My Warm Weather Bucket List

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Warm Weather BucketWhat is better than the sun shining, flowers blooming and playing with the kids outside?  While it is easy to brush off the idea of there being anything “fun” to do around here, the Dayton area is actually packed full of great places to spend these spring and summer days!

I usually find myself having great plans for the summer like “I’m taking my kids to the water park” and then ending the summer with “who had fun in our $8 Dollar General pool??”  But not this year.  I’m creating a warm weather bucket list and sticking to it.  I hope you all hold me accountable.

{My Warm Weather Bucket List}

  • Golden Gate Park in Brookville: Hands down this is my favorite park in the area.  We have been before, but it is on my bucket list because it is that amazing.  This is one of those times when I say “it will change your life” and actually mean it.  People, this is like the holy grail of playgrounds.  Go there and tell me you don’t wish you were five years old again.  Not only is there a pond where your kids can get dangerously close to ducks, but there is a castle playground.  Let that sink in. A CASTLE PLAYGROUND.  It’s all things amazing and worth a trip to see this summer.  In fact, I’m putting it on our list to get to twice.
  • Find the best ice cream place in a nine county area:  Last summer I couldn’t eat dairy because I was nursing my son who had a sensitivity to it, which really put a damper in my ice cream eating.  This summer, I plan to make up for it.  I’m open to suggestions, but so far on the list to try and try again are Young’s, JD’s Old Fashion Frozen Custard, The Corner Cone and George’s Dairy Bar.
  • The Natural Play Space at Stillwater Prairie Reserve: I have been saying I want to go here for years but keep putting it off.  No longer! I am taking my boys here this summer. I mean, dirt, sand and things to climb-what more could a child want?
  • A mom-date in Tipp City: Have you ever walked the downtown streets on a sunny day in Tipp City? If you haven’t, you are missing out! I’m making this a kids free activity because we all know that eating out and doing some shopping is about 100 times more complicated when children are involved.  You can get lunch at Sam and Ethel’s, cupcakes at Sweet by Kristy and then head on over to Merchant 31 and Hapinstance Designs for some shopping.  You can also make a stop at Cairns Toys to bring home a gift so that you don’t feel too guilty about leaving the kids for the afternoon.
  • Pay a visit to the Hamburger Wagon: How is that I have lived in Dayton all my life, and love hamburgers, but yet have never made it to the Hamburger Wagon?  I’ve heard it is amazing and it is high time I found out for myself!
  • Take pictures of my boys at Smith Gardens: My grandma was obsessed with taking pictures of flowers, specifically her grand children standing by flowers at Smith Gardens.  If you’ve not been here, you are missing out. It is gorgeous!  It’s the perfect place to pretend I am a photographer…and then get home to realize my thumb was in almost all of the pictures.
  • Host at least three cook outs: I am by no means a good hostess. If you come to one of these shin digs, I probably won’t remember to introduce you to everyone, the baseboards will probably be dirty, and there’s a good chance you will step in some of “God’s natural fertilizer” (aka dog poo) outside, but I can make a mean dessert.  So it evens out. Spending time with friends and family matters most and I plan on doing that a lot this summer!

What’s on your list to do this summer?  Did I miss some vital Dayton to-do’s on my list??

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Megan Gariety
I am the mother to two of the most well behaved children in the history of children. They listen the first time around, always clean up their messes and sleep peacefully through the night. I greet my husband at the door each night looking like a million bucks with a dinner on the table that even Martha Stewart would envy. Lies. All of it. I am blessed to be a mother to two red haired (in looks and personality) boys who are so full of energy and life you can't help but to smile. They are not known to listen the first time, sleep through the night or clean up after themselves, but they do give the worlds best kisses, so it pretty much evens out. I do greet my husband at the door each night, but usually in sweats and with a baby in hand to give to him so I can run back to the stove before dinner burns. Aside from running a non-perfect household, I also work at home sharing my Plexus health and wellness business. My faith is important to me and guides my decision making in life (minus the time I had terrible bangs in middle school-there is no way that was a God thing.) My husband proposed to me by golden ticket inside of a Willy Wonka bar and that pretty much sums up our entire relationship. My favorite phrase is "it will change your life" but it is usually only true 10% of the time. My favorite things about motherhood: taught me what unconditional love really means and finally having an excuse to wear sweats every day!

2 COMMENTS

  1. I’ll have to meet you for Hambuger Wagon and I have been looking forward to checking out Smith Garden, too.

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