Moms Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List 2015

We are enjoying our 3rd Summer, and celebrating the nearly three months of fun with a Bucket list. As we approach the end of the school year we draft our list of things we want to do over the summer. Then of course when the kids aren't nearby mom at the things that are education related that I would like to accomplish over summer. Pinterest helps me find lots of different ideas and I do keep a summer bucket list on Pinterest. When you come across things during the year it's nice to be quickly reminded when you want to find the idea, that's where Pinterest is a brilliant idea. 

Of course my kids are brilliant at their ideas out. We don't need the time to Pinterest because some of the things they come up with are just fantastic and simple. My older son can write already so he comes up with his list draft of himself. Younger son and baby girl brainstorm with mom and I jot down their ideas. The reason I write down their ideas because it's showing them the credibility that what they say adds value to our conversation and what we want to do with our lives.

In my business life I am a marketing and event planning consultant. My strengths are in the planning, project management process, as well as budget management. So the skills translate into my personal life and to many summers and spending with my family out and about. Lots of our Summer Bucket List is lots of things that are for free, and within the surrounding Chicagoland area (have car - will travel).

So the next series of posts that I am drafting, will include the adventures on our summer bucket list 2015, The weekly playdates with our cousins and friends that live in the surrounding area, as well as our lazy days we enjoy often. 

As an aside, on my personal bucket list will be how to capture obvious fantastic moments that we share into a photo album. I struggle with keeping up on our scrapbook/photo albums. I still have to make my baby girls maybe scrapbook and it's three years later. And touching up my younger son's scrapbook, and I'm throwing all our 2000 and pictures into a Photo album. And fairly good at checking into places on my Facebook page as well as posting pictures from the days events, and I heard there's some great apps out Facebook pictures into an album, and I think this may be my solution or summer bucket list by year. 

Happy Summer 2015!

Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud 

Our Summer Bucket List - Northpark Nature Center and Learning about Spittlebugs - End of Summer

Last week we went on a walk at our local Nature Center, and I found these bunches of bubbles on plants. I assumed it was some sort of insect but I didn't know what it was. My daughter shouts enthusiastically now, it was a Spittlebug!! 

Our Summer Bucket List - Northpark Nature Center and Learning about Spittlebugs - End of Summer

I remember being on a trip to Wisconsin Dells and feeling these six drops of rain falling on me from under the trees. However it wasn't raining. That trip was last year when I was already paying attention to the bugs around me. I still did not know what it was, until seen this at the nature center. 

They had a handout on programs they had which included learning about spittlebugs which I assumed was this little creature. 

Spittlebugs, Learning and Summer Fun Combined, First Week on Our Summer Bucket List 2015 

Free learning at nature centers, these activities eat up our day!

Summer Bucket List: New Parks, Bowen Park Waukegan Il. Week 7 2015

Summer - week 7 > > After visiting Il. Beach state park, we made a pit stop at Bowen Park in Waukegan. We spent the entire day collecting rocks, playing in the water, snacking and playing. It was empty, with only a few other people on the beach. We like walking thru the nature center to access the beach, quiet, natural, and beautiful. > > As for the park, its off route 137 and It.Is.Huge!!! There is a map of all the activities, including this spinning cage, a 2-story climbing spider web, sprinkler, and so much more. My daughter loved the 2-stories to climb up for the slides. They are fast and fun. > > Monkey bars, surfboard swings, really so much more. The kids had a blast!! 

Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.

I wanna have some Pancakes with you - an Unwritten Song. Pancake Recipe Included

I am so happy to take some notes here about the Pancake song. You know how you stand over the stove and prep the batter, this little melody just popped in my mind as I poured batter into the pan, and my littles waited at the breakfast table. 

I wanna have some Pancakes with you, an Unwritten Song. Pancake Recipe Included

From: I wanna eat some pancakes with you! Summer 2015 > > 

The Summer Routine > >  eating. . . 

Being a mom, staying at home, can feel mundane. You are a slave to the stove, snack queen, mediator of the sibling rivalry, etc. Etc.  While I am making pancakes this morning, a moment of I can't believe I'm cooking ... again ... overtook me. However we aren't rushing. 

Eventho I sort of put this burden on myself (since we don't eat cereal every morning) and the kids eat something fresh everyday! Toast and fruit, leftovers, potato pancakes, etc. 

Today I am making pancakes from scratch, but we are not rushed - we have very little planned. We are on summer break, so why rush? The schedule today calls for some vintage shopping and the beach. I can use an iron skillet, and put a pat of butter before I ladle each little pancake. If course its more time consuming working on a small iron skillet (in the bottom photo I used my mom's skillet, but at home it's my 'plancha' from when we got married for heating tortillas - way too small), but ridiculously yummy too!! 

You know that moment as a parent - we feel it deep inside that we are nourishing our kids - and with the best ingredients we can. I was careful not to burn pancakes, or walk away from the stove to get the just right finish on them, . .  That just feeds my mommy soul.

When little younger son was born I think this song started. I would hum "I wanna have some pancakes with you. Oh don'tcha know it, Pancakes with you, I wanna show it." - Then one day I asked - as if a lyric was written - wanna add banana - or chocolate chips? What a yummy treat! "Pancakes with you, with you, love you."

The kids get plates and forks for breakfast, my older son came in the kitchen mid pancake making and started playing the iPad songs. By the time I get thru the batch of pancakes, and last few cup size pieces they are discussing their dreams, Men in Black and Donna Summers "I survive" which is playing on the ipad. Baby girl always adds a bonus to our time together: she was practicing her ballet spins. 

As we eat We will talk about the plan for the day and "make a plan." We posted about making a plan to help manage kids expectations here.

If you want the song lyrics I wanna have some pancakes with you song - they are here.

 Our recipe: "I wanna have some Pancakes with you" pancake recipe

・ 2 eggs 

・ 1 cup flour 

・ 1 cup whole milk or buttermilk 

・ Pinch of salt 

・ 2 teaspoons flat baking powder 

・ 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil 

・ Several pats of butter 

・ Iron Skillet if you have one 

・ Add ons: either: chocolate chips, Banana slices, Blueberries or what ever mix in you enjoy from the fridge 

Pancake making instructions - the Steps: 

IN a large bowl, make a flower mound, put a circle hole in the middle with your spoon (think volcano projects) and cracked the eggs in to be in that area, begin to incorporate flour, and slowly start to add milk and continue whisking. 

Watch out for lumps - however don't worry if you have them. These are part of the homemade fun. Keep whisking. The secret to NOT getting lumps for me - is to add milk slowly to the bowl (1/8 - 1/4 cup at a time and keep on whisking. 

Warm the skillet, add a pat of butter, ladle in a quarter cup of pancakes - in small sizes. WHY? I just hate flipping large pancakes, or under cooking the center. So small makes for easy consistent meals.

The recipe here can make approximately 30 small pancakes. 

Layer in your chips or banana slices (or chips or fruit) into the freshly poured batter. Then take a spoon and just smooth over the banana slice with the freshly poured pancake batter with some of the batter on the cakes - it hasn't hardened yet.

Heat until one side is golden brown, (2 mins depending on your pan and the heat. The first batch it takes approximately three minutes, in sequential batches it'll take 1 to 2 minutes each side. 

After you clear the pancakes from the pan, add another pat of butter before adding more of the batter, this just adds an extra nice flavor to each batch of pancakes. 

As for the song, I wanna eat my pancakes with you . . . I'll write it one day. Until then the mellody is in my head.

Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud AND SING! 

a quickr pickr post

Monarch Caterpillar Discovery in our Chicago Garden with 3 year old toddler

Date: June 22, 2015 > 

Monarch Caterpillar Discovery in our Garden > > 

Baby girl was playing In our yard on her stroller and she discovered twi lovely caterpillars. Both were on opposite ends of this plant bed, but both enjoying the Dill Weed. 

She is happy to pose with her discoveries. While I do have glass viles to collect soft body specimens in alcohol, however I haven't developed an interest or a need to collect soft body insects. 

How about in video versions. . . we have more monarch caterpillars - and a BUTTERFLY CAGE with caterpillars on the youtube channel. We even filmed a butterfly release many, many, many times.

Monarch Caterpillar Discovery in our Chicago Garden with 3 year old toddler

Summer Bucketlist, 2015. The early weeks and our 3 kids summer routine. At Home Day Camp.

We have had a wonderful start to the summer. Logging long days, early mornings, and we are only in our first week with all 3 kids. My younger sons school dismissal was a week earlier then older sons.

The Summer Routine

Being a mom, staying at home, can feel mundane. You are a slave to the stove, snack queen, mediator of the sibling rivalry, etc. Etc. 

While I am making pancakes this morning, a moment of I can't believe I'm cooking again overtook me. However we aren't rushing. Eventho i sort of put this burden on myself since we don't eat cereal every morning, the kids eat something fresh everyday! Toast and fruit, leftovers, potato pancakes, etc. Today I am making pancakes from scratch, but we are not rushed, so I can use a skillet, and put a pat of butter before I latle each batch. If course its more time consuming, but ridiculously yummy too!! We are on summer break, why rush? The schedule today calls for some vintage shopping and the beach.

The kids get plates and forks for breakfast, my older son came in the kitchen mid pancake making and started playing the iPad songs. As I finish they are discussing their dreams, Men in Black and Donna Summers "I survive" which is playing, and baby girl was practiceing her ballet spins. 

As we eat We will talk about the plan for the day and "make a plan." 

Monday was a lazy day, lotsa of sleeping, TV, iPads and reading. We were bums on out first day of summer. I framed some of the kids art from the year and finished younger sons Kindergarten memory book. We ran errands, getting parts for some projects I have at home, hanging a mirror, completing my sons shelves, etc.

Tuesday - we hit the beach. I rock collected, babies built sand castles and older son played soccer... For two hours!

Wednesday we went to Vogelei Park in Hoffman Estates to meet our cousins for the first of many weekly playdates.

I googled splash pads near Elgin, which is where our cousins live. Yelp brought up a long list and there were some fun blog posts. I have a separate post on the park visit with pictures.

The Birds Nest Teachable Moment

{We discussed our cousins moving to their new house, and the 2nd daughter mentioned finding a bird nest. I'm very into teachable moments, so the kids brought this subject to me and I just extended the conversation: I asked her why she thought it was on the ground? Why it had strings in it? And why I put the nest we found in our freezer? 

As the kids answer I repeat what they said, incorrect answers are not corrected, instead I keep repeating until someone gives me the right answer. I say "what else" when I want them to keep shooting answers at me. Why all this created conversation?? After a child answers a question, and you say NO or immediately give them the right answer- children assume "guessing" is wrong. But instead guessing answers, even when their incorrect is sheer brilliance at work!! Their little minds are working to FIND a solution, even when they don't know what that solution is. By guessing kids are learning the process of problem solving and critical thinking, in their own little head. As an adult, well its my job to be patient (god that's hard!) and not blurt out the answer. 

Sometimes the discussion naturally dies before I get an answer... And that's okay. In this case part of learning is the PROCESS of the conversation, not the answer. When the conversation dies, i let it, and later, even hours or a few days later, I will remind the kids "do you remember when we were talking about the Birds nest, well you never gave me the answer to my question." And I'll fill in an ending to bring closure to what was discussed. 

We don't have these conversations every day, but at least once a week something naturally will come up in conversation and I will extend it by asking the kids questions about the object. It's important to know that sometimes I don't even know the answers to the questions that I'm asking, however the kids are still brainstorming and not afraid of questions they don't know the answer to. And mommy often says "i don't know, I'll google it."

Well nearly all the kids had come for a snack and were participating in the convo. I asked their mom secretly if I could frame a birds nest for them to hang in their new home, she said yes, "it could say 'Bless this Nest." And so my next project, due in 2 weeks or so, is born. (Today while shopping in Indy I'll be looking for a deep shadow box and maybe a small elegant bird or fake eggs?}

Afterwards, since it was on our way home, my kids and I went to Ikea for lunch. Its yummy and $2.99 kids meals are well priced for a treat to eat out. I had a shelf part to buy so this trip was 2 for 1. We didn't explore the whole store, instead we just got what we came for.

Thursday - Saturday

Visiting Grandma and the Indiana Dunes. Which includes many beach visits, antique and vintage shopping at the spots we love, buying Saturdays birthday party gift, and eating out!

Insects this week

These fun insect finds were by the kids keen eye! The red aphids near the daisy was at our weekly cousins playdate, the first of the season, at Vogelei Park.

A day later we are in Indiana visiting grandma, and this little caterpillar was enjoying a snack on her perennial. I have not started any soft body collecting, eventho my entomology toolbox gift does have the viles needed, and the gel pen for labels! 

We always hit the beach, almost as soon as we arrive in Indy. And my munchkins wanted to climb the big dune (instead of letting my inside voice say "I'm too old for this" I try to change it too "this keeps me young!") we stopped to take pictures when we conquered the summit - okay, we made it to the top.

This milkweed was tall and luscious. Then baby girl spyed the bumble bee, younger son asked if the milkweeds we "stuck?" Nope, just mating. 

I also did some bug net collecting at grandmas, I am thinking of an elegant box for her, a muslin backing, Insects in Baba's garden. Posts and pictures to follow.

As I blog, on my phone, over pancakes and after breakfast - older Son is laying down, ready to shower up, and the younger ones are playing with toys (only found at grandmas).

Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud 

Learning about Spittlebugs, First Week on our Summer Bucket List 2015

Last week we went on a walk at our local Nature Center, and I found these bunches of bubbles on plants. I assumed it was some sort of insect but I didn't know what it was. My daughter shouts enthusiastically now, it was a Spittlebug!! 

I remember being on a trip to Wisconsin Dells and feeling these six drops of rain falling on me from under the trees. However it wasn't raining. That trip was last year when I was already paying attention to the bugs around me. I still did not know what it was, until seen this at the nature center. They had a handout on programs they had which included learning about spittlebugs which I assumed was this little creature. 

Free learning at nature centers, these activities eat up our day! 

Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.

Our Summer Bucket List 2015, free fun with kids all summer long

We are enjoying our summer and anticipating the nearly three months of fun with a Bucket list. As we approach the end of the school year we draft our list of things we want to do over the summer. Then of course when the kids aren't nearby mom at the things that are education related that I would like to accomplish over summer. Pinterest helps me find lots of different ideas and I do keep a summer bucket list on Pinterest. When you come across things during the year it's nice to be quickly reminded when you want to find the idea, that's where Pinterest is a brilliant idea. 

Of course my kids are brilliant at their ideas out. We don't need the time to Pinterest because some of the things they come up with are just fantastic and simple. My older son can write already so he comes up with his list draft of himself. Younger son and baby girl brainstorm with mom and I jot down their ideas. The reason I write down their ideas because it's showing them the credibility that what they say adds value to our conversation and what we want to do with our lives.

If you are reading this post, please post a comment below on what you liked - or didn't  - about this read. Does the topic interest you and you want to know more? Submit a question and I am happy to tackle it.

In my business life I am a marketing and event planning consultant. My strengths are in the planning, project management process, as well as budget management. So the skills translate into my personal life and to many summers and spending with my family out and about. Lots of our Summer Bucket List is lots of things that are for free, and within the surrounding Chicagoland area (have car - will travel).

So the next series of posts that I am drafting, will include the adventures on our summer bucket list 2015, The weekly playdates with our cousins and friends that live in the surrounding area, as well as our lazy days we enjoy often. 

As an aside, on my personal bucket list will be how to capture obvious fantastic moments that we share into a photo album. I struggle with keeping up on our scrapbook/photo albums. I still have to make my baby girls maybe scrapbook and it's three years later. And touching up my younger son's scrapbook, and I'm throwing all our 2000 and pictures into a Photo album. And fairly good at checking into places on my Facebook page as well as posting pictures from the days events, and I heard there's some great apps out Facebook pictures into an album, and I think this may be my solution or summer bucket list by year. 

Happy Summer

Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud 

Going for a Walk, Again, and Again, and Again...

When my older son was born we went for walks every single day, sometimes even twice a day. Regardless if it was the warmest, sunniest day or the chilliest winter in Chicago, every single day we walked again and again and again.

Update: January 2015

Snowstorm "Lucas" dropped over 19 inches of snow on the Chicagoland area. We were flying back home from Las Vegas that day and we were one of the last flights into O'Hare airport. It's now two weeks later in a beautiful 28° day in Chicago, nearly 10 inches of that snow has melted. So baby girl and I are going for our daily walk. As you can see we still have about a foot of snow.

Back to the Original Post: 2014

My grandmother, his great-grandmother's age old advice, baby should get fresh air every day, and get a little bit of red in their cheeks, that makes for a healthy happy child. And I continue that philosophy even till now, a whole nine years later with my younger son and baby girl.

I'll have to admit, it is nine years later, and we own a home and I have three children and I feel like there's lots more to do. We're also continuing some renovations in our basement and kitchen, so walking every day I'll admit is no longer my priority. However that doesn't mean it's not just as important as it was nearly a decade ago.

Taking a walk is such a simple thing, and I know moms can often feel overwhelmed when they see these great ideas from their friends on Facebook and Twitter doing crafts and activities with their kids. But honestly the best activity that I could've ever done with my children is the simple act of taking a walk.

It doesn't matter when, in the morning, in the afternoon, going to a nearby park, or even an after dinner stroll which is another frequent activity of ours. Walking is just one of those excellent activities because you can be completely engaged with your child. Talking about the changing colors of the trees and the leaves, I'm inspired because it's fall now. Or even in the winter time looking at the snow, throwing snowballs, enjoying the chill in the air, and then of course there's the nature fact even though we live in an urban area of Chicago, there is nature all around us. We listen to the squirrel squeak at each other or the birds chirping trying to identify the call of Blue Jays or Robins.

I had the benefit of starting early with my kids, and I've heard some of my neighbors say they think it's not that we walk around so often, that "their kids" would never want to do something as boring as taking a walk. So if you can start them early, otherwise try and engage your kids in simple acts on the walk, like see how many different colors we can find, how many shades of green there are, how many animals we can find, ooh - what's that sound you hear. As for the older ones try to position it as you-and-me time. I want to head about your day! it's just a way of connecting with them and you listening (i phone left at home for a whole 20 minutes) and not talking.

The other thing I love about walks, is it has built in education and concepts that all her kids need to learn. Clothing that's appropriate for the weather, reminders for moms and dads when we should wear hats gloves and scarves, when do we wear our snowboots versus our boots for fall. Gym shoes or crocs today? Did you remember to go potty before you left the house? Do you have socks on? All things we need to consider and teach our kids, at any age.

So I've been lazy, it's Halloween and there's lots of decorating and pumpkin carving, and we haven't been doing our double walks every day. After lunch I would usually take a stroll with baby girl before her nap, because all the fresh air makes for a well deserved nap that is nice and long. However we of course walk every day to go pick up the boys from school. Older son and younger son are now in a full day program at school which just leaves me time with her. And maybe that's where the laziness sets in? Being Taipei isn't easy. When I'm not overloaded with work, I also feel ironically unmotivated. I know isn't that silly? When I'm not tempting to all three of the children, I feel like I'm being lazy which then turned out to be true laziness because I don't do much.  (I know, its like an illness, my version of don't do much, is not the version of most people's time too much, I admit it.)

Today is a vest day in Chicago. It's a nippy 48°, with a high of 55. Tomorrow is Halloween October 31, 2014. And I'm taking a walk with my baby girl.




Make mistakes. Breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud