Summer Fun Passport: Play Board Games on a Rainy Day

We didn't have a lot of rainy days this summer. But there was one. And that's when we played Monopoly. Spud's choice. Totally fun. But thank goodness for the new short version.

Check out this year's Summer Bucket list here and all our past Summer Fun entries here.

Summer Fun Passport: Go Kayaking

Deep Cove is a beautiful place to rent a kayak. Aside from cute little islands to explore and beautiful scenery, the boys got right up close to some seals too!

Check out this year's Summer Bucket list here and all our past Summer Fun entries here.

Make Fantastic Mistakes Poster

So, I am taking this course called "How to Learn Math" through Stanford University's online offerings and it's been, well, a little life-changing. Not only is it helping with ways to guide Spud through his interactions with math but it's changing my relationship with it as well!

This poster is one of my assignments for the lesson focussing on the miracle of making errors and what wonderful things it does to brain growth and development. I'm sure we will be referring to this regularly throughout the upcoming school year.

Summer Fun Passport: Go to a Gelateria

EATS  |  VANCOUVER, BC

We have loads of gelaterias in our town. Loads. Good ones too. But we really wanted to take Spud to the crazy one boasting 218 flavours, aptly named La Casa Gelato. It has been so long since we've been he doesn't even remember it! One rule: when sampling the different flavours prior to making your decision ... try at least one out of your comfort zone. At least one. This is what happened:

Spud: Maple Bacon. Turned out to be a good choice. He liked it!

Me: Garlic. I'm not kidding. Very bad choice. I thought it might have a hint of garlic but oh no! It was full-on. I walked over to Hubs to tell him about my terrible mistake and he said "oh my, I can smell it". Be warned.

Hubs: Seaweed. And then vegemite. He didn't mind either but neither made the final cut.

But there was durian and wasabi and kimchi also ... to name a few. How brave would you be?

Final Gelato flavour decisions = very safe:
Spud: Ferrero Roche + Blood Orange
Me: Pear + Peanut Butter Chocolate (with an unwanted, slight hint of garlic)
Hubs: Passion Fruit Chocolate + Maple Walnut

Check out this year's Summer Bucket list here and all our past Summer Fun entries here.

Summer Fun Passport: Learning Morse Code

I found 2 fun sites that Spud used to learn some Morse code here and here. After he played around and practiced for a few days I busted out some physical Dahs and Dits — beads in dots and dashes. He wanted to make a necklace and a bracelet each with a message. He pondered over it for a few days finally landing on "Happy" and "SJTM" (his initials).

Check out this year's Summer Bucket list here and all our past Summer Fun entries here.

Summer Fun Passport: Spend a Day at the Pool

Lucky to have summer babies as friends! Happy birthday N! This year's outdoor pool day was full of games and other fun with friends AND cake! Lucky boy. Sounds like one of the highlights was playing with the dads.

Check out this year's Summer Bucket list here and all our past Summer Fun entries here.

Summer Fun Passport: Amusement Park Day

Check out this year's Summer Bucket list here and all our past Summer Fun entries here.

Summer Fun Passport: Take an After Dark Walk

After dark in the summer, in our neck of the woods, is very late for our little Spud to be up and about ... so I thought this little neighbourhood trundle would be a little treat — Potato the pup enjoyed it too. 

Check out this year's Summer Bucket list here and all our past Summer Fun entries here.

Summer Fun Passport: Go Geocaching

Check out this year's Summer Bucket list here and all our past Summer Fun entries here.

Summer Fun Passport: Take the Pup on a Hike

BURNABY MOUNTAIN  |   NEAR VANCOUVER, BC

Check out this year's Summer Bucket list here and all our past Summer Fun entries here.

Summer Fun Passport: Make a Kiwi Crate Project

It's always so exciting to see what surprises are inside the Kiwi Crate. For example, a star hole punch! That's a keeper! And a free (adorable) deck of cards. Not to mention the cool projects inside. Spud had a great time making this lantern yesterday. The star stickers glow in the dark. The tea light shimmers through the coloured vellum nicely. And we learned a bit about constellations.

We've posted about Kiwi Crate before ... here and here.

Check out this year's Summer Bucket list here and all our past Summer Fun entries here.

Summer Fun Passport: Watch the Sunset

This year's sunset viewing got paired up with seeing/hearing Stanley Park's 9 o'clock gun go off. Not only did we get to see the sunset and the cannon boom into the evening, but we also saw a blue heron (or 2) and a few harbour seals, including a babe with its mom. I love my city.

Check out this year's Summer Bucket list here and all our past Summer Fun entries here.

Summer Fun Passport: Camping with Friends

Check out this year's Summer Bucket list here and all our past Summer Fun entries here.

Summer Fun Passport: Go to an Outdoor Concert

This has been on my wish list for years! Finally, we got to see the VSO outside, in the park, and free! It was a treat building summer time memories on a lovely evening, with good people, on an exceptionally warm evening, in the park. Love my city.

And a little Vine video that sums it up in 6 seconds.

Check out this year's Summer Bucket list here and all our past Summer Fun entries here.

Summer Fun Passport: Make Banana Splits

Check out this year's Summer Bucket list here and all our past Summer Fun entries here.

Summer Fun Passport: Reading Club

Summer Reading Club at our library is something we look forward to each year — this is our 5th year running. I love how each year a new illustrator is featured. And a new theme is explored with games and activities at the local branches. And weekly contests! Spud has won something every year. Lucky bum. 

At the end of the summer, when you've got 50 days of reading done, you have a little booklet with all the books you've read, as a keepsake ... then they present you with a medal (so cute!) AND you get to go "shopping" at a shelving truck stocked full of a wide range of new books.

I'm not sure what the future holds for libraries. I worry about them. It makes me particularly happy when I see them finding clever, well put together ways to connect with the community. I heart our library. 

I would love to know what sort of summer reading programs other libraries do!

Check out this year's Summer Bucket list here and all our past Summer Fun entries here.

Our Passport to Summer Fun 2014

Finally, this year's Summer Fun Passport is made and ready to record all our summer fun activities this year!

See previous years' Summer Fun Passport entries here

Summer Fun Passport List 2014

Here we go again ... our 3rd annual Summer Fun Passport List. Summertime is just around the corner, and I can't wait. What's on your summer bucket list?

1. GO OUTSIDE

• Watch the Sunset
• Make Art, en plein air (with portable sketchbox)
• Fly a Kite
• Take a Neighbourhood Walk, After Dark
• Bike the Seawall
• Go Camping with Friends
• Go on a New Hike with Puppy (avoid burrs!)
• Have a Water Fight
• Make a Sprinkler Play Area in the Yard
• Host a Beach Potluck
• Swim in the Ocean
• Go Kayaking
• Go Sailing
• Spend a Hot Afternoon at an Outdoor Pool
• Go to at least one of the local Summer Night Markets
• Go to an Outdoor Concert. The VSO!
• Go Nature Journaling
• Go Canoe Camping
• Go Geocaching
• Go Berry Picking
• Spend a Day at the Amusement Park
• Plant a Tree Somewhere
• Grow Something in the Garden
• Train for a 5K fun run

2. READ + WRITE

• Join the library's Summer Reading Club
• Write Letters to Family (using our letter writing kit)
• Write a Book Review (like this)
• Write a Fan Letter
• Start a Journal

3. DO

• Run a Lemonade Stand
• Choose a Science Experiment to do with Daddy (from this book)
• Learn some Morse Code
• Work on Stamp Collection
• Wash the Car
• Play Board Games on a Rainy Day
• Take a Cooking Class
• Learn about an Unfamiliar Country and Try its Cuisine (we did Ethiopia last year)
• Go to a Gelateria

4. MAKE

• Do a Soapstone Carving
• Make a Kiwi Crate Project (like this)
• Draw Castles
• Make another Heart Map
• Create Cityscape with Block Printing
• Make a Klimt-inspired Art Piece (inspired by our trip to Vienna. See here + here.)
• Make a Weaving
• Decorate Mugs with Porcelain Pens (tutorial here)
• Decorate a T-Shirt
• Sew Your Own Zipper Bag
• Make Sprinkle Milkshakes (like this)
• Make a Solar Powered Lunch (Pizza + Tea)
• Make the Parents Lunch
• Make a Spring-form Cake
• Make Freezer Jam
• Make Banana Splits
• Make a New Zoku (popsicle) Recipe

Here's our 2013 list and our 2012 list and here are all our "ticks" so far.
And I'm pinning all kinds of summer fun here all the time.

Chihuly Glass Garden

TRAVELS WITH KID  |  SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Spud's birthday request was to drive down to Seattle to have dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. Sounds a little crazy but we did it! We wrapped it all up with a visit to the EMP, which was amazing, and to the Chihuly Glass Garden, which was jaw dropping, and called it an "experiential" birthday present. The cherry on the cake was going with good friends. Here's a sample of what we enjoyed at the garden.

Makes Me Happy: Puppy's Poophaus

Also known as la casa de caca. No matter what you call it ... poop in predictable places makes me happy ... well, happier than poopy surprises throughout our yard, anyway.

>>Welcome to Makes Me Happy Wednesdays. A photo. A caption. Just a little something for which I am grateful.

Cherry Blossoms: Nitobe Gardens

Nitobe Memorial Gardens, UBC   |   Vancouver, BC

Every year is different, it's near impossible to predict exactly the best time and place for viewing the spring spectacular of cherry blossoms in full bloom. This year we thought we'd check them out at the Nitobe Gardens, a place we've been meaning to visit for some time anyway. While we may have been a smidge early for the full blooming glory, we were nonetheless treated with a gorgeous, peaceful place to stroll and appreciate a myriad of vistas.

Our Summer Day Camp Shortlist 2014

SUMMER DAY CAMP 2014 |  VANCOUVER, BC

• Bike Camp  —  Pedalheads
• Cooking Science and Urban Design  —  Pear Tree Education
• Dog Agility Training Camp  —  DogSmart
• Fencing  —  UBC Summer Camp
• Golf Camp  —  The First Tee, YMCA
• Minecraft Camp  —  MineCampKids

Others we've participated in the past with a thumbs up:
Arts Umbrella  —  Fine, Performing, and Media Arts
Christianne's Lyceum — Book Clubs, Writing Clubs, Creativity and Imagination
Dizzy Whisk  —  Cooking
Eliot Creative Arts Camp — Multi-generational Overnight Camp
MacSailing — Sailing, Kayaking and Stand-up Paddleboarding
Seymour Eco-Adventure Camp  — Hiking, Survival Skills, Wilderness Appreciation
Science World  —  Science
YMCA  —  Swimming, Group Games and Activities, Field Trips, Themes

Others that we want to check out next year:
Mozart School of Music
Archery! If we can find something close by ...

Today's Lunch: Gluten-Free Pancake Sandwich is the Star

I'm always on  the hunt for grain-free or at least gluten-free ideas for lunches that are still satisfying for our gluten-worshipping boy (he really LOVES his bread ... and pasta ... and all things wheat-y). I was happy that Hubs made extra gluten-free pancakes on the weekend; for lunch I made a jam sandwich from a couple of them. My preference would be to add some almond butter to the mix but that has to be reserved for after school snacks since our school is religiously nut-free.

Makes Me Happy: Tree Hugger

>>Welcome to Makes Me Happy Wednesdays. Just a little photo of something for which I am grateful.

Today's Lunch: Greek Pasta Salad

Greek Pasta Salad: Gluten-free rotini, Chicken, Feta, Olives, Green Pepper, Strawberry Tomato, Grapeseed oil, S + P, and Oregano.

Easter Eggs: Food Colouring, Rubber Bands and Sharpies

I had a lot of fun with the white and especially the silver metallic Sharpie.

Here are Spud's creations, including a football!

You can always expect Hubs' creations to go in an unexpected direction ... national eggs!

Easter Peeps Fruit Skewers

Apple pear, pineapple, grapes, watermelon and Peeps skewers to share with friends on Easter Friday!

Makes Me Happy: Spring Surprises

Our first spring in our new house has been full of surprises, including glorious tulips and bunches and bunches of grape hyacinth popping up everywhere! We happily added those daisy-like flowers into the mix ... the colour combination is making me very happy.

>>Welcome to Makes Me Happy Wednesdays. A photo. A caption. Just a little something for which I am grateful.

Today's Lunch: Teddy Bear Sanny

Celebrating our new acquisition of these long-coveted lunch containers by Easy Lunch Boxes with a  little Teddy Bear's Picnic today. Love the separate compartments!

Ripley's Aquarium of Canada and Sawfish Love

A recent trip to Toronto was mainly about being with family but we did manage to squeeze in some touristing too. The largest aquarium in Canada had opened since we last visited there and it was getting some good reviews. So Spud and I checked it out.

There are no whales or dolphins or seals; that didn't bother Spud one bit; he's more of a non-mammal guy anyway. But there was an amazingly long underwater tunnel through a 2.5 million litre tank! If you can believe it. It includes a ride on a slow moving sidewalk which is a genius method for dealing with crowds — every spot is a front row seat to beautiful vistas including colourful fish, rays, sharks, turtles and sawfish.

Spud was really excited to see the endangered green sawfish up close, in person. He's had a fascination with sawfish since his grade 2 project on endangered animals. This was his rendition of the sawfish reproductive cycle. The two in love kill me every time.