Summer bucket list

The kids took swimming lessons this spring and they paid off: Bruce improved his skills, Phoebe learned to swim independently, and Oliver gained confidence in the water. Swimming is also on the bucket list, and we have been a few times. It is much more enjoyable than last summer when I was trying to keep two kids from drowning.

A random item on the bucket list was to make a solar oven. Bruce's fifth grade class made them in groups, but Bruce missed some of the project because of our trip to Maine and Canada. We got a book and built one out of a cardboard box, foil, black paper, and tape. We made some s'mores on a sunny day at the park and are excited to take it camping so we can make nachos or something.

Also on the list was going to an outdoor movie. We went to one at the park and they had a juggling show before it got dark enough for the movie, Zootopia.

We went to the Museum of Science and saw a cool spider exhibit. Another one checked off the bucket list.

We went to the beach with friends.

Phoebe found lots of hermit crabs.

Our friends were visiting from California. The Rodgers used to live in Boston and moved around when Phoebe was born. It was fun to get our kids together to play.

Our summer has been fantastic. Phoebe went to one week of summer camp - "animal week" run by her school and with some of her teachers. She went to the zoo and a farm playland, made animal crafts and played with many of her school friends. She was happy to see her friends and I was happy to have some one-on-one time with Oliver. Once Phoebe finished her camp and Bruce finished his internship, we packed up the car to fulfill the biggest wish on our bucket list: go to OHIO.