5 Things We Can Do Together This Summer

4 more weeks left of school. We’re practically in the home stretch. The leaves are starting to bud on the trees and the weather is warming up. I can see summer vacation on the horizon and I can not wait for it to come. Most summers are full of fun and sun but this summer we’re going to focus on doing this together. Here are 5 things we can do together this summer as a family. Brigette is on the edge of turning 13 and then before we know it, they’ll be all working summer jobs or traveling abroad, gulp. Better make the most of these 60 days as we can!

 

1. Hike – The mountains are quite literally in my back yard. I can be at a trail head in about 20 minutes if I drive west. I love hiking and now that my kids are 8 and up, everyone can participate with minimal whining. I hope. Parks Canada has set up a great program for hikers by planting big red chairs at certain points on hiking trails all across the country including right here in Alberta. A great destination and an even better photo opportunity. 
2. Sleep – Summer isn’t just a holiday for me, it’s truly a holiday for the kids. This break is a chance for them to recharge their batteries from the winter and school and after school activities. The first days, I plan to sleep till well after 10am and possibly indulge in that practice more than once over the break. Even Brigette, at age 12, has discovered the luxury of an afternoon nap to catch up from her exhausting schedule. Throughout the school year we try to get the kids to bed early but with homework and activities 10 hours isn’t always possible but much needed.
3. Drive – Road trips are our specialty. The kids love piling into the car and hitting the open road. Every summer we pack up and head to Osoyoos, BC for a camping trip and this year we plan to put more road trips on our calendar. We’ve been camping for over 10 years and it’s a tradition that we plan on continuing. Finding new roads just a short distance from home on day trips, is so fun and a short commitment, I can’t wait.  
4. Watch – At home we have regular family movie nights but when we’re on holiday we tend to forego those nights because we’re already spending a lot of time together but not this summer. I’ve decided that vacations are a great time to sit and watch a movie on Netflix. We love the routine of a Netflix night. Preparing snacks, claiming a spot on the couch or floor to watch, picking out a movie as a family (well, actually, I get the final say, of course) and then watching together. The kids watch a lot of Netflix on their tablets in one room while we retreat to our room to watch in bed so having everyone together is a great way for us to be together without going anywhere. It’s so much better to watch together to answer questions, laugh and create that tradition and memory. 
5. Relax – This is probably our most unscheduled summer we’ve ever had. No summer camps booked. No family coming to visit. Just an open calendar to come and go as we please. Coming from 10 months of schedules, ditching the calendar feels so good and if they want to drive around the city in search of ice cream shops, that’s what our day will be. If they want to roast marshmallows in the fire pit at 10pm, we’ll do that too. I have no agenda and it feels great.

What will you do together this summer?