As hard it is to believe, it's already June and summer will be here soon. Once school lets out, the kids and I usually talk about all the things we want to do during the summer. But, sadly, by the time school starts up again, we've only accomplished maybe a quarter of those things. This year, I thought if we sat down and made a list of the things we want to do, it might make it easier to go down the list and get more done this summer! 

1.  Go to the pool.

We've been members of our local community pool for several years now, but we've only visited a handful of times. This summer we plan to go a lot more. Before our trip to the Outer Banks at the end of May, my youngest kids were scared to get in the pool. But, by the end of our trip, they were looking forward to going in the pool. I want to keep that enthusiasm up and ensure that they stay comfortable in the water.

2.  Throw a barbeque.

Or two or three... I love having people over. Even though it's a lot of work to get ready, it's always fun once all the guests arrive. We have several relatives that live close by. I grew up being close to my aunts, uncles and cousins. I'd love for my kids to be the same way. They have so much fun with their cousins and I'm hoping they see a lot of each this summer.

3.  Go camping.

My son recently went on his first camping trip with the Cub Scouts. He had such a great time that he wants to go on more camping trips. Even though I'm not much of an outdoorsy person, I think a short camping trip would be something the whole family could enjoy. We've gone hiking and stayed in cabins at state parks before. The kids always had a good time. I think they'd enjoy camping just as much.

4.   Visit Busch Gardens and Water Country USA.

In March, we purchased Fun Cards and a Preschool Pass for the family. It allows unlimited admission to Busch Gardens and Water Country USA in Williamsburg, VA until September 7. Since Williamsburg is only about a 2 1/2 hour drive from where we live, we thought it could be a fun thing to do this summer that didn't necessarily require an overnight hotel stay. We've already gone to Busch Gardens twice now and hope to go several more times before school starts up again.

5.  Visit the museums and zoo in DC.

We're lucky to live so close to DC, but yet we hardly ever visit the monuments and museums and I can't remember the last time we visited the National Zoo! We have plans to go into DC at least a couple times this summer and be tourists for the day.

6.  Make our own ice cream.

We got an ice cream maker a few years ago for Christmas and had plans to make all sorts of different ice cream. We've only used it once! There will definitely be more ice cream making this summer! Popsicles, too, in our Zoku!

7.   Go to the beach.

Even though we spent a week in the Outer Banks at the end of May, another beach trip would be fun. Either a weekend at the Delaware or Virginia beaches or even a day trip to the beaches along the Chesapeake Bay! The kids love playing in the sand and I'd love the chance to just be out by the water again!

 8. Go on a road trip.

Even better, if it's a surprise road trip! Last summer, we took the kids on a surprise trip down to the Virginia Living Museum. The family picked me up from work and my husband told the kids we were going to run some errands. The kids weren't too happy about that. But once they realized we were driving a long time down the highway, they figured out that something else was going on! They had a fun time, even if we only spent one night away. Another trip like this would be fun to do this summer.

9. Go bowling.

I really suck at bowling, unless you count bowling on the Wii. Then, I'm awesome! My kids have never been bowling and I think it's something they might find fun. Maybe this summer we'll have a bowling and pizza night! And maybe ice cream afterwards!

10.  Go to Disney World!

Yes, we were just at Disney World this past November. But, I thought it would be nice to get another trip in before our youngest requires a ticket. Once she turns three, she'll need her own ticket. Plus, we won't fit in a lot of the hotel rooms on property. We'd have to either book two hotel rooms, go for one of the suites or deluxe villas or stay off-site. So, the next time we go will be a lot more expensive. We'll be going this August, right before the kids start back to school!

I'm sure we'll do a lot more this summer, but I'll stop the list here. What's on your bucket list?