Where's my boogie board? Summer 2010 is here, people! But for moms, that's a good news/bad news situation. The stress and pace of the school year is ending, but the wide-open possibilities of summer break are just beginning. It's tempting, and sometimes necessary, to fill every minute with camps, enrichment programs and test prep courses. July and August can be twice as rushed—and twice as costly—as the other months. Then you arrive at Labor Day wondering what happened to the lazy days of summers yore.

In order to avoid the where-did-my-summer-go blues, I'm making a master plan. It's my Official Summer 2010 To-Do List:

Let 'Er Rip, Part Deux
I declared 2010 the Year of Let 'Er Rip. So far, so good! I have tried some completely risky endeavors, like auditioning for a TV show (never heard back) and taking an Urban Parcours Conditioning Class (injured hamstring). Let's keep that spirit alive in this summer! Hopefully, without need of an ER visit, though. If something interesting comes my way in the next few months, either personally or professionally, I am going to say, "Sure! Let 'er rip!"

Aquatic Overload 
The hottest months of the year deserve water and lots of it. So, along with the kids, I am going to embrace anything wet: lakes, oceans, rivers, pools, running through the sprinklers. H2O? Go.

Music in the Park 
You know all those free concerts in the park that happen at cities all over America in the summer? The ones you read about in the newspaper or see a flier for at the grocery store and think: "That sounds fun! We should go." Well, I never go. But this year, I am putting several musical events on the family calendar, and we are going if it kills us.

Teach My Teen/Tween Boys to Cook 
This was on my to-do list last year, but somehow I never actualized my intent. So, I am going to use the summer to extend their culinary skill beyond the "one minute" button on the microwave. Breakfast items, smoothies, even some pasta dishes are all within their capabilities. This is the Summer of Scrambled Eggs.

Really Be on Vacation on Vacation 
Ah, this may be the hardest item on my to-do list: turning off the never-ending to-do list in my head when we are on our two-week vacation in August. People first, technology second. My plan is to disconnect for a few weeks and make every minute count with my kids.

What's on your to-do list for Summer 2010? Comment below.

Lian Dolan is a mother, wife, sister, friend, daughter, writer and talk show host. She writes and talks about her adventures in modern motherhood for her website, ChaosChronicles.com, and her weekly podcast, The Chaos Chronicles.
 

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