How is it July 26th? Summer Bucket List Update!

Has anyone else's month of July been flying by like mine?  Actually, lets be real, anyone else's summer been going by way too fast?  To tell you the truth, summer is not my favorite season of the year - in fact, it might be my least favorite season, but I have been having a blast this summer!  (And I think it has shown in my blogging because I haven't been very consistent with blogs lately...)

I may have not been doing very well blogging lately, but I do think we have been doing a pretty good job checking off things on our Family Summer Fun Bucket List!  We still have quite a bit to do but I think we'll be able to get most of the things done within the next couple of months.  Here is how we currently stand on our Summer Bucket List:

1. Go to the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines (and invite my Grandma S/LP's Great-Grandma to come along)
2. Ride the Train at the Boone Scenic Valley Road (and invite my Grandpa & Grandma K/LP's Great-Grandparents to come along)
3. Go to the County Fair
4. Go to the State Fair
5. Visit a New Midwest Town/Landmark
6. Go Camping at Pine Lake with Friends
7. Go on a Family Vacation
8. Sign-up for the Summer Reading Program at our Local Library
9. Participate in the Latimer Fun Day 5K Run/2 Mile Walk
10. Go Swimming at the Swimming Pool
11. Go Golfing
12. Go on a Nature Walk at Beeds Lake
13. Have a Picnic at Clear Lake's Beach
14. Watch Fireworks for the 4th of July
15. Have Family Dates (Mom & Dad, Mom & LP, Mom & MP, Dad & LP, Dad & MP)

Go to the County Fair

The Franklin County Fair was last week and we went to the fair a couple different times.  Some of our favorite things were going through the 4-H Building, riding the train, going to the rodeo and eating great fair food!  Here are a couple photos from our adventures at the fair:

LP watching the rodeo

MP at her first rodeo

MP and LP enjoyed the train ride (even if the photo doesn't really show it...)

MP having her photo taken in the 4-H Building in her 4-H onesie

MP in her Future 4-Her onesie

My Farmer (second from right) grilling with the County Pork Producers for
the County Farm Bureau Burger Feed

Family photo after the Burger Feed

LP having fun on the grandstand gates as
Mom and Dad take tickets for the Jared Neiman concert

Sign up for the Summer Reading Program
We not only signed up for the Summer Reading Program at our local library but we also completed the program last week.  One of LP's favorite places to go is the library.  I hope he continues his love for reading as he grows older.

LP standing outside our local library wearing his library shirt
and carrying his bucket that he received as part of
the summer reading program

Participate in the Latimer Fun Day 5K Run/2 Mile Walk
Last year I participated in my first 5K ever and so this summer I wanted to do another, but this time walk it, since I just gave birth at the end of May.  So I packed up the kids in the stroller and we participated in our local town's celebration's Fun Run/Walk.

Getting ready to participate in the Fun Run/Walk with LP and MP in the stroller

Go Swimming at the Swimming Pool
Well, I'm kind of cheating on this one...  My idea was to go to our local swimming pool (which I still want to do) but the kids and I did go swimming in a hotel while traveling to one of my cousin's graduation party.

MP and I getting into the pool

LP, MP and I all had a great time swimming

Have a Picnic at Clear Lake
One day after running errands in the area, LP, MP and I had a picnic at Clear Lake and then went to the splash pad at City Beach afterwards.  We had so much fun!  I plan on continuing to do this after future errands trips!

LP enjoyed watching the boats while we had our picnic at Clear Lake

And LP really enjoyed playing in the splash pad

Good thing I brought extra clothes because
LP was soaked when we left!

The Ice Cream Truck also made a stop at City Beach while we were there!
So LP picked out a treat before we headed home.

LP enjoyed his ice cream sandwich so much I think I only got
two or three bites of it...

Watch Fireworks for the 4th of July
We had a great time celebrating Independence Day with some of My Farmer's and my good friends from college and their families.

The kids getting ready for the Dads to shoot the fireworks!

Go to a Baseball Game
Ok, so it wasn't on the original list but it was so much fun I'm adding it (and then crossing it off because I find joy in crossing off things on lists).  Our family went to an I-Cubs Baseball Game earlier this week thanks to Pfister Seeds.  It was a lot of fun and a perfect night for a baseball game.

LP enjoying his hot dog at the ballgame

LP and My Farmer enjoying the baseball game

LP learning about the game of baseball from Dad

We've been having a great summer so far and we can't wait to continue working on our Summer Bucket List.  What is your favorite thing you've done this summer so far?