What I Did On My Summer Vacation...

Well, summer vacation is about half over - already! I had decided, before vacation even began, to not fritter away the days, so I made a summer To-Do list, and we've been having a wonderful time keeping very B-U-S-Y! Here's a list of the great things we've done so far...

• Signed up for the summer reading programs at our town library and at Barnes and Noble
• Visited our library at least once a week and the library in a neighboring town several times
• Watched a couple of good old movie musicals: "Singin' In the Rain" and "The Music Man"
• Went to see "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl"
• Visited Red Oak Nature Center in Aurora
• Hung a bird feeder and a humming bird feeder outside our kitchen window and are making a list of the different species of birds that are dropping by for a bite to eat
• Visited Naper Settlement in Naperville
• Visited Blackberry Farm Pioneer Village in Aurora
• Heard the Chicago Children's Choir perform in an outdoor concert at Cantigny in Wheaton
• Met Hannah's China group at Splash Country in Aurora
• Met Rachel's China group at a splash pad in Glen Ellyn
• Visited the Chicago Historical Museum
• Visited the Shingoethe Museum of Native American Cultures at Aurora University
• Read "Meet Kaya" aloud
• Created and implemented a new chore chart and routine for the girls (well, OK, this one's more fun for me than for the girls!)
• Spent the day at the Warren Dunes in Michigan

Al and I are having a wonderful time with the girls, making so many memories. I'm careful with the budget, since gas is taking a big bite out of our entertainment funds each time we plan something. But between coupons, special deals and free admissions, it really doesn't have to cost much to have a great time. For example, today was free admission day at the Chicago Historical Museum. The concert at Cantigny was free, as was our afternoon at Red Oak Nature Center. And I'm getting really good at packing our lunches and snacks to save a few bucks there, as well (not to mention it's a lot healthier than most concession stand food).

And we're nowhere near finished with our list of ideas! We'll be spending this weekend with Hannah's China group at the home of one of the families who lives in the Quad Cities. Then it's two weeks in New England visiting Nana and our cousins. That trip will include visits to the VonTrapp Lodge in Vermont (to accompany the girls' love of "The Sound of Music"), Paul Revere's home and the Old North Church in Boston (to complement our reading of "Meet Felicity"), and the Providence Children's Museum. When we get home, it's a week of Vacation Bible School for the girls, a Kane County Cougars game, and at least a couple more museum and farm visits. Oh, yeah, and Elburn Days. And mini golf. And berry picking...

Gotta get to bed early tonight. Tomorrow we're off to visit a place where they raise sheep, and then spin the wool into yarn. Three things I love - sheep, spinning, and knitting. And then it's on to a used book store my neighbor discovered. Something else I love - good bargain books!