i got a bit of flack about my getting-ready-for-a-roadtrip post -- "overachiever mom" "what's wrong with electronics the whole way?" -- that kind of thing. and yea - it was over the top, totally worthy of some eye-rolls. truth: we didn't do most of the things i thought about; i didn't make a family favorites album, but i wish i had, we listened to enough raffi to make us (nate and i) looney. henry couldn't have cared less about the trip journal - flop. and i didn't have little packages for the kids to open every hour, but i did take a bit of time before we left to make sure I had a few tricks up my sleeve for the restless moments...
and! our time in the car was really great. we listened to charlie & the chocolate factory (on CD) and we were completely enchanted. (roald dahl is my hero). at one gas station stop we all hopped out and picked out a chocolate bar to enjoy during the next chapters. it was magical! and we chatted. and sang songs. and played the guessing game. and ate junk. and had fun.
so i'm pressing on in my idealistic ways; you can roll your eyes if you want to. this morning we made our *summer 2011 list* -- all the things we'd like to do while the fruit is ripe and the sunshine is warm and we're schedule-less.
our list is not 1/100th as cute as Meg's, (above) but it is magnet-ed to the side of the fridge and we will consult it regularly for inspiration.
here are a few things we're looking forward to:
*star gazing on mimi's lawn
*homemade ice cream, probably peach flavored
*making pajama pants & having a pajama party
(we're going to need someone with sewing skills to help with this one)
*sprinklers, splash parks, swimming
*making fruit popsicles
*sending a package to a friend
*making the kids room a more colorful, kid-happy place to be
*getting new sunglasses (mom & henry)
*eating a picnic on top of a (small :) mountain
*make-your-own pizza party
*late nights with friends
*breakfast in bed
fun starts today - we're spending the morning with our crayolas and then we're taking our creations to our dear elderly friend, ethyl.
what are you doing this summer?
People are so rude. Don't let 'em get you down. I plan, plan, over plan and then end up not doing 80% of what I planned. Who cares? I had fun thinking of all the ideas and actually did some of them!
ReplyDeleteI should have commented earlier because I LOVED your car trip ideas. I will be implementing them when our kids are a little older. We live an hour from anything and we are always in the car for an extended amount of time. We don't have a DVD player and don't plan on getting one. THANK YOU for your ideas.
ReplyDeleteThe summer plan is great too. I am a planner, so it is right up my ally.
Haters, hate on!...We're going to have an idealistic summer too...
ReplyDeleteor at least try to.
What is the fun in life without a little dreaming, a few {possibly} unrealistic to-do lists? It's what makes life, and seasons, so enchanting.
I'm already searching for VRBO lake homes to rent for cheap (have you ever checked that site out?, you can get some awesome deals), I'm flipping through summer cooking magazines for new recipes to try (blackberry panna cotta anyone?!), and we intend on getting near water as much as possible.
You go Emily!
I love your list! We have a similar list as well! Have fun!
ReplyDeleteI'd rather get excited and plan the perfect summer for my kids than feel overwhelmed by it all and therefore plan to do nothing and have bored kids all summer.
ReplyDeleteHere is my idealistic summer:
It's just me + fetus, the two year old and my hubby this summer :) We are planning a Pirates baseball weekend in Pittsburgh, Niagra Falls and The Hill Cumorah Pagent, possibly a family reunion and at least 2 more temple trips to Maryland.
When we are not on the road we will be spending time at Gymboree and The Please Touch Museum. The pool, the ice cream stand, play dates, the sprinkler, the library, the park and the farmers market.
Even if we only do 1/3 of this I think it will be a fun summer :)
Ugh. I feel schmucky. I was the brat who commented about your perfectly blissful car ride while mine (electronic ridden horror that it was) ended up being miserable. I am happy to report that (Thanks to you, Miss Em) we listened to Lewis's "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" on the way home and it was SO much better than the way up ("It's MY turn on the ipad!!! I don't like that movie! I want a different one! Dad can I play a game on your phone?! Stop biting me, Max! DON'T! It's MIIINNNEEE!" hahah haha) Funny now, but it was MISERY then!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU for inspiring me, Emily!
I am sincerely sorry if I hurt your feelings by "rolling my eyes" at your darling, darling road trip ideas.
joan,
ReplyDeletei couldn't love you more. honestly. not a single hard feeling - and there never was. your honesty is maybe the thing i love most about you.
xo
em
The world would be a sad and miserable place without dreamers. Idealistic parenting is the way to go as long as you don't get down on yourself (or others for that matter) when things don't go perfectly. Keep up your plotting and planning - your kids will have years of memories they will treasure for a lifetime. Love the summer list idea. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder, I want to make ice cream this summer too...some how we didn't last summer. Yum. We onl get a couple weeks with my step-sons so I tend to also dream big, they just love to sit around and play legos all day (boring), but I do schedule that in for them since they love it...and hopefully (please bless) we get some sun in Seattle this summer so we can go outside :)
ReplyDeleteEm, I loved your road trip post, and since car movies are never on my itinerary, I took notes on your suggestions!
ReplyDeleteAnd we have a huge long list taped to the pantry door of our summer plans--we knocked off another one today and took a picnic lunch to see Daddy at work and play in the on-campus water fountains.
We have a summer list of everyday things (journal, read, chores, etc.) and a list of someday things (library, park, star gazing, homemade ice cream, etc.). So far so good.
ReplyDeleteI need to revisit your car trip post- we're headed out soon and I need some creativity!