Summer Bucket List 2012

It's that time again. Time to go out and GRAB US SOME SUMMER!!

At the beginning of each summer, the kids and I sit down and brainstorm a summer bucket list.  

The rules for the brainstorming sessions usually are that we take turns, each of us writing down an idea of something to do, to see, to visit, to make over the summer. No one is allowed to nay-say, whine, grumble, or otherwise complain about anyone else's idea. Plus, anything goes when we are making the list. One year we had "visit China" on the list. (We went to a Chinese restaurant, did a Chinese art project, and, completely unplanned and unexpected, one of the Jedi's co-workers gave us a souvenir from China.)

Now, we usually aren't able to do everything on the list, but it's there, and we try to do at least one thing each week.

This summer, we broke our own rules a little bit. We made the list in the car on the way home from an outing with Tia Smurf. Tia Smurf was writing things down, and I was driving, and we failed to take turns like we usually do. The result is a list that's pretty art heavy, cause Smurf and I were sitting in the front seat. But, we had the list hanging on the fridge for at least a couple of weeks, and items were added on as kids thought of them, so I'm hopeful that everyone still got their share of wishes on the bucket list.

• Wednesdays on the Green @ CCAC---Free concerts and other fun activities. The kickoff is June 6th at 7pm featuring the Comet Bluegrass Allstars. My children need to hear Bluegrass :)

• Choir Game Pigs---That's right, baby! The pigs are back! We're totally going to take a day to go see them!

•  World Choir Games--Maybe as volunteers, maybe as buying tickets. But this is awesome and epic, and we need to see some of it!

• Art for All-- To celebrate it's 80th anniversary, the Taft Museum is displaying its works in 80 locations across Cincinnati. That's like a giant art scavenger hunt

• Artworks Murals--There's a huge list of Artworks Murals, a huge list! We aren't going to have the stamina to see them all, but I'd like to take camera and sketchbook and go see some of them. And maybe then paint our own on the back of the garage!

• Cincinnati Roller Girls Game--I've never seen a roller derby game, but I'm super impressed and in awe of the women and girls who compete in this sport. I think Sweetling and Toa will be as well!

•  Cincinnati Zoo-- This one is always a winner! The trick is to hit the zoo when they aren't too crowded and it isn't too hot! I wish I could say I have a perfect solution to that connundrum, but I don't. I think we'll try for a week day on the second week of June and just cross our fingers and hope for the best. On the other hand, if we go the last week of May, we'll be in time for Zoo Babies!

• Frisbee Golf-- ok, ok, technically the sport is not officially called 'frisbee golf'. But whatever you call it, there are several great courses around Cincinnati.

• Human Hamster Balls @ Newport on the Levee--  This is a bucket list item from last summer that never quite got realized (I'm blaming the busted ATM machine on the levee and a ridiculous cash only attraction. Really, who carries cash?) At any rate, it's a must-do item for this year.

• Rubber Duck Regatta -- In September, Cincinnati hosts the biggest rubber duck race ever. Check out these quick facts about the race. Toa of Boy really wants to sponsor a duck in the race!

Ok, click here and pretend these words are actually a very cool embedded video of last year's duck race.

• Cardboard Boat Regatta -- Because why confine ourselves to ducks only? Of course, we'll probably just spectate the race in the park....and then build and launch our own boats in some other location. Oh yes, yes we will!

• Sebastian's -- My children do not know what a gyro is. This must be rectified.

• Tour of Hamilton County Parks -- We hit the ones near us over and over and over again through the year. This summer, I want to visit one NEW park each week. We'll post about what we find.

• Miniature Golf-- It's not just golf in miniature. It's miniature golf. (Though, I'm not sure if Toa of Boy wanted to go play miniature golf somewhere or make his own miniature golf course. I shall have to seek clarification.)

• Red Bag Sale at the Main Library-- $10 for a big red bag stuffed full of books? Oh yeah, we're there. (And if you'd like to be there too...this year's Red Bag Sale is on Friday, June 8th from 9am to 5pm. We park in the two hour spots on Court Street.)

• Nature Art-- I told you this year's list was art heavy. But check out this beautiful gallery of nature inspired art. We are totally going out and making some of our own designs.