Summer is here! Let's get this party started!!

Finally, after what seemed like for-e-vah, the school year came to an end.  Did you have to go to school in June when you were growing up?  Not me. I've never been to school in June in my life, except of course, when I attended summer semesters in college (which was really just to prolong the party season, classes were a side dish).    

But let me just tell you, and I think I can speak for children everywhere not just those who reside in my household....school in June is for the birds. FOR THE BIRDS.

Anywhoo, to celebrate the arrival of our summer and to kick the previous school year to the curb, I made HAPPY END OF SCHOOL buckets for the kids. No, I didn't come up with the idea on my own.  I did what any good mother would do....I stole it from a smart, creative mom, who happens to be a bloggy friend of mine, and doesn't mind when I steal her ideas.

The kids were really excited to learn of this new tradition we would begin to kick start summer each year.  I tried explaining that it wasn't going to be one surprise but rather a series of events, a series that would last all summer. Some added fun to look forward to amidst all the other chaos that is involved with our usual summer.....football workouts, gymnastics training, camps, vacation, reunions, vbs, basketball, weddings, sleepovers, etc.

And so, the buckets (individual color coded popcorn buckets) were filled with:

•  telescopic marshmallow sticks
•  giant bubble wands (who doesn't love bubbles?)
•  tennis balls
•  shrinky dink sets
•  free summer movie schedules
•  craft kits
•  grow your own (legal) herb kits
•  badminton
•  new earbuds for the ipod
•  water balloons
• a calendar of our events
• you get the idea

I had already bought cards for each of them and included a personal note from their Daddy and I about how proud we were of them and how much we enjoyed watching them grow this year in academics, sports, programs, church and life. 

Then I had a revelation about 5 hours before school ended.....wouldn't it be fun to have a picture collage of highlights from the school year, various sporting events, field trips, school plays, etc. And I'm so glad I did that....the kids LOVED it, and had fun remembering their year through photos....and mama has her a nice little keepsake too. I hope to find time to go back and make one from all the previous years as well. Kind of a "year at a glance". Great for sparking conversations and giggles.

Since everything wouldn't fit in the popcorn buckets, I bought fun plastic boxes (which for future use will make for great storage spots for each of them) for their coupons. They had no idea there was more fun waiting inside.

Each box was filled with coupons and gift cards to be used this summer.

• Movie passes (theater and drive-in--we love $10 carload night at the drive-IN!!)
• Family camp outs (to make good use of our telescopic marshmallow stix)
• Picnics--at places locally around our little rural neck of the woods
• Mommy and Me date (they get to pick everything!)
• Swimming (hey Mrs. Joy!! hope to visit soon! :) )
• Baby Girl had a coupon for a pedicure
• Elder Son and Middle Child wouldn't go for a pedicure, so they have multiple passes to the batting cages
• Trips to Aunt Karisa's
• Tennis (my only rule was that we couldn't go during the heat of the day....mama might have a heat stroke)
• Family game night (I can bring a mean game on bowling for the wii)
• Hi-Ho Hi-Ho off to work with Daddy you go (they love, I mean LOVE, spending time at Daddy's office)

So, hopefully I'll be updating throughout the summer as we cash in our coupons for fun galore. And pray right now they don't make me play tennis in the heat. Or choose paintball wars as their date with me. Or camp outs in the rain. Or choose family game night to include two hand touch football. I may not survive. There should be rules. Mental note....Next year I need to print out a set of rules for the buckets. :)