I love summer.  It is my favorite season.  I love to be steamed by the sunshine, sweating like crazy just by being outside, I love being tan, I love the long days and warm nights.  My birthday falls right after Independence Day so I love that about summer too!  This year I didn't want summer to get bogged down in "to-dos" (since I am homeschooling two of my three starting tomorrow) so I created a "Summer Sand-Bucket List".  Then, I realized that same day while perusing our local book store that someone has already come up with the idea of a bucket list for summer and has even written a book to guide you called, none other than, "The Sand Bucket List" by David Hoffman.  I am not stealing his ideas.  I was so saddened that I didn't come up with the idea that I didn't even pick up the book.  (I have searched it on amazon and it looks like a lot of fun!)  So, I have my own list, would you like to see what is on it?

*Give away three chocolate mint plants to friends.  

*Play with neighbor kids.

*Catch fireflies.

*Watch the bats at the building next door.

*Water balloon fight!

*Go camping with kids.

*Go stargazing.

*Paint birdhouses and hang on front porch.

*Make frame for displaying kids' art!

*Go swimming at Aquatic Centers in area.

*Spend a whole afternoon in the library.

*Go to the local "bounce house" with friends.

*Invite the neighbors to play in the sprinkler!

*Go on a "staycation" where we scope out local museums, walking trails, ice creams shops, swimming areas, and rock-throwing platforms (like docks or banks of rivers or lakes.)

*Throw rocks into the lake.

*Find a flash mob dance in the area and be a part of it!

They aren't big things, most don't cost money.  75% of them were my kids' ideas.  They have their own version of what summer fun looks like and (proudly) it includes inviting the neighbors to come and play!  I love that.  Summer is a fun and wacky time, and I am going to use this time to get to know my girls and the neighbor kids just a little bit better!  Do you have any great ideas to add to a sand-bucket list?  If you need some help, go check out Hoffman's book and let me know what you think!