Wednesday, June 11, 2014

our summer list

Life has been busy.  Summer functions and gatherings are all underway.   And as I watch the dates fill up on the calendar, I'm making a conscious effort to   S L O W   it all down before the season is gone.




Here is the start of our making memories list that will be posted in the kitchen...


1.  have an art show in the backyard 
2.  make nature books
3.  go to Blackberry Farm
4.  star gazing with glow sticks
5.  a family trip to the mountains
6.  4th of July decorating for the neighborhood parade
7.  make joy sticks for our garden
8.  go fishing
9.  campfire and s'mores
10. bike rides
13.  make cookies for family and deliver them
14.  take the train into Chicago and visit the museum 
15.  cook something using veggies from the garden
16.  go on the paddle boats in town
17.  make ice cream in a bag
18.  make a tent in the family room for a movie night
19.  attend our local library's "picnic and read alouds" for lunch one day
20.  pizza night at the pool
21.  pick strawberries and make jam
22.  get the beans involved Here
23.  take a drive to visit their auntie


Like most humans, I have tired days while the beans have grumpy days.  But if we can look for those moments in-between, I think we will be A-OK!








Are you making any lists???
I'm thinking my next one will be for the garden!

Enjoy your slow and as always....happy making, baking, and growing folks!      







40 comments:

  1. I love your list for the Beans and how much fun you will have with each item on the list. I do hope there is a post about the art show.

    I am participating in a photography Scavenger Hunt on Made with Love http://suzzie43.blogspot.com/2014/05/scavenger-hunt-may-2014.html

    It might be fun to come up with a Scavenger Hunt that you and the Beans will look for all summer.

    And, for the first summer in decades, I have no list at all.

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  2. Sounds like your going to be busy and your right these days wont come again so we need to slow down and take it all in ♡

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  3. such a great list. star gazing sounds like such a fun activity. i used to be in girl scouts and used to love going up to summer camp and looking up at the stars. the stars were SO HUGE compared to how they looked from our home. and i love neighborhood fourth of july parades. i used to march in them and then enjoy the town festival where the local fire company would let the kids play with the fire hose and fire hydrant and end the day with bbq and fireworks. ahh good memories :)

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  4. You are such a good momma! Always planning fun things for your kids. I feel like I missed so much of that with my daughter since I had to work full time. The nice thing is that now that she is an adult, we have the best times together and she is old enough to understand that I did my best with our circumstances. It was just her and I all those years and we are the best of friends because of it. She comes home from Peru in 10 days. Yes, I am counting down. She has been gone since New Year's and we need to make up for some lost time.
    Enjoy the summer and your fun sounding list of activities.
    Cindy

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  5. That is what I wanted to write too-you'er an awesome Mom! really-the Beans are so fortunate to have you as their Mom-what a fun list you have created.
    when I grew up I lived in northern Indiana-us kids with Mom would take trips on the train into Chicago-good memories still

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  6. Haven't made a list, but I should. On my list are to visit the Morton Arboretum, the garden at the Bahai Temple, Palmisanno Park in Bridgeport, and go to the Italian Fest at Melrose Park. Sounds like you will have a fun, busy summer. And those tired/grumpy days are inevitable with small kids, but they pass.

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  7. What a fun list! We have some overlap with you; definitely want to make sure we do lots of fires and marshmallows!

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  8. Hi Nicole, slowing down is sooo... important! Life really got the best of me lately, but now I am vacationing with my husband and it is a dream. Love making a list what I want to do rather than what I need to do, when we are back home. Great idea! The last photo of you and one of your beans is really touching. Warm regards,
    Christina

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  9. Hello Nicole, I am with you on the slowing down! It's so important, but not always easy to do. I start to get fed up if we have too many plans, sometimes I just want a quiet weekend, pottering around the house and garden and catching up with all the things I like to do. I am inspired by your list, I never really make lists, we always wait until there is free time and decide what we want to do (which is not always easy). It's a great idea to have a list to consult! :)

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  10. I do make lists, and my kids love to make ice cream in a bag. Yum.

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  11. Good for you, Nicole. This is the best way to get through the long summer breaks, I find. You have to plan things and be ready for fun. I do the same thing and it's much more enjoyable this way. :)

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  12. What a great list of things to do! I love the idea of the bag ice cream, lots of fun for children to do and to learn about the freezing process at the same time. I hope that you all have lots of good times, big and small!! The roadway/bridge/construction site that your beans are creating looks amazing! They obviously have really great imaginations!!! xxxx

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  13. You are so right to slow down, but also it is so difficult. I enjoyed reading your list with fun things to do with the Beans that´s most important during summer break, having fun together. Some times I make to do lists too, especially for the garden.

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  14. Oh my word Nicole, your memory making list looks amazing fun!!! You and your family are going to have a fantastic summer to look back on! I love the mud pie kitchen, stargazing, indoor movie night tent, ice cream in a bag... well gosh so many things! I kinda wish I could tag along!!! Have a wonderful summer friend! xxx

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  15. Hi Nicole,

    You and your family are going to have a fun summer - love the list and yes, we do need to slow down a little. Loved seeing all your wonderful family photos.
    Lists are good - find I can get more done if I can write things down and tick them off.
    Enjoy the rest of the week
    hugs
    Carolyn

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  16. Oh I absolutely loved your list of things to do this summer - I wish I could join in with you. That photo of the little beans feet in her sandals is adorable with her plump little toes I would just want to kiss each one. I hope you find time to rest as well, find some time just for you I know it's hard when you have little ones - your summer will just fly by with all the activities you have planned - and lists for the garden - well that is something I do all the time but I never seem to achieve my goals - oh well there is always next year. Enjoy the rest of the week.

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  17. I have made a few of these lists for my kiddos but usually toward the end of fall when the weather is cold and wet. It is a good go to for those days when it feels like there is nothing to do. Summer time is easy living and we don't have to look far to stay busy ~ thank goodness for that. I think your list is a perfect summer plan. We'll be doing a lot of the same things, except stargazing because my little guy will fall asleep long before the stars come out. I'd like to get him out to see the space station when it orbits over us. Now that would be fun for your beans too! I hope we get to see many of these projects you have planned. Take care ~ Stacy

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  18. I have lots of lists but none that are fun like this! I hope you get to do if not all, most of them! Being aware and conscious and making a plan is a great place to start to make the most of it all! Hope you're having a great week xxx

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  19. Wow Nicole....what an amazing list. I love the art show idea.....very kool. In the picture of your child making a roadway....is that playdough or clay? I am going to use this idea with the children at our family hub. It is so creative. It took me a few minutes to figure out beans were not the kind you eat...LOL. We would love to see pictures of your list as you complete it. Have a good day lass.

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  20. Oh and I meant to ask you if you have read the book In Praise of Slow by a Canadian author Carl Honore? It has so many interesting thoughts about our rushed lives today and the values that living slowly instills. He also wrote another book about Hyper Parenting which has many of the same topics....interesting reading if you are looking for something to add to your own list.

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  21. I love your happy things here, Nicole. There is a lot of joy and love in this post. I love the picture of the little green skirt with sweet little legs peeking out underneath it. A really cute post today- xo Diana

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  22. Love your list, will pinch a few of your ideas for me and my family. Happy week to you lovely xo

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  23. Oh, yes, I have LOTS of list!! I couldn't get much done without them. You have some great things planned for this summer and I'm anxious to see many of them on your blog!! I love that Nature Institute in Napierville! It sounds perfect for daytrips with little ones. I noticed one was already sold out so they must be really popular. Have a great summer and don't forgot to keep us up-to-date on your adventures!!!

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  24. What a wonderful list. And I really like the sentiment in the sign. Kind of 'Stop and Smell the Roses' but a bit more. You'll have a great summer, if you even do half of those. You're doing a great job as a Mom.

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  25. I would like to recommend that you grow some birdhouse gourds. They grow very fast and the leaves are HUGE! Your beans would really get a kick out of them. Then, when they are brown in the fall, you can get a birdhouse bit and cut a hole in the gourd. Clean it good first with fine steel wool. Such fun!

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  26. You list sounds great! It will be a fun summer for you and your beans :) I don't usually make lists except for one with all the restaurants in NYC I want to eat at lol ;p I'm so intrigued by making ice cream in a bag now that you've mentioned it. Maybe I shall try that too.

    Rowena @ rolala loves

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  27. I love that last photo, it's beautiful. A lovely image of summer. The list is fantastic, I'm sure you'll make many happy memories. I hope you all have a really wonderful time. I need a list too I think, to make the most of this most precious of seasons. Have a good weekend Nicole. CJ xx

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  28. Me encantan las fotografías, son geniales. Ha estado un regalo el visitar tu bloc, te invito visitar el mio y disfrutes del post sobre la India y sus jardines y si te gusta me encantaria que si no eres seguidora te hagas ahora.
    Elracodeldetall.blogspot.com

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  29. Sounds like you have a busy time, enjoy it all, have a great weekend.

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  30. What a fun list! I want to come spend my summer with you. ;-)

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  31. no lists but making use of every day!!!just got back form japan and going camping in july...good for you!!

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  32. Love your list! Three of yours are on my own list: 13, 15 and 21. After all, food is what I do, it's who I am! :D

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  33. I am totally a list person, and this one is fabulous! We may have to steal some of your great ideas! You are such an inspiration and great mom Nicole!!

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  34. I am so glad 'staring an an iPad' isn't on the list! That list sounds fun to me and I'm not even a kid anymore. My last school day is Thursday and I have 65 projects left to grade. Serenity now!!

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  35. This is wonderful! I need to slow down. Too much poo driving me crazy. Just sayin'. ;) Anyway, I love this list and am going to use a few of your ideas. Thank you for helping my overloaded mind. :)

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  36. I love your list!! We have been too busy as well with wrapping up school and activities! It will be nice to settle into summer!

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  37. What a great list! I love all of the memories you are making for those beans!

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  38. Ah...Nic, what an amazing list! I love every activity!

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