Spring has sprung in Chicago and I couldn’t be happier.  I’m so excited to get outside with the munchkins!  As always, this month I have big ideas/plans for what we should do. Not to mention fitting in a few family birthdays, Mother’s Day and Memorial Day.

I love having a bucket list because it keeps us focused.  It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the day to day or let work, housework, or to do lists get in the way, and I want to be sure I’m enjoying this time with Linc and Lulu while they are little, and while they still want their mama more than most.

So, this month we are planning to…

• Participate in a run/walk at least one 5K.  We walked our first one this weekend to support a wonderful nonprofit that supports chronically ill children and their families.  We’re hoping to walk/run at least one more this month.  It’s so nice to support a good cause, get some fresh air, and move.  And even better if you can do it with a group of family or friends.

• Plant some flowers. This is our first yard, and It’s exciting to have so much space, but it’s also a little overwhelming.  I do not have a green thumb.  We have a goal of making our backyard warm and inviting.  We can’t wait to host pool parties, bonfires, and family dinners back there, so flowers will be a must.  Plus, the kids love an opportunity to get dirty, and this allows them some sensory time as well as learning about how the flowers need an adequate home, proper food, and water, and we’ll get to watch them grow!

• Going on weekly walks. I love it when we can have a family walk after dinner.  Get outside, have one last activity before the kids head to bed, and again get some fresh air.  When we were in the city, we walked all the time, which was great, but it was always on our way to something else.  Let’s walk to Target, to Whole Foods, to the park, and now in the suburbs, walking can be our sole purpose for going out.  And with Lulu, it’s always an adventure.  She wants to take turns pushing and pulling Linc in the wagon, she’s enthralled by every flower, bug or garden gnome she sees, and Linc just laughs watching it all go down.  It’s a nice way to end the day and just relax.

• Check out a new park. Since we moved here, we’ve explored quite a bit, but there’s always more to see.  I have my eye on a few parks that are a little farther away but look perfect for the kids.  I want to make the time and the effort to go check them out, even if it’s only for 10 or 15 minutes. The kids love the park, and I love the happiness and joy it brings to their life.

• Go for a family bike ride.  For Matt’s birthday last year, I got him Burley Bee at Amazon, and we have yet to try it out.  While I would be too nervous with my biking skills to haul the kids around on it, Matt is not, and I think it looks like a lot of fun. So, I’m really looking forward to a weekend where we can take a nice family bike ride.  Whether it’s a quick trip around the block or an exploration of the nearest state park’s biking trails, I’m in!

What will you do this Spring? Any big plans or adventures coming up?  Anything we should add to our Spring Bucket list? I can’t wait to spend so much time outside with Linc and Lulu!