The Toy Box Years: Summer Fun!

The Creators of the Toy Box Years

The creators of the Toy Box Years are my two beautiful daughters and wonderful, handsome soldier husband.

"Nani" (our oldest) is a 11 year old 6th grader who loves Taylor Swift, ballet, books, fashion designing and sewing. Ask her what she wants to be when she grows up and it changes daily to anything from "an artist" to "a teacher" to "a singer/dancer". Nani is also currently fighting a battle against brain cancer -- recently diagnosed in June 2016.

"Nudgie" (our youngest) is a very smiley, very happy, very giggly, very spirited 8 year old 3rd Grader who's favorite toys are anything that gives mommy an anxiety attack - ladders, stepstools, the climbing wall at the playground. Like her sister, she has a love of reading and coloring, loves gymnastics and still provides mommy lots of snuggle time!

"My Marine" is my high school sweetheart. We've been married over 20 years and met when we were 17. (You do the math....) His favorite toys are Blackhawk helicopters, the lawnmower, our steam cleaner, and microbrew beer bottles. My husband is also my hero in that he proudly serves his country as a Blackhawk crew chief (hence his favorite toy!). And need I say that there is nothing hotter than my man in uniform!

All About Me......

Once upon a time I had a career and worked in the corporate world. Once upon a time, I dreamed about leaving that all behind to follow my true calling -- being a wife and mommy.

The first part of my calling was fulfilled in 1995 when I married my Marine (now soldier) and my love. Little did I know that being a military wife would change me in so many ways and that because of that, I would have an extended family all over the world from Japan, to California, to North Carolina.

The second part of my calling took a little doing, but I finally achieved that dream in 2004 with the birth of our first child, followed 4 years later by her baby sister.

So now, when someone asks me what I do for a living - I simply smile and say proudly that I'm following my calling - I'm a mommy and a wife -- and I couldn't be HAPPIER -- I'm living in the Toy Box Years!!

It's never too early to start thinking about summer!

As I was visiting Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns the other day and saw that she started her Summer Bucket List. It got me thinking about some fun things I'd like to do with the girls this summer too.

My Marine is going to be gone for most of the summer, so it's up to me to keep the girls happy and entertained while he's gone. There will be a few weeks that he'll be home, so I'm hoping to have some activities for them to do together.

In the meantime, I've done a quick brain dump of some things that may be on our list this summer:

1.   Road trip to Pittsburgh (pending gas prices, of course.....)
2.   Camping in the backyard or at a real campsite (I've never been camping before!)
3.   Make homemade bubbles
4.   Make Kool-Aid playdough
5.   Picnic at the Reservoir
6.   Go to the County Fair
7.   Go to the Hot Air Balloon festival
8.   Paint t-shirts
9.   Weekend road trip to the mountains (if the road trip to Pittsburgh doesn't work out)
10. Work with Nani to read one chapter book all by herself
11. Make homemade sidewalk paint
12. Lots and lots of swimming and running through the sprinklers
13. Go to a drive-in movie
14. Picnic at the zoo
15. Eat ice cream cones and not care how messy the girls get!
16. Participate in the library's summer reading program
17. Make s'mores (now that we have a charcoal grill!)
18. Teach Nudgie her colors by playing Twister
17. Give Nani a camera and let her document her summer in photos
18. Finally read the entire "Chronicles of Narnia" series (that's mommy's personal goal!)

I'm sure more will be added as I come across more ideas!!

EDIT:
After finding some other fun summer lists, I've added a few more things!

19. Go to yard sales

20. Go to the berry farm
21. Have a "Russian" theme week
22. Go to the movies

23. Play board games

24. Read books outside
25. Play hopscotch
26. Visit the Littleton Historical Farm
27. Make a paper link chain to count down the first 100 days of school (I found this idea at Michelle's Charm World!)-
So what's on YOUR list for a fun summer!

7 comments:

Jennifer May 17, 2011 at 6:53 AM: I am going to take advantage of the free bowling for kids and the $1.oo movies along with going to the library, swimming, and whatever else we can come up with thats cheap...check out my blog at www.babysittingmama.blogspot.com. I posted links to the cheap movies and bowling. Enjoy your summer and hope your MArine stays safe
MaryAnne May 17, 2011 at 7:37 AM: What a great list! Sounds like you have a fun summer planned =)
Christy Killoran May 17, 2011 at 7:51 AM: Great list! I still have to get my list done.
Holly May 17, 2011 at 9:18 AM: Great ideas! I need to get started creating one of these for my little one!
Kelli W May 17, 2011 at 6:54 PM: That is an awesome list! I would love to take my boys to a drive in but I don't think there is one close to us. I need to work on making a list so we don't get too bored this summer!
Ticia May 18, 2011 at 9:09 PM: YOu are about the third or fourth person who I've seen with make sidewalk paint. So need to add this to my list, and then remember to do it!

I LOVE The Chronicles of Narnia, I hope you do too, my favorite is "Last Battle," the last one.
Little Wonders' Days May 19, 2011 at 4:50 AM: I'm sure daddy will be missed, but it looks like a fun summer is still planned. I like the idea of turning the camera over to the kids to see what they see. I opened the summer bucket party for a few more days and I'd love it if you'd link up. Have a great summer!