Our Summer Bucket List 2012

We've all hear about “bucket lists” -- a list of all the things you want to do before you “kick the bucket”. This year after reading about this on a friend's blog, I thought we'd create a summer bucket list of everything we want to do before our beloved summer “kicks the bucket” and ends. (Thinking our summer will end already makes me a bit sad. :(   Sigh...)

This is just the tip of the iceberg. We had a lot of fun brainstorming ideas and even asked for a few ideas on FaceBook. As we think of new things we can do, I'll add them to our list. Of course you know I'll be documenting like crazy with pictures and blog posts.

Our Summer Bucket List 2012

1. Go to the beach
2. Build a sand castle
3. See a shooting star
4. Go to the library and get a library card
5. Learn how to write our names really well
6. Go on a picnic
7. Do some crafts
8. Go out to breakfast
9. Stay in our jammies all day!
10. Go on a treasure hunt
11. Watch a movie
12. Have a sleepover in the living room
13. Do a science experiment Post here!
14. Learn to swim
15. Learn to ride a bike
16. Play in the backyard
17. Get ice cream
18. See an animal we've never seen
19. Read a book we've never read
20. Do a random-act-of-kindness
21. Read
22. Explore 3 new parks
23. Go on a nature hike
24. Go to Disneyland
25. See fireworks
26. Go to the zoo
27. Go see the jets at the airport
28. Go on a road trip (sorry guys, we're staying in CA)
29. Visit friends
30. Go to the fair
31. Laugh a lot!
32. Learn new jokes
33. Go see where Mom and Dad work
34. Spend time with family
35. Eat watermelon outside and make a mess!
36. Go to Alameda Park in Santa Barbara (and the turtle park)
37. Go to the Cross
38. Go to an aquarium
39. Go to a water park

We may not get to all of them, but we will definitely have an exciting summer doing whatever we can!

~~~

P.S. If you have any cool activities for us to add to our lists, please let me know!

Sunday Six

1. There is nothing quite like a momma's kisses to make everything better, or so the boys think at least. They are always asking me to kiss something or other (I did draw the line at tongue, though). On Thursday, Jason took the idea of healing kisses and created a "Kissing Hospital" so they could make each other's hurts feel better. (I think I just about melted away at the cuteness of it all!)
2. We were teaching the boys how to roll their "r's" Friday night. I am going to recognize Shawn as the person with the cutest "r" roll ever. Seriously. It is adorable. (For the record, his "r's" sound a lot like mine. Only my "r" rolling is decidedly not cute.)
3. The new vocabulary word around these parts is 'similar.' It is too funny to listen to Jason tell his brother (or me as the case may be) how something is 'similar' to other things. It's even funnier to listen to Shawn reply about how interesting what he's saying is. lol. ;)
4. I have finally started to potty train Shawn, and he is doing so well! He isn't 100% yet, but he is getting there (which is a great relief because for the longest time he'd just scream when we even suggested him going on the potty). The one thing he loves to do is sing "We Are Young" by Fun at the top of his lungs. Well, I have to admit that I get to sing, too. (Potty training is a team effort at our house after all.) Unlike Jason, who we bribed with Matchbox cars, Shawn's choice of prize has been a lot easier, too. He simply wants to watch 'Team Umizoomi" episodes. I can now recite verbatim every single show in existence. Lucky me!
5. We've been heading out back to play every afternoon. For the longest time, Jack was sort of anti anything backyard. On Thursday, he decided he can go outside and to play. He even touched that nasty green stuff. Oh, and he likes to try to eat rocks. Yea?
6. Jack's found a new game. He has started building towers and knocking them down. It cracks him up, especially if he knocks over a tower I made. He's such a silly boy!

Cute Big Boy Saturday - Cards

Just a little game of "Gold" Fish with daddy. (We never could get him to call it "Go Fish.")

Have you got a kangaroo?
*It didn't matter that they weren't even playing with actual cards. lol.

Hm...how about a bear?

P.S. Ignore the tape on the chair/floor. The boys and I created a "road" with tape on the floor. They wanted the road to have a detour up and down the chair, so ... well, they either have a REALLY cool mom or a pushover mom. I'm not sure which. :-)

Portrait of Momma

Looks just like me, no?

In case you couldn't tell, he accidentally drew hair in my face (over my mouth). He then had to pull my actual hair out of the clip it was in so he could make it cover my mouth like it did in the picture. lol. Oh, and he went back on his own and gave me a neck. Whew. That would have been rough for the picture me to not have a neck.

I'm so proud!

Pizza Chefs

Shawn is on a pizza kick. He loves it and wants it All. The. Time. He always wants to go to the pizza store for dinner.

Jason, on the other hand, tolerates pizza, but I'm not sure he'd want it if he didn't have to eat it. One thing that he doesn't care for is the pizza sauce. He thinks there is waaaaay too much on the regular pizza we get.

So, I thought we might try to make it just the way each of them like it.

First, they got to spread around some sauce.
(What you don't see is how Jason held his hand over his
nose most of the time he was spreading it. lol)

Then they got to add their own toppings!

Both started with cheese.

Lots and lots and LOTS of cheese.

Shawn thought he was going to take the black olives next.
He changed his mind at the last second and went back to cheese.

Next, Shawn added some mini peperoni.
Jason kept on adding his cheese.

More peperoni and more cheese...

Shawn: Wait! I left a peperoni!
Jason: Wow! Look at this piece of cheese!

Now it's time for the black olives!
And more cheese for Jason. (I'm not sure that he has enough, yet!)

More olives, please!

What a surprise! More cheese!

They loved getting the chance to make their own pizza just how they wanted. We popped them into the oven (the pizzas, not the boys) and baked them for 15 minutes.

Voila!

This pizza gets 2 thumbs up.

Shawn was too busy eating to be distracted
by putting his thumbs up. ;-)

Mostly Wordless Wednesday

Hey, what's this?

Hmmm...this is going to need more investigating.

Wait a minute. Where did everything go?

He stayed with his head in the toy box for the longest time. It was too funny.

Playing Outside with Daddy

The boys love going outside to play. Oh boy, do they love it. It's even better when Daddy goes out to play with them, too.

Shawn going down the slide.
What are you doing, Jason?

I don't think catching Shawn is a very good idea...

Seriously, buddy! He's going to run you over!
(He moved at the last second. lol)

Jack, on the other hand, isn't a fan of the outside.
He wore this scowl on his face for most of the time he was outside.

Well, except for when daddy was giving him kisses. :-)

All of this play is EXHAUSTING!

Tickle, tickle, tickle!

Shawn is posing in the "forest." Got it kid.
There are a few weeds. They may be on the tall side.
You don't have to rub it in! Ahem.

Jason was trying to blow the dandelion puff balls.

Shawn was EXHAUSTED, too!

All in all, it was a fun day!