From the Henning Home... 1. Lawrence Library: When the temps go up, there’s nothing better than picking up new
books at the library. An hour can melt by as the kids find new favorite stories. We’ll often crawl into one of the reading cubes and curl up with an adventure. Plus, the summer reading list is fun and motivating. 2. Lawrence Farmer’s Market: If your kids aren’t interested in vegetables, the farmers’ market is the best cure for that. Pretty rainbow radishes, green zebra tomatoes, purple cauliflower—they will literally eat almost anything we find there because it’s all so beautiful. 3. Plants for everyone: Speaking of vegetables, every year we plant a vegetable and herb garden. The kids go with us to Pendleton’s Country Market and Vinland Valley Nursery at the beginning of the summer and LOVE to check the progress of their plants every night before bed. Over the years we’ve collected a grapevine, blackberry and elderberry bushes, and fruit trees—cherry, peach, pear—too, which means lots of harvest fun as a family. 4. Wohletz Farm Fresh strawberry picking: The season is short, but there’s nothing like coming home with ten pounds of strawberries. We make fresh ice cream, pie, strawberry shortcake—yum.
5. Water play: Sprinklers, a homemade water table, even simple spray bottles. If we can’t get the kids to the pool, we do our best to bring the water to them. 6. The Natural History Museum and Spencer Art Museum at KU. We’ll go at least twice a year and both are so inspiring and interesting no matter how often we go. It’s a great way to beat the heat and sneak in some education for everyone over the school break. 7. Road-tripping: We hike Rocky Mountain National Park every year. This is definitely a summer essential even if it’s a special treat. 8. We visit local wineries (This one’s for the parents): A favorite is the Kansas Transplant from Bluejacket Crossing. 9. And ACTION: Last summer our oldest wrote and directed a film starring his friends. He has big hopes of making another this year, which will mean several “shoots” and from the looks of the script, dancing to half The Greatest Showman soundtrack.
10. Watermelon. Enough said.