With less than 3 weeks until school begins, it’s time to dust off the list and have some fun. In true slacker staycation-style, we’re kicking off with PJ Day. I like this because I pretty much stay in pajamas all day anyway it allows for crossing off multiple items with out getting dress minimal effort leaving the house oh, screw it, it’s because I’m lazy. The girls very carefully selected their pajamas tonight since they’ll be wearing them for 24 hours. I grabbed the first only clean set I could find. They’re already planning breakfast—pancakes a la Stacia. Which is fine with me because it teaches her valuable responsibility (it totally does!) and it’s one less meal for me to cook.

We’re throwing in crafts (#31), a movie marathon (#36) and possibly even board games (#39), but I don’t think my idea of calling it our “big sleepover” (#6) is going to fly. I’ve also decided to shoot for crossing off a back-to-school item since I did promise the girls baking. I have blueberries and bananas for muffins, which we’ll freeze (mostly) for breakfasts. Having fast, easy breakfast on hand is pretty much the only way my kids get to eat in the mornings when we’re rushing off to school. I don’t really do mornings. However, I do clean up nice (cue gratuitous photo of me looking fabulous at the Mommy Needs a Cocktail party):

At least I know I’m not alone. Ever.

When I set about writing my 40×40 list, it was all about things I want to do but never really have the time, money or opportunity.  The someday project isn’t about obligations. It’s about finally making dreams come true. Because my children’s dreams are also important, I have included two items on my list that I don’t personally care to do. Ever. However, I desperately want my children to have these memories. So, during the last week of school, when I saw a sign in our local shopping center advertising a carnival, I immediately added it to the summer fun list and started getting excited about crossing off another 40×40 item. I think I was more excited about the idea than the girls.

Of course, the overpriced part of the equation was still a problem for me. Funds are tight these days and throwing money away at the fair, even for a good reason, doesn’t sit well with me. That’s when I remembered that the neighborhood yard sale was happening the same weekend. I decided to put together a small yard sale in hopes of raising enough to pay for an evening at the fair. The girls had listed “have a yard sale” on their summer fun list so we got to cross off two items this weekend. Three, since the girls had their annual lemonade stand in conjunction with the yard sale.

We made enough off our junk to cover dinner at Steak ‘n Shake, a few rides at the carnival, the requisite cotton candy and one game in which Lorelai accidentally won a fish. Quite ironic, since we had just gotten rid of our old fish bowls in the yard sale. Luckily, I found another fish bowl that had a previous life as a crystal ball for Stacia’s 9th Arabian Nights birthday party. The fish has apparently been named Five, though I have no idea why. That is, however, the cost of the bucket of ping pong balls she used to win him.

The girls chose the Octopus, Gravitron (aka Megatron, according to Brenia) and the Ferris Wheel to ride. I also talked Lorelai into riding the Super Slide with me, though on the way up I distinctly remembered why I stopped riding fair rides. We all survived and the girls declared it their “best day ever” so it was definitely worth the rickety climb to the top of the slide.  Brenia has made the Best Day Ever declaration every day this summer. Even though we’re just now starting the second week of summer, I am declaring the summer fun list a complete success.

I have enlisted the help of my girls to create a list of things to do this summer.  By the end of July, I’ll have a standard list of things to do before school begins—eye doctor, new backpacks, buy clothes & shoes, stock-up on lunch supplies—but this one is about experiences, not tasks. Some are simple (and already planned);  some will require a bit more effort (not to mention a larger budget than ours).

I’m hoping it will keep us entertained over the next few months, add a new dimension to our relationship, create lasting memories and teach the girls some valuable lessons.  They’ll learn about realistic goals, how budget is a factor and that it’s okay to fall short sometimes.  They were quite ambitious (they didn’t get the memo on the no travel thing) so we obviously won’t get to everything, but I think we’ll have a lot of fun along the way.

1. Creek stomp. (AKA Play in the mud.)
2. Go to the fair (double bonus—it’s also on my 40×40).
3. Play outside in the rain.
4. Water balloon fight.
5. Color with Blendy Pens.
6. Have a big sleepover.
7. Get a kitten.
8. Design & create shirts.
9. Hula hoop.
10. Fly a kite.
11. Have a restaurant.
12. Go to Indiana Beach.
13. Visit the in-laws lake cottage more. (Hubby’s goal: 5 trips)
14. Start Sunday Suppers, hosting various friends & family for dinner each week.
15. Teach the girls to ride a bike with no training wheels.
16. Go to Holiday World.
17. Have a picnic.
18. Go to Florida.
19. Go to North Carolina.
20. Visit all Indiana’s surrounding states.
21. Swim in the dark.
22. Go to Maddy’s house.
23. Go to Georgia.
24. Go to Six Flags and Medieval Times again.
25. Go to the library.
26. Go to the movies.
27. Have a yard sale.
28. Have a lemonade stand.
29. Walk to the playground at least once each week.
30. Shop at yard sales.
31. Make crafts.
32. Jump rope marathon.
33. Feed the ducks.
34. Build a sandcastle.
35. Grill pizzas again.
36. Have a movie marathon.
37. Visit the Farmer’s Market.
38. Make homemade ice cream.
39. Play board games.
40. Teach the girls how to play Four Square.
41. Run through the sprinkler.
42. Celebrate a random holiday (Go Skateboarding Day doesn’t count; he does that already).
43. Go to camp.
44. Pick apples & drink apple cider slushies at Stuckey Farm.
45. Take friends to the Children’s Museum.
46. Plant a butterfly garden.
47. Build a living room tent.
48. Have a PJ day.
49. Eat lunch outside.
50. Scrapbook our summer of fun.

It appears they’ve picked several books turned movies this year. That means I have a lot of reading to do. I’m kind of obsessive about reading the book first, even when it’s ordinarily an author I wouldn’t choose. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, really, because it tends to make me hate the movie. Since I could never really hate anything that features Will Smith, I have learned to view them as separate entities. That helps a lot, as does lowering your expectations. If you go in expecting to see a beloved book come to life, you are bound to be disappointed. However, if you go in expecting to find a director has ruined your favorite story you may just be pleasantly surprised.

Still, a trip to the library is in order, and soon. I’m worried I’ve left it too late to snag copies, if they have any popularity at all. I have only 2 weeks to read Inkheart before the free showing, but over a month to finish Nim’s Island in time to watch with the girls. I may insist on a family reading of Charlotte’s Web before the kids see the movie again, but I have read it more than once. I guess I better get busy, even as I hope to talk them into a few selectionsthat don’t require homework.

Girl Scout Day Camp is in 3 weeks so that will be an easy week. Soccer Camp is the week after that. Then 2 straight months of all me! I wish I had a fence so I could just open the door and usher them out. As it stands, if I want to send the munchkin out Mommy has to go too. I’m not much of an outdoor person. Though if we can ever get the wireless network going, I might do alright. Now if only ESPN News were piped into the backyard.