Summer Bucket List.

Now that summer is here, I have been mulling over all the things I want to make sure we're able to do before the kids go back to school and the weather turns cold again.

I've been mentioning aloud several things we want to do this year and with that T made his own list. It left both J and I in a fit of giggles.

His list includes:
Pulling an all nighter (not going to happen, this kid needs sleep!)
Having two sleepovers in a row (could happen)
Drinking a case of Mountain Dew in a weekend (considering we don't have Mountain Dew in our house this isn't likely over here)
Biking to DQ (and we have a winner!)

Oh to be an 11 year old boy!

In addition to all those days we love to spend at the pool or running through our sprinklers and weekends at the cabin, these are a few of the things I just can't miss out on this summer:

• *Parades. We love parades. Our favorites remain; the Northeast Parade and the Aquatennial Parade.

• Drive In Movie. A couple summers ago we took the kids to a drive in movie and we've been wanting to do it again since. Hopefully we can find a night this summer to do it again.

• Farmers Market. We love the Minneapolis Farmers Market and the littles and I have already had a chance to go once this year but I am hoping there are lots more visits this summer. Such a great place to pick up fresh produce, some flowers and even some cheese curds.

• Strawberry/Blueberry Picking. We're already looking forward to our visit to the same berry farm we visited last year.

• Campfires and smores. Need I say more?

• Train for a 5K. This fall, we're planning on running the Lung Cancer 5K. That is, J, myself and the bigs. So we're doing some jogging/walking/bike riding (for H) a few mornings a week.

• Spend time in Linden Hills. This is one of my favorite parts of Minneapolis with Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun within walking distance of each other. The streetcar/trolley rides. Sebastian Joe's ice cream and Wild Rumpus bookstore. {I'd really like to get tickets for the PJ Party in July or August.}

• Camping. While J and I typically prefer camping of the hotel variety these days we have some plans in the works to take all four kids camping overnight for one night through the I Can Camp program.

• Twins Game. T and M went to a game with their mom for Mother's Day but J, the littles and I have yet to see the new Target Field.

• Drive In Restaurant. We visited this restaurant a couple weekends back and loved it so much we vowed that we would visit at least a dozen more times before the summer is through. If you are local, this is the perfect place to go for lunch on a nice summer day with kids.

• Vacation. On our cross country road trip we have plans to see Chocolate World and our nations capitol. Soak of lots of family time in VA with my aunt/uncle. Visit Busch Gardens. Have a family picture taken at the ocean. And relax.

• Of course we'd love to get to the zoo and the beach and find a few new parks, but we'd also love to spend some days at home where the pools are filled up all day and the sprinkler is going and the water balloons are ready and waiting. Bike rides and trips to the library can't be forgotten either.

So, what do you think of our list? What's on your summer bucket list? Or what do you think we need to add to ours?

I am also working on a list of free or inexpensive activities to do this summer in Minnesota so feel free to leave your suggestions on that in the comments as well.