Swim camp started last week (summer swim team’s Covid-19 cousin), the fireflies are out, and the gardenias are blooming – three cyclical indicators that school is out and summer is here. To say this school year felt different with its abrupt stop, online restart, and virtual year-end parties (my older daughter’s teacher is visiting in person this week) would be an understatement. Despite how the school year changed, I’m so very thankful for our amazing teachers who worked tirelessly to recreate content and stay connected, and the entire school community who stayed in touch with helpful newsletters and silly videos.
In looking back at the end of the school year, I hope my kids found closure in its ending. I know it seemed anticlimactic compared to previous years, but we tried staying true to some traditions – picking out any cereal they want for the last day (yes, I’m the mom who doesn’t do everyday sugar cereals), taking last day of school pics (poolside this year), making “thank you” teacher cards, and receiving some year-end sussies (a term my mom coined decades ago to mean thoughtful gifts).
We also did some new things to signal the end of the year. We drove through the school’s carpool lane like it was a Chick-fil-a drive-thru to collect yearbooks and all their items left in the classroom. Our kids said goodbye to friends and teachers virtually through online end-of-year parties. And, my older daughter’s teacher is stopping by for a visit this week (cue the happy tears).
The end of the school year wouldn’t be complete without a summer bucket list to ease our transition into the summer months and motivate us to do some things, especially when boredom sets in. So, here it goes…
- Build a Little Free Library
- Make an indoor cardboard creation
- Visit a new ice cream place
- Try a new pizza joint
- Visit the beach
- Visit the mountains
- Survive our 40th birthdays
- Learn about the stars and some basic astronomy
- Catch fireflies
- Watch an outdoor movie
- Finish making our Covid-19 time capsules
- Carve watermelons into art (thanks, Nailed It!)
- Host a rose` wine tasting
- Hone my recipe for grilled buffalo chicken waaaangs
Want to see bucket lists from year’s past:
Great bucket list!! Have a wonderful summer, everybody! Hope I get to taste some of those chicken wings!
An Oscar to Kris for being the most creative mother I have ever known!! Love the history of the summer bucket lists… and how the girls will enjoy looking at those in years to come. This year looks like a winner…. Lots of love for weeks of fun! Grandma Bev
#6 is my favorite! Come this way PLEEEEAASSSSEEEEE!!! Love ya!