Our Summer to do list

Summer is in full swing here and with that comes the busy days.  With Mackenzie being out of school I am trying to make sure we have fun activities to do to keep the girls from getting on each others nerves.  There are a lot of fun things on our to do list this year.  Most of these activities are free or nearly free.

Here is what we have so far:

• Our fourth annual 4th of July party
• Middleton Splash Pad
• Activities at the Verona Public Library
• We are also doing to Summer Reading program at the library
• Free kids bowling at Ten Pin Alley - I'm super excited about this one
• Mackenzie has t-ball practice every Monday and Wednesday night so the 2 youngest will get some good park time in during practice.
• Goodman pool - done on 6/26/2012
• Mackenzie's t-ball games start the second week of July
• $2 movie Tuesdays - I'm thinking we are going to see Tin Tin and the Lorax
• We are planning on getting up to the Chippewa Flowage at least twice this summer
• Fly kites
• Playdates, playdates, playdates. 
• Color with sidewalk chalk  

Kristen gave me some more great ideas that I'm going to add to the list.

• go to the zoo - we have gone to the local zoo, but want to go to the "big" zoo in Milwaukee too
  go camping(in your backyard too)
  fishing -Scott has taken Kennedy fishing once already
  go to the beach or take a hike at Gov Dodge 
• play in the sprinkler -this is an almost daily thing here as I try to bring our grass back to life
• make smores
• have a picnic in your backyard or at the park
• go to the farmers market -we did this on Saturday
• petting zoo -we went to one on Father's Day
• concert on the square or concert in the park
• pick strawberries - we accomplished this at the beginning of June
• go to a drive in movie
• have sno-cones or ice cream
• have a movie party
• catch fireflies
• family pictures -planning on taking care of this in the fall when all the leaves change colors
• read outside
• make up stories/plays
• build a "blanket fort"(that's what my girls call it lol) inside or outside
• go for a boat ride
• paint
• crafts/projects
• Sing silly songs

It may seem like a lot just looking at the list.  But we like to have options and will always have at least one no travel day where we don't even get in the truck.

Do you have any other fun summer ideas we could add to the list?

What I've been up to lately

As I stated in the previous post, summer is in full swing here.  And I wanted to let you know what we/I have been up to lately.

Seeing how Mackenzie was going to the Other House for Father's Day we had cake and opened presents the night before.  The girls worked really hard on the bottles they gave to him.

Dad and his girls.

 The next day, Father's Day, we drove up to Waupaca, WI where Scott spent most of his childhood.  One of our favorite places up there is the Red Mill.  It sits right next to this little shallow creek.  I planned ahead and packed a change of clothes for the girls.  So they were able to play in the water without worry about them getting their clothes wet and us being 2 hours from home.

I rolled up my capris and joined them.

Me and my best friend.  You have no idea how much I love this man of mine.

This is one of my favorite pictures.  God creates such beautiful landscapes for us to enjoy.

I have been getting some crafting done in the meantime.  I am actually working on helping two friends with their fundraising efforts.  My dear friend Cherie has been crocheting hats and selling them with all the money going to a fantastic organization called Feed My Starving Children.  She has found a place that will carry and sell all the hats starting in August.  I have offered to help and came up with this little creation the other day.

I think this would look so cute on a newborn.

 My other friend Greta has a passion for helping the little ones over in Ethiopia.  Here is link to her blog Give me Your eyes.  Greta has traveled to Ethiopia on a mission trip once already and is planning to go over again.  This time she would like to take along their oldest son Caleb.  In order to do so they are going to have to come up with double the amount since the first time she went over.  This is where I (and so many others) come in.  Greta is setting up a craft show at our church in August.  I am so excited to help.  I have been collecting glass jars and bottles for quite some time.  Now I get to put them to good use.  Here are some of my creations.

Flower vases

More vases

Refrigerator spice jars.

I have so many more crafts to make before August.

So even though I'm not able to give you a daily update we have so many things going on.