Goal: Summer of Adventure

It's been a very rainy June, but I am trying to stay optimistic about summer.  I think everyone agrees that summer goes by way too quickly.  Somehow by mid-May it seemed like all the weekends this summer were getting filled.  I don't know how people with much more active lives than us manage.

I have one very simple goal for this summer:  go on lots of adventures and have fun.  This week is the last week of preschool.  We just finished a season of Lil' kickers and I ended Eileen's Gymboree membership.  I have resisted all temptations to enroll the kids in summer activities.  Even though my kids thrive under structure, I want to enjoy flexibility this summer.  I don't want to look back and regret that I didn't spend more time enjoying everything the Pacific Northwest has to offer during the summer.  Linus and Eileen have plenty of time ahead to go to swimming lessons, sports camps, dance camp, circus camp, or whatever.

In true Charlotte fashion, I have compiled a list of activities--rainy day and sunny, near and far, free, cheap, or not too expensive.  I hope that we are able to do the bulk of them.  I'm trying to not let Eileen's potty training hold us back (she's doing pretty well in case you are wondering).  With a little bit of planning, I think we can definitely make a dent in the list.  I don't have any intention of going everywhere on the list, but if we do even ten of them, it will make for an awesome summer.

A few destinations include: Deception Pass, Kelsey Creek Farms, Owaijimaya, swimming, a museum or two (Museum of Flight, SAM are at the top of the list), Pt. Defiance Zoo, Fort Nisqually, dollar movies at Regal Cinemas, and Matthews Beach.  Maybe I can convince Dave to get extra adventurous and go to the Olympic Game Farm.

Yesterday we took advantage of the weather and walked to Woodland Park playground.  It's a little over a mile away but about 7 blocks of the trip are uphill.  It is quite the workout when pushing a double stroller as well as carrying another child on your back in an ergo.  It was a beautiful day at the park and we enjoyed a lovely picnic.

Later that afternoon, we trudged back up the hills of Phinney Ridge to go to the library, but not before stopping off at Bluebird Ice Cream.

I would say that summer is already off to a good start.  I invite anyone to come along on our summer adventures.  We've got lots of room in the swagger wagon and an extra carseat.