tschecklist

Fall is in the air. The kids are back in school. Leaves are turning, mornings are crisp and evenings are coming quickly. It's beautiful outside my window this afternoon, and after sitting here with my camera in the darkest hours of this morning, warm memories of summer linger. September created distance and granted perspective: this summer was amazing. I think it was my favorite so far. 

On the heels of Cole's birthday and a road trip to Idaho's sunshine, June gloom settled on Whidbey. Gratefully, instead of sulking, the kids and I sat in our big chair with pen and pad; we began to dream. We made a plan for the three FULL months of summer, which lay ahead of us. We brainstormed big and small ideas of how we wanted to spend our days and enjoy our hopes for sunshine's return. 

An hour later, our little list had over 120 items on it. Suddenly, the daunting cloud of 90 school-less days lifted. We had purpose, options, anticipation and no excuses for boredom. 

Like clockwork, the sun shone in all its glory on the 4th of July, and with it, our resolve to court our island, to get to know the big city and to enjoy each day mounted. We worked through our list, and more ideas came. We saw and did things we'd never seen or done before, and we were having a blast.The tattered, scribbled-on, crossed-off list became our rule book in this summertime game, and boy, did we ever play!! 

And now, summer's green is beginning to fade as yellow, amber and auburn patchwork spreads all over the island; fall is just outside my window. A brilliant blue sky inspires, and I am feeling ready for the change. Before I open my arms wide to welcome autumn's return, however, I want to hold, to remember and to express gratitude for the magical months that preceded this one. Yes, I'd like to pay tribute and to say thank you. Thank you for the gift of a summer well lived and the cherished tschecklist indelibly scribbled onto our story.

Things we’d like to do this summer (6/2012)...

Road Trip to Sun Valley*

Swim*

Pick two Seattle Museums and visit.

Museum of Flight

Children’s Museum

Frye Art Museum

Pacific Science Center

Dig It: Fossils Workshop (Everett)

Burke Museum (first Thurs?)

NW African American Museum/Seattle Children’s Play Garden

Seattle Center

Library

Backyard Camp Out (Paul and Cole)

3^rd of July in Sandy Hook with Mulcahys

4^th of July Parade

PTs Firework Extravaganza – 7/4*

Plan End-of-Summer Family Vacation

End-of-Summer Family Vacation*

Date with Natalie (Abi and Paul) – 7/10

Visit Nollans – 7/10

McGees? – 7/30 or 7/31

Uncle Tolu – 6/27-7/1*

Les Miserables with Grandma Karen (Abi and Paul) – 6/28

Visit a Family Fun Center

Pool*

Swim Lessons

Double Bluff*

Paint Escape

Marimba Camp (Maya and Cole)- 7/30-8/2, 8/7-8/10

Coyote Camp (Cole) – 8/6-8/9

Lakeside Bible Camp (Maya) – 7/22-7/28

Dance Workshops (Maya and Abi)

VBS (Maya and Cole) – 7/17-7/20

Campfire/Cookout @Home

Soccer Camp (Maya and Cole) – 8/13 – 8/17

Wellington Fun Friday

Mani/Pedi at Home

Mani/Pedi at Clinton Nails

Movie at the Clyde

Madagascar 3 – 7/6-7/9

The Matrix? Abi and Paul - 7/28 @ 2pm

Walk-on Wednesday Mukilteo Date (Ivars and Ice Cream @the Park, Farmer’s Market)

Attend an Everett Aquasox Game – 7/15

Picnic at Possession Point*

Date with Wichers

Date with Gardiners

Date with Mulcahys

Date with David and Sarah*

Continue Thursday Ballet with Chelsea (Abi)

Play date with Mikenna (Maya)*

Play date with Caitlin (Maya)

Play date with Ryder (Cole)

Play date with Parsells (Maya and Cole)

Island County Fair

Island Country Fair Entry (Abi, Maya, Cole)

Math Workbooks

Master Multiplication Tables (Cole)

Summer Reading (Maya)

Summer Reading (Cole)

Summer Reading (Abi)

Go See RENT (Abi) –8/2

Purchase Birthday Tickets for WICKED

See Willy Wonka @ Seattle Children’s Theatre ($10/ticket) 

Day hike

Green Lake (Splash in Water, Picnic, Soccer, Paddleboats, Rollerblade/Bikes)

Paddleboard (Abi)

Kayak (Abi)

Cashflow For Kids

Family Game Night

Build Model Rocket

Launch Model Rocket at Castle Park

Play Soccer at Langley Park

Fly a Kite at Ft. Casey

Farmer’s Market

Bagels

Factory Outlets

School Clothes Shopping

School Supply Shopping

Make a Fairy with Maya (Abi)

Shakespeare in the Park

Choochokham – 7/7, 7/8

Loganberry Festival 7/21-7/22

Cascadian or Bells (Whidbey) Farms Day Trip (Pick Berries)

Vancouver, B.C.

Picnic at Whidbey Institute

Husky Game(s)

Craft (Maya and Momma)

Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival – 8/13

Play Golf

Family Dinner Date at UBGCC

Blue Fox Drive Inn and Bratland Go-Karts

Purchase Beach Towels

Purchase Skim Boards

Skim board at Double Bluff

Go Crabbing

Family Lego Tournament

Pick Blackberries on Whidbey

Bake Cookies

Water Fun Day (Water balloons, Slip and Slide, Squirt Guns, Hose)

Eddie, Cole, Ryder and Paul go golfing

Garden Maintenance

Plant flowers in Studio Bed

Plant Daffodil Bulbs – 9/2012 (see Sarah 6/25)

Purchase Ice Cream Maker/Make Ice Cream

Linds

Finish Prince Caspian

Read Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The Duck

Underground Seattle Tour

Visit the Schoenbachlers (Paul)

The Great Wheel*

Goss Lake

 Deer Lake

Clean Out the Studio

Studio Sale

Yard Work

Ride a Horse

Seattle Aquarium

Family Bike Ride/Rollerblade

Alderwood Mall

Lego Store

American Girl Doll Store

Ride the Sounder to a Mariner game (Husky Game)

Locks (July)

Seward Park (Rollerblade/Bikes, Sand, Swimming Beach, Playground)

Silverlake (Everett)

Emerald Downs (Auburn)

Train Ride to Tacoma (Point Defiance Park)

Boeing Tour

Mount Rainier

Throw a Frisbee

Toss a Football

Play Tennis

Play Basketball

Attend a Street Dance

Attend a Whidbey Concert/Picnic in the Park

Say yes, when invited to attend gatherings of neighbors or friends

Explore the trails behind the primary school

Invite some folks over for a summer potluck

 Call Lauren (Abi)

 Skimfest

 Prune Farmer’s Market Trail

 Blog

 Folayo*

Make Coconut-Almond Milk (Abi)

Bake Tom’s Chocolate Cake

Master Cleanse (Abi)

Visit Ms. Barbara at Crescent Lake

Walk-on date to Pt. Townsend for Sushi (Abi and Paul)

Master Cleanse… again (Abi)

Pass Swim Test (Cole)

Put together a puzzle

Watch the sun set at Maxwelton Beach

Go Fishing (Paul, Maya and Cole)

Go out of my way to say hello to a familiar face (Abi)

Pioneer Square First Thursday Art Walk (Abi)

Purchase tickets for October trip to Denver

Call or Visit a Grandparent (or five)

Forsake something on this list in the name of…

Family

Friendship

Just say YES

Just say NO!

Breakfast a Mukilteo Coffee Company

End of summer family celebration Dinner. 

And the handful of other things we got to that weren't on the list…

Attended a SWSC swim meet

Visit with Ray
Discovered a new trail run – Pioneer Park (Abi)
Hiked the Trustland Trails (Abi and Paul)
Visit with Maxine, Kendal, David, Karen and Ken*
Coffee with Karen at the Red Cup Café (Abi)
Played 9 holes at Island Greens (Abi and Paul)
Tea with Tohnia (Abi)
Dinner with Ms. Linda
Dinner with the Bs
Camped at Lake Chelan with the Murphys*
Drove through Winthrop

Visited the Frogwell Gardens Biennale Art Show (Abi and Cole) 
Visited the Fremont Troll*
Gasworks Park*
Had a sword fight (Maya and Cole)
Climbed a Rock Wall (Maya and Cole)*

*Photos to follow shortly...