Our 2016 Summer Break Bucket List

One week.  That's how long we've been on Summer Break as a family.  It feels strange considering most of my family and close friends have been on break since the middle and/or end of May.  Don't love schools that get out late?  Not I.  Anyways, we spent our first week just relaxing, sleeping in and really not having any rhyme or rhythm as to what we wanted to do, but I've decided that we need to experience a few adventures.

You know, have some actual planned activities.   Sure it's nice to sleep in and we're enjoying the flexible to come and go as we please immensely.  However, I don't sleeping in, watching tv and doing nothing to be ALL that we do this summer.  So with a little input from the kids below is our 2016 Summer Break bucket list.

Our Summer Break Bucket List

• Go to the beach:  We haven't been to the beach in ages, which is pretty awful considering my brother lives at the beach.  The kids have been asking when they will get to see Uncle Lenny since they haven't seen him this year.  Talk about crazy!  Plus, JJ hasn't been on an actual beach like sand, seashells and the wide open ocean since he was in my womb.  I'm sucking it up and taking the four drive to hang out with my brother and catch some rays (with sunblock of course, I sun burn).

• Visit a friend: Now that we are officially a two car household, there's no excuse to not visit one of my best friends.  She lives a little under 3 hours from me and we've been trying to connect in person for a year.  However, the timing was never right, she was either sick when I could use the Mr's car and then there was that time she came all the way to the Queen City, but the kids and I had the stomach virus.  The stars have finally aligned and I can't wait to hang out with her and her little cutie!

• Have a cookout:  Three years.  I haven't grilled outdoors in three years y'all!  This is nuts because I'm the griller in my family.  I've gone from grilling out year round to not grilling since our grill got stolen three years ago.  Whelp, it times to blow that dust off my grilling skills and there's no better time than this Summer to start testing out new burger recipes.

• Join a book club:  Y'all already know that my love of books knows no limits.  I'm the woman who has so many books, I broke two bookshelves because they just couldn't hold the weight of my books.  I've passed my passion for books and words on to Moo and she's been asking to join a kiddie book club.  Likewise I'm wanting to join an adult book club so that I can get my fangirl on with other book nerds.

• See a waterfall:  We were watching a movie a few weeks ago and Moo asked me if I've ever seen a waterfall.  Of course I have because we have a small one in my hometown.  It dawned on me that aside from TV and pictures my kids have never seen a waterfall.  So we're rectifying this situation before school starts back.

• Hike/walk a nature trail:  I think we'll be doing more walking than hiking.  My kids can be a bit unsturdy on their feet.  So we're going to walk at least three of the numerous trails we have here in the Queen City.  I feel blessed to have all the advancements of city living, but the comforts of country life as well.  Not many cities offer both.  I would like hike a more advanced trail sans the kids before September tho.

• Build a sandcastle:  We've always been so unprepared on our trips to the sandbox.  Two weeks ago I finally invested in some pails and shovels for the kids and this week we're going to complete our sandcastle building toolboxes by adding a few sandcastle molds to our collection.  Then we're going to schedule a day to get up early, head to our favorite park with the good moldable sand and build until our hearts are content!

• Visit the Farmer's Market:  When I was a kid, my mom would take us to the farmer's market almost every Saturday and sometimes on Sunday.  I want to start up this tradition with my kids.  We've only been to one of our farmer's markets and that was a few year ago when JJ was still able to ride comfortable in a stroller and was still breastfeeding.

• Have a bubble party:  Who doesn't love bubbles?  JJ's former speech therapist used bubbles as part of his therapy to help him open up and get comfortable.  So bubbles will always have special meaning for our family and be a part of his story.  Why not get a few gallons of bubble mixer, a bubble machine and just go crazy?!

• Decorate t-shirts: Moo's class was supposed to tie dye t-shirts the last week of school, but they never got around to it.  So we're adding it to our list and JJ can join in on the fun.  This will be another first for them because they've never tie dyed anything before.

• Watch the sun set:  A few nights ago we drove around to get a good view of the Strawberry Moon.  The kids loved it.  So I think hanging out at one of our local parks and enjoying the sun set will be equally enjoyable.  I love that my kids love nature and the beauty of God's creations.

• Attend an outdoor movie:  This is something I've personally wanted to do since I was a kid.  Now that I have kids, I get to mark this first off my list and theirs.  Two birds, one stone. Kinda of.

• Host a family game night:  Not just any family game night either.  I'm talking about the ultimate family game night with Grandma, Auntie Cat, and Cousin O!  Scrabble, Connect 4 and UNO are just a few of the games we'll play.  We'll have everyone's favorite snacks and maybe even end the night with a movie- Zootopia.

• Keep a Summer journal:  What better way to keep track of our Summer adventures than through a journal.  Mine will more than likely be a combination of pictures, video and writing.  Also, I'll be sharing our adventures here on the blog as well.  This will also be a good way to help Moo keep up her writing skills and help JJ get better with his handwriting and started on learning how to spell.

• Read 100 books:  Last Summer we read over 100 books and I'm hoping this year we'll do the same.  We've been reading more chapter books than picture books so I'm not sure.

• Explore the Queen City:  I've been in Charlotte for over a decade and still I go to my same old stomping grounds and favorite neighborhoods.  This Summer our goal is to venture out and explore new places and parts of our beloved city that we haven't.

Now that you've read what's on our Summer Bucket List, why don't create your own.  Right-click and save the FREE printable below to get started.

What will you put on your Summer Bucket List?

The YUMMommy 100 Books Family Summer Reading Challenge

Reading.  It's always been one of my first loves, probably since I came out of the womb.  If you were to ask my mother what things she never saw me without, I have no doubt that her reply would be: "A notebook, a pen and a book."  Thankfully, my children have inherited my same love and adoration for the written word.  And this summer, we want to help you and your family do the same by asking you to join in The YUMMommy 100 Books Family Summer Reading Challenge!

Why Are We Challenging Your Family To Read?

It's simple.  Reading is important!  Regardless if you or child like to read or dread it like a visit to the dentist office, reading is a fundamental part of our everyday lives.  We are parents read our children's homework and school papers, we read road signs when we drive and many of us have to read on our jobs. For these reasons alone, we should show an interest in reading, but the most important reason by far for us to enjoy reading is to help our children become good readers.

Did you know that in many areas students now have to pass an end-of-the-year reading competency test?  Did you also know that some of those school districts are requiring children who do not or cannot read on or at their current grade level to repeat that same grade an additional year?  The fact of the matter is that schools are now requiring more from students than they did when we were school and definitely more than was required of our parents.  As Moo's principal put it at her kindergarten graduation, "Parents, you may have noticed that kindergarten is the new first grade." 

So depending on the teacher ALONE to teach your child everything he or she needs to know in my opinion would be doing your child (and yourself) a great disservice.  In fact, I'd go as far to say that to do so would be foolish.  We are our children's first teachers and our job to teach and instruct our children doesn't stop when they start school.  If nothing else, we need to be partnering with teachers and coming up with specific game plans on how to help our children continue to excel and reach their highest potential.  The key to helping them reach that potential is starting with reading.

How do you participate in the YUMMommy 100 Books Family Summer Reading Challenge?

Well, I'm glad you asked.  It's really quite easy.  All you and your family have to do is read 100 books in total between now and August 18th.  Now I know you may thinking that 100 books seems like a lot, but it's not.  Let's say your daughter reads one book, your son reads two books to you before bed and you finish that juicy crime mystery novel today, that counts as a total of four books read.  See how fast books can add up?!  100 books before the end of summer is totally doable!

I've even decided to help make it easy for you and family to keep up with how many and what books you've read.  Below are two printables.  The first is printable is graph with 100 blocks on it.  Simply coloring in a block each time you and family completely finish a book.  Don't forget that while reading individually is good, reading with your children or encouraging our older children to read with their younger siblings is better.  Plus, who can doesn't need more family bonding time.  And it's a great way to witness and keep track of your child's reading progress.

Just right click and save/print.

The second printable is a reading log.  Counting both the white and turquoise spaces, you can record 19 books on each reading log.  So print out two pages for each family member and get to reading!

Right click to save & print

Be sure to follow the #100Books hashtag on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to keep up with what the YUMMommy family will be reading.  Also, feel free snap pictures of you and your little ones reading and tag them using the hashtag as well!  Stop back by on Wednesday as I'll be sharing a list of books Moo and JJ will be reading this summer for our family reading challenge. (View the list here)

What's on your summer reading list?

Summer Learning With Kidobi

This post is sponsored by Kidobi.  All opinions are 100% our own (me & Moo)!

It's officially summer vacation.  Let the sleeping in, pool parties, video gaming and tv watching begin!!  Wait, wait, not so fast.  Parents I'm sure I don't have to tell you how easy it is for kids to lose a lot of what they learned in school over summer break.  As a former teacher and parent, I've found this to be especially true in younger children ages 4-10.

Once you get them hooked on learning, you really have to keep the momentum up. Their little minds work a 1,000 miles a minute.  And if you're not making sure enough educational stuff is going into their brains, then it's pretty much a wrap.  However, the trouble can be trying not to bombard them.  After all it is summer break.

That's where Kidobi comes in.  As much as I hate to admit it, Moo and JJ are at the ages where nothing is more important than their precious tv/screen time.  I mean Moo will have a fit if she can't watch five minutes of her beloved Power Rangers.  Don't even get me started on the number tantrums that JJ has thrown down because an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse has gotten cut short.

At the end of day, their so-called need for sitting in front of the tv or iPad screen doesn't have to be a bad thing.  In fact, Kidobi is an online video content provider for children ages 2 to 6.  And here are a few things that I like about it:

• Simple Registration:  I don't know about you but I don't like sites that make me jump through hoops just to sign-up for their services.  I just don't have time for 101 questions.  With Kidobi, you have the option of registering using your Facebook page or by using your email address.  Both ways are quick easy and simple.  I'm talking under 10 minutes.

• Customization:   You get to use an avatar for your child, which I love because it's a great safety feature.  You can also create a nickname for your child's profile.  So, when Moo logs in, she actually sees her name on her profile.  In terms of content, during the registration phase you get to enter in a list of your children's likes as well as a list of topics to avoid to help customize your child's playlist.  Speaking of playlists, you and your child can create and save their favorite videos to different playlists.

•  Educational:  Remember that list of likes you entered?  Well, that's what your child will be learning about.  For example, one of the likes I entered for Moo was "singable songs about letters" and so her playlists are full of videos with fun ways to sing about the alphabet.  She gets to have fun watching cartoons while still learning.  And this gives me piece of mind because I know her tv watching isn't in vain.

• On The Go:  Y'all know that I stay on the go a lot.  Most parents do.  Therefore, I like the fact that Kidobi has an app that I can download to iPad and iPhone.  So, Moo can keep the learning party going even while we're in the car, at the doctor's office or down visiting with my mom.

• Plan Options:  Just like the registration, Kidobi keeps it simple by offering two plan options.  Parents can either subscribe to their Free Videos package or their Premium Videos package ($8/month).  I really love that they offer a Free Videos package because it just goes to show you how committed they are to providing  meaningful video content to our kids.

What does Moo like about Kidobi?  

• Fun:  "I like watching videos!"  That she does.  It's "fun" as she told went on to tell me.  See parents, learning can be fun.  And one of the reasons, I think it's so fun is because she gets to watch educational video clips from shows she already knows like Pocoyo.

• Technology:  Moo is too thrilled that she can do Kidobi on the iPad.  It makes her feel like a 'Big Girl.'  And I love the exposure she's getting to working computers and tablets.

All in all, we both give Kidobi a thumbs up! It's definitely worth trying out if your child enjoys television.   It's also a great way to know that your children are watching things that are wholesome and suitable for their innocent eyes.  Seriously, give it a whirl for yourself.  Also, be sure to follow Kidobi on Twitter and Facebook!