In summer, at least for us, we find ourselves with days we want to be outside and stay close to home. Maybe it’s too hot or far to go someplace else, or the kids are too young to skip their nap. You’re bored of being inside, and you need a change! Here, Kendall shares a great all-play family activity and others of us add product suggestions to use for those summer days spent in the cul-de-sac. The benefit to hanging in your neighborhood close to home is the fellowship and friends you can make along the way.

This post contains affiliate links. You can read more about that here.

It’s that time of year again! The last 5 years I have been on a roller coaster of emotions on and around Mother’s Day. I have sort of a love/hate relationship with it. On the one hand, I’m like “stay home, this is a stupid Hallmark invention!” On the other, I’m feeling all the feels about my kids, moms without living children, and folks who’s moms have passed already.

Have you ever heard of May Day? It’s celebrated a lot of places, but I think in the USA it’s somewhat of a dying tradition. I celebrated a few times growing up and now that my girls are 4 and almost 2, and we have spent the last few years actively trying to build relationships with our neighbors, I figured this year would be the perfect time to start and continue the tradition with them.

The other day my sweet neighbor friend invited my kids and me to her house for a Butterfly Release. She had studied Painted Lady caterpillars with her preschool class, and they had formed their chrysalises and were ready to emerge as beautiful new butterflies any day. This has now become a treasured tradition, as she’s invited us to join her in this endeavor the last few Aprils, and we love her for it.