:: summer bucket list ::

Well, today was my last day of summer vacation. Although I always love the anticipation of a fresh new school year (that may be the reason I became a teacher - I love September!) I am a little sad to see this summer go.

It's been a wonderful few months at home enjoying time with my little man. I thought I would have time to really get back into blogging but we've spent most of our days enjoying the sunshine, playing with friends, eating copious amounts of fruits and checking things off of our summer bucket list.

Do you make lists? I usually make one at the beginning of each summer with a few projects we want to accomplish (this year it was our back garden and pergola) and fun things we hope to do.

Here are a few memories we made so far this summer:

kept growing this new little baby (hunter insists it's a girl - we'll see...)

brought this dapper tot to a few weddings.

enjoyed summer walks with hunter's favourite dog friends.

went out to the country for long drives and animal watching.

built a pergola and garden that makes me smile every time I look out our back window.

took our little cowboy on a horse ride for Stampede (& ate lots of pancakes!)

had a picnic in the woods

complete with "smarshmallows"

played at the splash park, lake, sprinkler, pool....anywhere there was water, he was jumping into it.

went for a few walks in the mountains.

had the most wonderful summer yet.

So, that's why I haven't been blogging. We've been having too much fun....I actually think I will be better once I am back in the routine at school. 

I hope you had a lovely summer with your littles too. Did you go on any big adventures or just stick close to home like us?

p.s I have been blogging over at Lily Moss - I'm now into week 7 of 15 weeks of prizes....feeling very spoiled each week as we go and pick up our newest surprise!

:: top 5 best bedtime books ::

As you know, I absolutely love to read, and I am a teacher-librarian, so reading is very, very, very big at our house. We love our trips to the local public library and plowing through piles of new library books. We almost always discover a new book to love with each library visit, but no matter how many books Hunter has littered around his room,  he always seems to request a few favourites at bedtime.

1. Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site (Sherry Duskey Rinker, illus Tom Lichtenheld) -  This is the perfect addition to any construction vehicle lover's library. The beautiful illustrations show the machines calming down for the night, (even snuggling teddy bears and blankies) and has the gentle rhyme of a typical bedtime book. I truly don't get tired of reading this one, and I could probably recite the entire book from memory!

2. I love you Stinky Face (Lisa McCourt, illus. Cyd Moore)  - This was a book I just happened to pick up in Shopper's Drug Mart of all places, but it has become a favourite with it's sweet message of unconditional love, no matter if your son turns into a stinky swamp monster, or terrible dinosaur, or a skunk named stinky face :)

3. Slinky Malinki (Lynley Dodd) - we discovered Lynley Dodd's world of playful rhyme and mischevious dogs and cats when we were gifted Slinky Malinki for Hunter's birthday. I don't tire of reading this rollicking tale of a pilfering cat, and though I am sure Hunter doesn't understand many of the wonderful words she uses in the book, he is going to have one amazing vocabulary for creative writing if he keeps reading her work!

4. When you were small (Sara O'Leary, illus. Julie Morstad) - this is a new discovery after finding this book at the public library. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous (many of them would be so lovely framed in a nursery!) and the sweet story about Henry's parents' recollections about where he came from are imaginative and perfect for bedtime. (I know I just wrote about this one, but it is just that good!)

5. Where the Wild Things Are (Maurice Sendak) - We had to have one perfectly classic book in our Top 5, and Where the Wild Things Are is one that I am sure Hunter has memorized by now. He often tells me "I'll eat you up, I love you so" and just melts my heart.

There are so many more I could add to this list, and it has changed so much from when he was smaller! What is your favourite bedtime book?

:: wordless wednesday - 20 weeks ::