.  The past 16 years I have had to work during the summer, and last year had a newborn.  After the terrible stuck-inside winter we just had, I knew I wanted to make the most out of the spring/summer/fall, and I have definitely done so thus far! 

Any day that hasn’t been raining we have been outside and/or away from the house.   Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we are busy all day every day, but I try to make sure that even on our days at home, we get outside a couple of times for at least 30 minutes and I try to make sure we do something fun when we are outside.  Some days, a trip to the grocery store is our “fun”, but I try to make sure we enjoy ourselves while we are out…maybe I take the long way to watch a train go by or to see the really big horse farm….sometimes we go for a walk first or play at a park and then get groceries last. 

Most of the items on my summer list are FREE too!!  That was my “must” when I made my list.  However, I had 2 swimming pools on my list and both charged $11 for just Rylee and I to swim…ugh!!  How do large families go to the pool all summer?!?!?!  Unfortunately we both really enjoy pool time, so we will probably go again a few times this summer.  Luckily though, Rylee also enjoys swimming in her own pool and playing at the free splash pads/wading pools. 

Parks have definitely been our most frequented places this year.  I would say we go to at least 1 park each week, but more like 2-3.  It’s the best summer activity in my mind…it’s free, it’s outdoors, it’s social (for kids and adults), and the kids never get bored with them!  I,however, get crazy tired of pushing Rylee in the swing…it’s all the girl wants to do…ugh…must find parks with no swings!!   We have also had some “two-fers” at the park…our small town park is right beside the high school baseball and softball fields and as luck would have it, there have been games going on while we were playing (games in the middle of the day???)…I enjoy watching them and Rylee has really started getting into them as well…”swing batter!!”, she yells J  Today, she got to throw back a foul ball!  She tells me she is going to play when she gets bigger...I would be okay with that...hopefully she will last more than 1 summer like her whimpy Mom...it was just too hot for me ;) 

We also have visited the zoo several times this year.  I invested in the family zoo pass, which is really a wonderful deal!!  The more you go, the cheaper it is (unless you give in to train and carousel rides each time).  It only takes an hour or two to get through the zoo and there are plenty of places to have a picnic outside of the gates….lucky to live near a small zoo! 

Speaking of animals…we also discovered last week that we can visit the horses at the horse barn on ISU’s campus…we spent about an hour there a night last week.  The students were there working and invited us in to the barn, let us pet a horse and answered lots of questions!  What fun!  Rylee and I want to get a horse, but somebody told us “no” ….fun sponge! 

Yesterday we tried out our “kids bowl free” pass.  If you don’t know about this program, look it up!!!   We all enjoyed ourselves (though we learned to go on Wednesday next time for half off shoes and adult bowling)….Rylee even told me “thanks for bringing me bowling mom!”  I think her favorite part was when “Let it Go” started playing on the radio there J 

So thus far we have completed, parks, pools, zoos, bowling, splash pads, farmers market, dairy open house, movie at jack trice, carousels and added several other “not on the list” items.  My list for next summer has expanded!! 

I’m looking forward to all of the county fairs coming up, as well as THE fair, so we can experience the sights and sounds of summer fairs…as well as parades too...starting on Friday!!!   Bring on the buckets o' candy we don’t need ;)

I’m also hoping to get in a few outdoor events with girlfriends…music nights at the wineries, zoo brew, and LOTS of country concerts….I have 4 to go to within 1 month!!!  Excited!!! 

I’m glad there are still about 4 months of nice weather left (anything that doesn’t involve snow or jackets is considered “nice” in my book)…we have plenty of time to finish our summer list and enjoy the outdoor world!  Hoping to get “camping in our yard” checked off tomorrow J 

Ahh, just thinking about all the stuff we can do when it isn't winter makes me want to move somewhere that doesn't have "heavy coat" weather.....remember that post I wrote about all of us moving together.....anyone ready?????