Summer vacation means different things to different families. Being a teacher, this is a very special time for our whole family. For two months, the entire atmosphere of our home changes. It becomes relaxed and schedule free. For me, it also means buckling down to get some DIY projects done around the house, but I absolutely love this kind of work and find it helps to recharge my batteries.

This year, we don’t have any big vacations plans. On the contrary, we are working towards creating a really fun and exciting “stay- cation”. My goal is to spend the summer connecting as a family while discovering some down home Manitoba Fun. I have spent the last few weeks checking out websites and asking friends and family about their favourite Manitoba summer fun spots/activities. I have found lots of great ideas and can’t wait to start our 2014 Stay-Cation. My hope is to take in festivals, scenic drives, leisure activities, and explore all that we can within the Manitoba limits. Hopefully, we can fit in one or two camping trips, but there will be no Rushing River for us this year…instead, I’m opting to find gems right here in our own province. Throughout the summer, I will be sharing our adventures and keeping you posted on the good, the bad and the ugly. I know that not everything will be a “first”, but I am hoping to have at least a few by the time the summer has ended.  Although I am not committing to a list, here are some of our ideas:

1. Camping ~ in a tent of course.
2. Fishing ~ some place new.
3. Beach Days ~ new and old favourites.
4. Fly a kite.
5. Street Festivals.
6. Small town fairs/festivals.
7. Visit a small town museum.
8. Roadside attractions.
9. Scenic gems.
10. An outdoor movie.
11. A picnic.
12. Biking on trails.
13. Go hiking in a new location.
14. Play miniature golf.
15. Try new recipes.
16. Assiniboine Park Zoo.
17. Go berry picking.
18. Visit friends and family.
19. Explore downtown Winnipeg.
20. Horseback riding.
21. Road trips.
22. Try a new food.
23. Eat plenty of fresh, in season fruit ~ hurray for cherries, nectarines and peaches!
24. Read! Read! Read!
25. Visit Farmer’s Markets.

I asked the kids for ideas based on what they would like to do. Shay shared the 3 things he’d love to do this summer:

1. Play street hockey.
2. Play ball hockey.
3. Play mini sticks.

So, let me get this straight….that’s HOCKEY! HOCKEY! and HOCKEY!  Seriously. I asked him to use his imagination and think of what he might like to do and this is what he came up with. I think these activities are pretty much a given for Shay and thus you’ll notice that his requests didn’t make the list.

This list won’t be a checklist, but more of a guide. I have lots of ideas and can’t wait to get started. Stay tuned to find out what we discover and our best finds. If you have any great ideas or favourite spots to share, please comment below as I would love to hear from you.