Grey Hooded Pullover (similar here and here)/ Sunglasses $65/Beach Blanket (THIS THING IS THE BEST)
“[Motherhood is] the biggest gamble in the world. It is the glorious life force. It’s huge and scary—it’s an act of infinite optimism.” – Gilda Radner
I can’t believe we’re heading into our second week of Summer! I opted out of over-scheduling camps and activities in the hopes of a relaxed (ha!) and laid back Summer. Coco enters Kindergarten next year so I’m feeling all sorts of emotions that my kids are growing up way too fast. I only have so many Summers with them at home, especially while they’re really little so I want to be present WITH them and enjoy it. Don’t get me wrong, I may totally regret this come August but for now, I’m all all, bring on the crafts and fun. Coco will be in one two week 1/2 day camp and take golf and swimming lessons. We have ZERO travel on the books which is a big change for us. When Coco was Griffin’s age, we traveled a lot- San Fran, Michigan, NYC and Hawaii over one Summer. Traveling with two kids is totally do-able as we found out in April but in an effort to save the stress of prep and money, we’re opting to enjoy beautiful San Diego over the next few months.
I will say, it’s kind of funny because out here at least, people are constantly like “WHICH CAMPS ARE YOU DOING?” and “WHERE ARE YOU TRAVELING THIS SUMMER”? The reactions when I say 1 camp and no travel are interesting! We definitely live in a time where doing more is the norm. More weekends away, more camps, more schedules, more events, more vacations, more sports… and yet, if there’s one thing I hear from everyone in every age group I’m surrounded with, it’s complaints of how busy and “on the go” everyone feels. So I think it’s a delicate balance, right? To create a handful of fun things to look forward to for your family, while not over booking yourself to the point of feeling overwhelmed and stressed.
This week Coco and I created a bucket list of things that she wanted to do this Summer which was in itself, such a fun activity! We also went to Michaels and stocked up on crafts to keep us busy during Griffin’s nap time. She’s used to being in school from 8:30-2:30 so I wanted to come up with projects she could do (some together, some on her own) that would occupy her busy little mind! Hopefully this list provides you with some ideas to keep your sanity this Summer while enjoying time with your kiddos! If you have any additional tips or ideas, I’d love to hear (and share!) them. As always, thank you so much for following along! xo
Coco’s Summer Bucket List
The Movies- Excited for Secret Life of Pets 2, Toy Story 4 and Alladin
Build a Bear
Sea World
Find the Secret Swing in La Jolla (any tips on this one?!)
Aquarium
Swim at the Pool (we got Coco these fun unicorn goggles in Florida and they are the CUTEST. They’d also make a great B-Day gift for a girl)
Wild Animal Park
See the Seals in La Jolla
Beach Days- This is our favorite SunScreen for the kids and this is our beach blanket– the BEST (4 years old, can be thrown in the wash and doesn’t collect sand)
Things I’m Considering for the Summer:
Bounce House– I am SO ANTI bounce houses, it’s not even FUNNY. EWWWW THE GERMS. Don’t even get me started. BUT, several of my girlfriends have this one in their backyard (or garages) and say it’s a HUGE lifesaver. It’s big enough to feel like a real bouncy house but small enough that it can easily be put up and put away in the blink of an eye.
Sprinkler– I think Coco would FREAK if she walked out side and saw this. I spent hours in my back yard running through sprinklers as a kid and this one looks so fun!
Snow Cone Machine– I’m so tempted to get one of these since this is a dessert that Griffin could actually eat! I’m struggling to find a syrup without 1000 chemicals though so we shall see.
Re-doing our Play House– My friend Beth totally inspired me to re-do our play house. Isn’t what she did incredible?! This is a lofty goal but still…
Things I Purchased to Keep the Kids Busy and me Sane: