Family Bucket Lists

Every weekend Linc always says to us, ” I want to go somewhere FUN!”

It really doesn’t matter what we have planned, Linc just wants to get out of the house and go and do something together, the major point being, he wants to get out of the house together!  It’s actually funny in some ways because that is the main reason why we moved down here to Florida and Celebration in the first place.  I found myself always inside our house and not really wanting to go anywhere in Virginia Beach. You see, I’m a homebody with big dreams of being a social butterfly!

Do you ever feel the same way?

One of my main goals this year was to get us out of the house together as a family and enjoy time together: unplugged from all things “entertainment systems” (and that includes our phones and social media” and just completely tuned in and fully connected and present with each other.  The way family should be!  Our intentions during the week are always great.  This weekend we are going to do such and such, and then the weekend arrives and we find ourselves indoors tackling chores and watching TV or poking around the house because “there’s nothing to do!”

One way I decided to stop this lack of motivation and accomplish this goal of getting us out was to start creating monthly Family Bucket Lists!

These are exactly as they sound: as list of activities that we might like to do as a family together!  I sat down with all the different calendars in our area:  Disney, the local town of Celebration Calendar, Fun for kids Florida Calendar etc, and looked at all the events in the area that our entire family might enjoy.  Some were free events and some were not, some were more for Linc and some were absolutely more that Tuck and I might like.  The idea was to get us outside together as a family at least one day every weekend for the month and to keep us excited!  Some activities were also evening activities that would keep us connected as a family.  Other activities were silly little traditions I wanted to start.

One important fact I made sure both my boys knew were that these activities were just “ideas” and suggestions for our family for fun!  None of these events were mandatory and if we decided as a family we didn’t want to attend something or on the day it just wasn’t a good fit for us, that was totally OK!

The whole idea is to help create our own family culture:  one of love, fun, belonging, unconditional love, and friendship!

Here is our January Bucket List! (Our real Bucket List is Created on colorful Paper, Hand lettered and put up in our Kitchen which is the center “hub” of our family!)  

• JANUARY 8 BUBBLE BATH DAY!!!
• JANUARY 14 SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES FESTIVAL 
• FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY
• MAKE SNOWMAN PIZZA’S
• FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT
• FAMILY GAME NIGHT
• JANUARY 15 MLK DAY
• JANUARY 19 POPCORN DAY!!!!
• JANUARY 23 HANDWRITING DAY!!!
• JANUARY 27 BREVARD RENAISSANCE FAIR
• FAMILY DINNER AT TAVERNA OPA WITH FRIENDS!

 

And just for fun, here’s some images from our time spent at the Scottish Highland games Heritage festival this weekend!  This was a really good time for our family. I will say in the morning none of us “wanted” to go except me.  We all had other things that needed to get done and the day was shaping up to be a indoors day once again day.  Linc kept getting in trouble, there were time outs after time outs.  Tuck was grumpy and it was feeling like the whole day was just shot.  The festival was on it’s last day and it closed at 4 pm.  It would take an hour for us just to get there and that was without traffic.

Sometimes as the mom you have to be the barometer for your family.  No matter what mood you are in, you have to be able to put on the that happy face with the positive attitude and pray that the family follows and catches on.  It wasn’t until after 1 pm that I was able to rally the boys into the car and 2 pm before we got there.

Was it hard to get everyone out that door?  Yes!!  Was it hard to get everyone motivated, yes?!  Was I bummed we had to drive an hour and only spend maybe 1 or 2 there, heck yes!  But was it well worth it?!  Absolutely yes!

Once we all got there our moods brightened!  There is just something about being outside and experiencing something brand new together that lifts your spirits!

I swear, sometimes just even taking a car ride helps, right?!!

We got there and our entire family attitude brightened!  Instead of losing patience with each other, we were laughing together!  Instead of frustrations and annoyances, we were having fun and celebrating each other.  We were playing together finally and ya’ll… that is exactly what the weekend is about!

That time Linc met a real unicorn….

and daddy had magic unicorn wish dust all over his head!

Linc the Dragon trying his hand at the Highland games ( Tug of War, the Haggis Throw etc)

and to bring the fear really home, a nice Scottish man let Linc feel like a real brave heart and hold some real weapons!  We all feared for our lives!

If you are anything like me and you find yourself stuck indoors on the weekend and losing your patience with each other, try the family bucket list!

We are finding it’s a great way to pre plan fun things for the weekends to get you outside and trying new things!  They don’t have to be expensive, they don’t even have to be wild.  Take a look on pinterest and find new crafts or outdoor activities.  Take a walk to a new park or take a drive and have a picnic.  Those are on our bucket list for February!  The whole idea is to make a list of things to do on the weekends and then pick and choose what suits the day.  Some of ours have specific dates but others are there so that Linc and Tuck and I can say hey, this is on the list and that sounds like fun today!

Try it out and let me know how it goes!  I hope you find it as fun and helpful as we have!