Summer Bucket List

Happy Summer! We are officially in June and full blown summer mode around here. This time last year Everette was only 9 months old, still napping twice a day, and very much good to go with the flow of whatever I was doing. 

This year I've got a full blown busy toddler on my hands! Every early childhood / elementary teacher will tell you that days run much smoother when there is a routine in place, and a plan! This teacher mama got to work and "lesson planned" for the summer. Here's our bucket list to keep your littles busy! 

OUT AND ABOUT: 

*Story time at your local library 

* Splash pad at the park 

* Visit the Aquarium 

* Fit For Fun downtown

* Open gym at Carolina Gymnastics 

* Meet friends for snow cones 

* Visit the children's museum 

* Stroll around Airlie Gardens 

*Try a $1 movie for the first time (if you only last 20 min, you're only out a dollar or two!) 

*Ride the train at the mall 

AT HOME FUN: 

*Have a playroom picnic on a rainy day 

* Play in the water table 

* Draw with sidewalk chalk 

* Make homemade ice cream 

* Shaving cream play 

* Ice painting 

* Water balloon play 

* Glow in the dark bath 

* Popsicles on the porch 

* Blow bubbles 

* Run through the sprinklers 

*Play in a blow up pool 

Living in Wilmington, we are so fortunate to have the beach right here in our backyard, so I'm counting on plenty of beach, boat and pool days as well! P.S. All of these activities listed are even more fun with a friend! 

What activities are you planning to do with your littles this summer? Are there any special places to visit that are unique to your area? I would love to know how you will be spending your summer keeping everyone busy! 

May Book Review

Happy June friends! I can not believe that we are officially in June. May feels like it just completely flew by with wrapping up preschool for the summer, Mother's Day celebrations and Memorial Day. Throughout the month I read 3 fantastic books each with a different theme, but loved them all! 

There has been such a buzz about this book since it came out, so I was super excited to see it on Audible. Even though it's more of a coffee book table, I really enjoyed listening to it because it was read by the author herself, who is the cutest ever. Anytime a book is a read by the author, I find it to be so much more fun to listen to. 

Another bonus I liked about listening to it vs. actually reading is that the audible version comes with a PDF of all of the photos and recipes used throughout the hard copy, so you don't miss out on anything and let's be honest, these days I'm all about taking a screenshot of something to remember it by. 

I had heard amazing reviews about this book before it was even released and they were so true. I read this book each morning this month as my devotional, and it truly stirred my Mama heart. This is one of those books you want to underline everything, and you come back to again and again. If you are a young Mom, I can not recommend this book enough. 

I was so excited when this book finally released! If you have read my other book reviews, then you know that this winter I started this series and flew through the first two, so I've been on pens and needles waiting for the final installment to come out, and it did not disappoint. It is the perfect book to listen to while cooking dinner, folding laundry, and to take to the beach. Bonus, the author is a North Carolina girl! 

Now that it's officially summer I am looking forward to tackling a few more books than usual and maybe enjoy some time reading on the beach...if I book the babysitter ha!