Labor Day weekend is over. Kids are back to school. Starbucks has pumpkin spice lattes.  That seems like a good time to end the Summer Passport.

I loved having a summer passport this summer. There were weeks where I wanted to just stay home, but the passport got me out. We tried different things, instead of going to the same three parks over and over. I liked it so much I’m thinking about doing a fall passport too.

The passport included the following items. The items we completed are crossed out.

• Go to music class
• Walk to farmers market
• Play at a new park
• Make Pudding pops
• Have a breakfast picnic
• Go berry picking
• Paint outside
• Eat on Patio at Saints (a kid friendly sports bar in our neighborhood)
• Visit the Clive Library
• Visit the Science Center
• Walk around Gray’s Lake
• Decorate 4th of July cookies
• Go out for ice cream
• Go to the beach at Big Creek
• Play at Riley Park
• Play at Tower Park wading pool
• Play at Beaverdale Park
• Swim at Ashby Park splash pad
• Have a Dance Party
• Play at Greenwood Park
• Hike at Walnut Woods
• Hike at Browns Woods
• Go to the zoo
• Visit the State Historical Building
• Walk the River Walk with Uncle Todd
• Visit Ivy’s farm
• Swim in a hotel pool
• Bike to Breakfast
• Go Camping
• Visit McHenry Park

I didn’t start the Summer Passport until late June. Had I started it on Memorial Day I would have been able to include the State Historical Building, Ashby Park, hiking at Browns Woods, having a breakfast picnic and music class as we did all of those things earlier this summer. It’s fair to say that we’ve had a busy summer.

Last week, leading up to the end of the passport was even busier than normal. We crossed several items off the list: the beach at Big Creek, walking around Gray’s Lake, eating on the patio at Saint’s, and going on the river walk with Uncle Todd.

This week we are going to have to spend a few days getting errands run to make up for last week. It was a wonderful summer, and I hope next summer is even better.