Summer Plans

Even with a having a newborn at home we can still enjoy some projects and fun events. Here is a list of some of the ideas I've had so far.

Dinner and a Movie

We have a dvd projector that I bought last year with my tax refund. It was a great purchase and we've gotten tons of use out of it. It's also really nice that we have a great wall in the back yard to project movies on. The idea I had was to theme our dinner based on the movie we had planned to watch. The whole meal doesn't have to be based on the movie but some part of it does. I think this will also get us all in the kitchen cooking together at least every couple of weeks and get some experience under Tristan's belt. 

-The first idea I had for dinner and a movie is Ratatouille & Ratatouille. I located a really great recipe that looks like a pretty easy meal to make and by the time we start this event our garden will be in full production mode and it will be a very cheap meal to prepare for us. Here is the link to the recipe, I think it's just a beautiful dish.  rat-a-too-ee-for-you-ee 

-The second idea is just as simple - Spaghetti and Meatballs for Lady and the Tramp, and the list goes on.

-Seafood for Finding Nemo

-Apple Pie for Snow White

-Vegetable Korma for Aladdin

-Peach Cobbler for James and the Giant Peach

-Deer Roast for Bambi (I know this one sounds a little mean but hey)

And this is just the starter list of ideas. I'll post recipes when we actually make the dishes.

Science Center Trolly Adventures

I think during the extremely hot months this is a great treat for the kids. We usually plan this outing with another mom and kiddos. The science center charges $5 for parking, which isn't really much, if you carpool or especially if you have a membership and can go to the science center for free, but it can add up and anything you can do to save definitely helps. So we've come up with the Trolly adventure on top of the already exciting visit to the Science Center. Parking on East Market Street is free and it's on the same Trolly loop that passes directly by the Science Center, and the Trolly in this city is free so we're saving $5 and whatever else it would have been on gas for the extra driving to the Science Center. So if we play our cards right (packing our own lunch and such) we're getting a very exciting and fun day excursion for the cost of gas it takes us to drive to Market Street.

Members Only Mornings at the Louisville Zoo's Splash Park

Self explanatory. If we get to the zoo when they open (10AM) the kids get an hour in the splash park with other members only. Another perk of getting to the splash park early is getting a picnic table in the shade, as there are only one or two. The zoo membership in itself is great because you don't feel obligated to see or walk the entire zoo in one visit. You can pick and choose the exhibits you want to see on which day. I've also been told by another mom that it's wonderful to go on the overcast days when there's a chance of rain, because almost no one goes on those days and you can just go to visit the indoor exhibits like the aquarium and take your sack lunch for a outing when you otherwise may not have gotten one for the day.

Park playtime and picnic lunch with Daddy

Steven's work is located pretty close to a nice park with a few really nice playgrounds. I'm sure we will be making weekly or bi-weekly trips to this park. We are lucky enough to also have good friends who live very close to this park. It will be great to meet up with our friends early in the morning for playtime and then when it's time for Daddy's lunch break, he can come meet up with us at the park and we can all have a family lunch together.

Fast food play dates

These are easy enough. Meet up at any fast food location that has a play place and go from there. We are not too big on fast food in our household so we usually eat before we go and just get an ice cream as a treat when we go. I really hope that after the baby decides to make it's debut, I get my taste for Chick-fil-a back as I've not wanted to touch it this entire pregnancy.

The nice stroll around the mall

Tristan really loves the mall and it's a great way to get out of the house on the excruciatingly hot days. Same thing as I've mentioned before, pack a lunch and window shop. Tristan just loves looking around the Disney Store and I always love to check the sale racks to see what I may be able to buy for the upcoming seasons.

Backyard play while Mommy does her school work

Tristan's been great about just playing in the back yard while I sit on the porch in the mornings and do my school work. I really think we need to get him some type of play gym or something else to do in the back yard because his kiddie pool is probably getting a bit old.

But that's it for now, batteries about to die. Hope some of these ideas work for some others.