Not on the List

I had a hard time coming up with things for the Summer Bucket List. I knew we would be busy, but most of our business came in the day-to-day form of a parent keeping their little ones happy. That hardly seemed list worthy. (Though maybe it is!) As our days came and went there were a lot of list items that got crossed off, and a lot of things that we did that were never on the list, but could have been.

With school starting on Tuesday, it feels like the summer is coming to a close. I think it's been a pretty great one. We've been a lot of places. We've spent a lot of time with friends. Many mornings started with the kids asking, "Where are we going today?" There were so many possibilities.

Here are some of  the things we've done that weren't on "the list" but that are noteworthy nonetheless...

The Bean got a skateboard just before we left for Paris.  He was so admiring the "big kids" at the skate parks and on our street that it seemed like a perfect gift to give him to enjoy on Grandma and Grandpa's super-long driveway. Some of the novelty has worn off, but he certainly loves it. I think he would love it even more if I were more willing to take him to the skate park to practice.  Sprout uses the ramps as slides (and RUINS her clothes), so I don't jump at the opportunity....

These two have become best buds. I mean, they were before, but they so clearly just adore each other. There is nothing that could make me happier.

Buskerfest. So exhausting, but SO much fun. We met up with Ashleigh and the girls for the first bit. The kids get along well and so do Ashleigh and I, so it's a winning situation all around. They left earlier than we did, so they missed out on the acrobats (which I was keen to see) and The Bean's "performance" with the trampolineists. He was called up to volunteer and one of the guys did a flip over his head, and then the other guy flipped him. He was even paid for it! He used his earnings to buy himself and his sister each a tub of cotton candy.

MudHero Kids' Mud Run. Ashleigh told us about this one, unfortunately we weren't free the same day her girls were running. Still, The Bean had a great time. He ran the course, minus the mud pit (which he hated) three times! Sprout wanted to participate but was too young. The kind ladies at the end of the race let her have a medal regardless. That seemed to make up for having to sit at the sidelines.

 

 

Niagara Falls. My friend, who lives in Boston, unexpectedly messaged me to ask if we'd want to meet up with her and her girlfriend in Niagara Falls this weekend. We love to see them every opportunity we can get, and we had a day with no plans, so it was an easy decision to make. The kids had never seen the falls, so it was a special experience for them in that regard... though the funicular trolley was Sprout's favourite part and The Bean's was the arcade. (Kids!)

I'm sure that there were other things we did that are noteworthy, but it's late and there's only two days until school starts for our biggest little one, so I should go to bed so I am rested enough to enjoy those days to their fullest.