2017 Family Summer Bucket List

Yesterday was the last day of school for our oldest son.  Mr. K was both excited and a little sad.  He said he was going to miss his teacher and friends but was looking forward to summer and eventually becoming a 1st grader!  To get him, and the rest of the family excited for summer, we did our annual tradition of filling out our Summer Bucket List!

I'm a list person, so creating a Family Summer Bucket List the last few years (2016, 2015, 2014, 2013) has not only been fun to create with our kids, but also fun to cross off.  Our past Summer Bucket List items have not only created a lot of great memories, but several have even become family traditions.

Create your own Summer Bucket List with my FREE Printable

Every list person's fantasy - bullet notes and calendar space to put annul events and activities so you can think how to schedule everything 😉

We're excited to try some new things this summer, first of which, is visiting Omaha this summer, including going to the Henry Doorly Zoo.  Our family loves going to zoos every year and we're especially looking forward to going to the "World's Greatest Zoo".  We've been told to be sure to check out the Rainforest and the Gorilla Valley.  Have you ever been?  Where do you recommend we make sure check out?

Next on our list is to make crafts at Kelly Gau Studio in Albert Lea.  Our kids love making crafts and building things, so we're excited to get inspired with Kelly.  I have personally been up to the Kelly Gau Studio a couple times for a Girls Night Out but the kids have never been.  Kelly is offering a special Summer Kids Club that we're looking forward to participating in.

Our list wouldn't be complete without including reading.  Each year we enroll in our local library's Summer Reading Program.  The kids made a special request to do include some "fun reading" on our Summer Bucket List, and what is more fun then going on a Story Walk.  Throughout the month of June, the Hampton, Iowa Public Library is partnering with local business to create a Story Walk.  Participants will get a map at the library and then walk to the different businesses around downtown where they will read page by page of a story.

With the Franklin County Freedom Rock in place in Coulter, Iowa, our family has been excited to check out other county Freedom Rocks throughout the state of Iowa.  We hope to see the "original" Freedom Rock in Adair County on our car ride to Omaha for our family summer vacation too.

We didn't complete this item off our 2014 Summer Bucket List, so we've added checking out RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) back to this year's list.  Each summer thousands of bicyclist ride across Iowa, Missouri River to Mississippi River, through this event.  The ride rotates every three years of going through Northern, Central and Southern Iowa, and this year RAGBRAI travels across North Iowa again.  Our family would love to check out all the bicyclists and festivities as they bike through our area.

Next on the list is exploring one of our favorite places for summer fun in our area: Clear Lake, Iowa.  We love camping in the yurts, participating in the youth programs at the Surf Ballroom, swimming at City Beach and eating ice cream at the Viking Drive-Inn, but one thing we have never done is take a cruise on the Lady of the Lake boat.  Well, that is going to change this year!  We are excited to experience this Clear Lake icon.

We're excited to take a new spin on a family tradition this summer and take our Friday Night Movie and Pizza outside!  With our personal projector and a computer set up with Netflix, nothing is stopping us from watching a movie outside.  We've taken different spins on this family favorite by going on Pizza and Park Dates and participating in a Pizza Taste Off, but have never taken a new spin on the movie aspect of our tradition.  The kids are especially looking forward to this bucket list item!

Last on the list is to go to a Baseball Game.  We've been to I-Cub and Minnesota Twins games in the past, but it has never been an "official" bucket list item.  And this year, with Mr. K in T-Ball, we really want to make a trip to watch a baseball game.

Whew!  Good thing the "unofficial" start of summer begins this weekend!  We're excited to do some new things this year and make a lot of memories along the way.  What is on your Summer Bucket List?  Don't forget to download my Summer Bucket List Free Printable and start planning today.  I would love to hear your bucket list plans so be sure to Comment for a Cause!

September Comments for a Cause - Hampton Public Library

Happy Labor Day!  I hope you all were able to enjoy and relax for at least a little bit today.  Since it is the 1st of the month, it is time to talk about Comments for a Cause.  In the month of August I had a total of 26 comments, equally a $13 donation to the ELCA Malaria Campaign.

In the month of September I'm looking forward to donating $0.50 for every comment to the Hampton Public Library and their current projects they have going on right now to make the library more user friendly, including a new entrance to the the Children's Library & improved parking lot.

I have talked about my family's love and appreciation for our local public library in the past and thought what better way to promote our library, as well as encourage everyone to use their local library through this month's Comments for a Cause program.

I grew up going to my hometown's library and participating in "Story Time" as a child, and I have continued the tradition with my children.  I started taking LP to the library when he was just a couple of months old and MP's first trip to the library was at age Day 6.  We are so lucky to have such a great library just 15 miles away.  If you live in North Iowa or travel through, I encourage you all to visit the Hampton Public Library.  This Carnegie Library offers a wide variety of services for all ages, including these fun and unique things: book clubs, public computers (including a bilingual AWE computer), interlibrary exchange program (they'll borrow a book, movie, etc. from another library for you if they don't have it), eBooks, youth drama club and LP's favorite - children's "Story Time" (which is held on Tuesday nights and Wednesday mornings).

Currently, the Hampton Public Library is celebrating 125 years serving Franklin County.  And what makes this year even more special, is that the Library is currently working on creating a new entrance and access to the Children's Library, as well as improving the parking lot and adding a courtyard for the library patrons.  My family visits the library on a regular basis and I can't think of a better way to give back to this great service for our community than supporting their efforts through Comments for a Cause.

Do you have a library card?  Do you participate in programs at your local library?  If not, I encourage you all to sign up for a library card and see what your local library all offers.  If you have children, I especially hope you check out your local library's children's programming.  (And if you're in the Franklin County, Iowa area, be sure to check out Story Time, it starts up October 7th and 8th.)  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Wednesday = Library Day

What is your favorite day of the week?  Well, for LP it would have to be Wednesday, also known around our house as Library Day.

I grew up going to my hometown's library and participating in "Story Time" as a child, and I have continued the tradition with my children.  I started taking LP to the library when he was just a couple of months old and MP's first trip to the library was at age Day 6.  We are so lucky to have such a great library just 15 miles away.  If you live in North Iowa or travel through, I encourage you all to visit the Hampton Public Library.  This Carnegie Library offers a wide variety of services for all ages, including these fun and unique things: book clubs, public computers (including a bilingual AWE computer), interlibrary exchange program (they'll borrow a book, movie, etc. from another library for you if they don't have it), eBooks, youth drama club and LP's favorite - children's "Story Time" (which is held on Tuesday nights and Wednesday mornings).

LP standing outside of the library this summer
with a prize he got during the Summer Reading Program

Do you have a library card?  Do you participate in programs at your local library?  If not, I encourage you all to sign up for a library card and see what your local library all offers.  If you have children, I especially hope you check out your local library's children's programming.

Library Fun Fact:  In a recent study of which states 

have the highest attendance at children's programming, 

Iowa was among the top five. 

#1 Wyoming, #2 Vermont, #3 Iowa, #4 Idaho, and #5 Indiana.

Story Time is an opportunity for my kids to read books, sing songs, make crafts, make friends, etc.  It also gives me a time to build relationships with other parents with children close to my children's ages.  If you are from the Franklin County, Iowa area, be sure to check out Story Time, it starts up October 1st and 2nd.

LP playing with the train set in the children's library

To conclude today, if you're looking for some books to read, here are MP, LP and my top picks from this summer:

LP's Top Pick: Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site
MP's Top Pick:  Counting Kisses
My Top Pick:  The Duck Commander Family

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, by Sherri Duskey Rinker

This is a fun book for all truck lovers and that is why LP recommends it!  The story goes through the construction site by showing several types of equipment trucks.  One by one, each piece of equipment goes to rest so they can be ready for the next day.  This book is a great bedtime story to help your busy toddler go to sleep.

Counting Kisses, by Karen Katz

MP recommends this book because she loves how LP, My Farmer and I count and kiss our way through it.  Each number highlights a different area of the body to kiss.  This is a great book for babies and siblings to do together, and is overall a great way for your kids to relax and unwind before bedtime.

The Duck Commander Family, by Willie & Korie Robertson

Calling all Duck Dynasty fans!  If you enjoy watching Duck Dynasty you'll love learning more about the Robertson family.  This book goes through the family's struggles and successes, all while showcasing the family's humor and faith.  Also, it includes some family favorite recipes!  If you haven't watched Duck Dynasty before I encourage you to sit down to this easy read.  I guarantee you'll be intrigued about this family after the reading book and will become a fan before you know it.

Gotta go - we're off to the library!