Summer 2012

It’s almost summer (well June in my book is the start of summer) and we’re ready to have some family fun. I love warm weather and sunshine it makes me feel alive, the world seems to grow and expand in front of you. Our garden looks lush and full, the fruit and vegetables taste richer, the colours more vibrant. Yes I can go on about Summer and on and on.

This year it is the first as a family that we haven’t been pregnant, with a non-walker and pregnant or with a new born and a recent walker. Instead I have 1 true toddler (T will be 15 months old in a few days) and 1 almost 3 year old (J will be 3 in August) and we want to do first with them.

They have already done some major firsts – first smile, first roll, crawl, walk, teeth, words but now I want them to have first of experiences. Things that I remember from my childhood and growing up, experiences that excite the soul and makes you feel alive. These maybe as small as holding a butterfly in their hands to major, swimming in the sea for the first time.

So we are writing a bucket list of things that we would like to do – this is in extra of our normal everyday activities that we will continue to do but these are aims for over the summer months to remind us. Some of these we will plan for and others we will do on the spur of the moment when the mood takes us.

• Collect shells and natural finds from the beach
• Hold a butterfly in our hand
• Learn to blow bubbles
• Swim in the sea
• Go net shrimping
• Paint outside in the rain
• Watch a sunrise or sunset in the garden (most likely a sun rise in our house)
• Visit London during one of the events this year either Jubilee or Olympics

Yes our list is short but these are first for our children, this summer of their lives, we plan to do the first of the list tomorrow and are heading into London to see the Flotilla on the Thames in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee.