Summertime Bucket Lists

Fire Island, NY 

Every summer, since my daughter was little, we've made a family bucket list of activities and goals to enjoy. The bucket list is a great way for us to make sure we achieve all of our favorite activities. Like most mothers, I love the summer break, but I also find the break to be a balancing act. It becomes challenging to work from home, accomplishing the daily chores of child rearing, while addressing childhood boredom. Making the list creates an exciting blueprint for the summer, that we can both look forward to.

Some of the activities on my daughter's list were:

• Going To American Girl Doll Store
• Fire Island Vacation
• Going To The Beach
• Sewing Lesson with Patti Gilstrap
• Learning Spanish

Hair Styling at American Girl Doll Store, NYC

I am proud to say we accomplished her list. Including her sewing lesson. Since kiddo was six years old, she's had sewing lessons with Patti Gilstrap. Patti, is an incredible costume designer in New York City and the co-owner of Home Ec and Flirt. She's also Treehouse Shakers' longtime puppet and costume designer. This summer they made a doll, a sister to the cloth doll that was made last year. My daughter also expressed interest in learning Spanish over the summer. Since my Spanish is limited, I ordered 52 Weeks of Family Spanish by Eileen McAree, and several workbooks. This has been an outstanding activity we've added to our daily routine. We also are seemingly getting better at deciphering Spanish-Speaking New Yorkers' conversations on the bus. But the best highlight of my daughter's summer was getting her ears pierced and having her hair styled at the American Girl Doll store. We couldn't have chosen a better place to have her ears pierced, and absolutely loved the stylist. What a magical memory this will always be.

New Jersey Shore, 2018

Mine were similar, but also included:

• Do Something Fun & Unexpected
• Visit Lemon Ice King of Corona, Queens
• Have A Picnic
• Take a few days at New Jersey Shore

For something fun and expected, that seemed to happen multiple times. We were fortunate to have been given tickets to experience Arthur Ashe Kids Day at U.S. Open, which we followed up with a family trip to the Lemon Ice King. I also took the ferry to Governor's Island to listen to poetry with a dear friend, and caught up with friends for lunch or coffee while daughter was in a week-long camp. Our family traveled to the New Jersey shore for a long weekend away, where we soaked up long walks, favorite eateries and of course days on the beach. Back in NYC we had multiple picnics in our local neighborhood park, a great way to enjoy weekend lunches.

I feel fortunate to live in a city that embraces the arts, culture, fun, and so many interesting and city-supported activities. With only a few days left until the start of school, we simply have one more activity to cross off our list (spending the day at NYC's South Street Seaport.) It's hard to believe that summer is coming to a close. Here's a cheer to another fun-filled and adventurous season of summer.

Playing in the Unisphere Fountain, after a day at U.S. Open

*Photo Credits, Mara McEwin iPhone7