Second year in a row, Parker’s made a summer list. Last year I suggested it, nudging him to come up with ideas on those days that are barely breaking 55 degrees. Those days where it’s barely breaking 55, but your mind, body, soul is ready for 80. This year, by March 1st, pen and paper was at the ready, no nudging required. Sitting at the kitchen table, looking longingly at the still-brown grass, the still-bare trees, the still-cold cold, he began recording. I was in the kitchen, prepping snack 27 of the day. “Picnic at that park. What else, Mom?”
“Mushroom pool. What else, Mom?”
The list is a work in progress. We just thought of a new one yesterday. Lemonade stand, riding bikes on the trail in town, eating outside at our favorite Mexican restaurant. Bote Winupsoke (that one, in the perfectly imperfect phonetic spelling of Parker at 7 years old) translated Boat Winnipesaukee. Point is: New Englanders LIVE FOR SUMMER. Get your pen and paper out, put your heads together, and make that list. There’s a sting come late September, early October when you realize, “Shoot! We never got to the fill-in-the-blank.” It’s a long winter till that sweet summer rolls ’round again.
Lindsey got her license last week. You read that right. LINDSEY IS DRIVING. (And turning 17 later this week. And going to prom. And thinking about college. Whiplash, whiplash, whiplash.) Parker learned to ride a bike yesterday. None of this makes any sense to me or to Steve. I’m certain she was just this 9 year old like a couple years ago. I’m certain he was this nearly 1 year old a couple years ago. Time, you swift moving train. I do feel like my head isn’t hijacked by my heart quite as often as it was a few years ago when every milestone left me breathless, maybe in tears. Is that perspective? Wisdom? Denial? All of the above?
How are things in your neck of the woods?
I think I need to make a list too! Doesn’t matter if I check everything off the list… at least it’ll motivate me to get out a bit more! 😀
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
I love that you captured this list with his sweet handwriting. We try to make these lists for every season as well, but the summer ones seem especially precious.
Love the list!
Maybe also for on the list,
Chalking on the sidewalk
Making your own lemonade from elderflowers? (or is that already included in the lemonadestand?)
Catching tadpoles and letting them grow in your own pond (in our case an inflatable mini swimmingpool)
Camping in the garden, sleeping under the stars
Making mandala’s in nature with shells/flowers/etc. (https://www.playfullearning.net/resource/making-mandala-art-with-kids/)
Does it show that I love Parker’s list and that I want to make my own? 🙂
X
oh i love your additions!!! i think the boys would both be super into mandalas. and, i’m so happy to say, we’ve already got a camping weekend booked.
I live a little farther north than you in New Brunswick Canada and right now we would be happy to see our lawns! The snowbanks have dropped from 10 ft to around 5 ft so we are making progress! We too make lists of warm weather activities and we too sometimes don’t get to them all. I have two boys 9, 11 so we are a few years ahead of you. We are all making the lists and praying for grass and warm weather!
5 ft!! gosh! hoping that snow melts quickly!!!
Wait,what is a mushroom pool?!
Our summer lists always include walking downtown for coffee & pastries, inviting many friends for a noon-midnight day of food+fun, gardening, water balloons, totally from-scratch banana splits and trips to the lake. summer, hurry faster!
it’s just a pool that has a big mushroom shaped fountain in the center that shoots out water! ha.
We needed this inspiration! It’s a cold, rainy day in Minnesota … with the possibility of snowflakes on Saturday — and it’s nearly May! Oh, yes, today I’m dreaming of the summer list, and all that we will do.