Summer Recap {2012}

It's official. Summer is over. womp.womp. On a happy note though, pumpkin spice lattes are back at Starbucks today. (yay!!)

I created a little to-do list for our family to work on when summer first started. I thought it would be fun to look back and see what we were actually able to accomplish from the list. I was surprised. We did more than I thought we did. However, not everything got crossed off the list but who is able to accomplish everything on their to-do list? Certainly not this girl. Although, I secretly wish I could.

Here is a reminder of our list:

1. Go to the Farmer's Market in Madison
2. Brewers Games
3. Camping with Aidan (even if it's only in our backyard)
4. Fishing
5. Trips to the zoo
6. Bike Rides
7. Travel Up North
8. Boat Rides
9. Fireworks
10. Enroll Aidan in t-ball and soccer
11. Watch Tommy's baseball games
12. Go to the beach...build a sandcastle
13. Take family pictures
14. Host a book drive
15. Go on a picnic
16. See a parade
17. Go to a fair
18. Attend Jazz in the park
19. Participate in a 5K
20. Catch a sunrise
21. Run through the sprinkler
22. Learn to golf 

The things in bold, we didn't get to. Kind of a bummer BUT there is always next summer. We could still do a few of  these things too as long as the weather stays nice (like camp, see a sunrise and golf). We missed our chance to see a parade and go to Jazz in the Park. Even though we didn't get to everything on the list, we did a few things that weren't on the list. We grilled pizza for the first time, I planted flowers in my garden for the first time, we had lots of smores and celebrated veterans. We managed to do all of this with record setting temperatures here in Milwaukee.

We went to several Brewers games. Uncle Danny took Aidan fishing while we were on vacation. We went to the zoo a few times. Road bikes almost daily. Went Up North for a week in July and went on plenty of boat rides. Saw fireworks on the 4th of July. Aidan played both t-ball and soccer. Auntie Lindsay took Aidan to the beach on his birthday. We took family pictures in June. We collected books to be donated on Grayson's behalf for his first birthday. We went on a picnic while on vacation. We went to state fair and had a blast! I did my first 5K a couple of weeks ago and Aidan loved running through the sprinkler. We also celebrated all of the boys birthdays. I'd say it was a good summer! 

How did you spend your summer?! 

Rhinelander {2012}

Every year in July we spend a week in Rhinelander, WI with my family. We've done this every July for as long as I can remember. Some of my fondest memories are from our Up North vacations. This year was no different. I was a bit nervous about how Gray was going to do, especially because he had just been so sick but he did AWESOME. Both my boys did.

We ended up leaving a day later than we had initially planned, due to Grayson not feeling well. I was worried about how he would do in the car for so long (it's a four hour drive so not super long but he had never been in the car for more than an hour). We thought the best thing to do would be to leave at nap time so that he would sleep for majority of the ride and it worked. He slept for half of the car ride. When he was awake, he was completely content watching Elmo on the DVD player. Aidan always does well in the car. In fact, I don't think he even asked the dreaded "are we there yet?"

We spent our days swimming, boating, fishing, tubing, eating, drinking, reading, resting, playing games, going for walks. You get the picture. This year we lucked out, the weather was fantastic. It only rained one day so we were able to spend majority of our time outside, which is how it should be. We also had many firsts. Aidan jumped off the end of the pier for the first time.  He went tubing for the first time. He got to drive the jet ski (with Tommy) and do "360s." Grayson had his first long car ride. He floated in the lake for the first time. Went on his first boat ride. He also took his first steps and my guess is within the next week or so we will have a little walker on our hands. We saw otters swimming in the lake for the first time.  I was able to finish both books I brought up to read. Another first, which goes to show how wonderful the boys did. I can rarely read a chapter at home, much less two books from start to finish. Tommy bought three pounds (yes, pounds!!) of taffy from the candy store, which was another first. We had such a wonderful time but are glad to be home.