Art&Seek Jr. is one mom‘s quest to find activities to end the seemingly endless chorus of the “I’m Bored Blues” while having fun herself. Impossible you say? Check back on Tuesdays for kid-friendly events that are fun for adults, too.

Rose and I had a rude awakening the other night while we were blissfully watching one of those perky teens take over the beach movie. When we saw it we both dropped our spoons to our ice cream and looked at each other with a look of “how could this be so”? Just when we were lulled into thinking summer break would last forever, there it was: the first back-to-school ad of the season. Sure, it was peppy, fun, and almost made you want to get up and dance. But no matter how happy-pappy the song and dance number, the message is as clear as a bar of Neutrogena soap–school starts in just a few short weeks.

If you feel like the lazy days of summer are slipping through your fingers, try one of these fun activities that will help you thumb your nose at those back to school ads and savor summer just a little while longer.

Just because Independence Day has come and gone doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy a big, splashy fireworks display. Relive the thrill of the Fourth at at Friday Night Fireworks in Grapevine. You and the little kiddles can watch fireworks light up the North Texas sky this Friday night and every Friday night through Labor Day weekend at 9:30 p.m. Two of the best viewing areas are the parking garage rooftop of Gaylord Texan Resort, and the Grapevine Mills parking lot.

The Heard’s Pioneer Village is just the right size for the wee ones. Photo: The Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary

Put on the sunblock, grab the sweet tea and come celebrate the great Lone Star State at the Texas Heritage Festival this Saturday at the Heard Museum of Natural History and Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney. You and the kiddos can listen to Western music, try your hand at –ahem– “cow patty” tossing, get an up close and personal introduction to the resident wildlife ambassadors, and take a stroll through the Native Texas Butterfly Garden and the pint-sized Pioneer Village. Admission is $9 for adults and $6 for kids. If you’re a resident of McKinney, admission is free for up to four people per McKinney address.

Check out the “bronze” street performers at Cowboy Palooza. Photo: West 7th Fort Worth

And speaking of heritage, you and your little cowpokes are going to want to mosey on down to Fort  Worth this Saturday for Cowboy Palooza at West 7th. The celebration of Western heritage is part of the National Cutting Horse Association’s Summer Cutting Spectacular and will be held at the popular West 7th entertainment district. There will be live music and plenty of room to boot scoot. While you’re there be sure to check out the bronze cowboy street performers.

Last week’s blog on “dive-in” movies was pretty popular. I mean, c’mon, can you think of a better summertime combination than swimming and a movie? The nice folks at Rosemeade Rainforest Aquatic Complex in Carrollton have come up with their own version of the dive-in craze only they’re calling it Swim-In Cinema. Their annual poolside movie happens this Friday night with a screening of Despicable Me 2.  You and the tot-lettes can frolic in the pool from 7 p.m. until dusk and then settle back and enjoy the movie which will begin shortly after sunset.

Stop by the Frontiers of Flight Museum for Moon Day and you might get a chance to say hello to the crew of the International Space Station. Photo: NASA

Celebrate the 45th anniversary of the first lunar landing this Saturday at the Frontiers of Flight Museum for their annual Moon Day event. The day long celebration of space exploration will feature over three dozen exhibitors, inflatable planetariums, robotics demonstrations, model rocket builds, and solar telescopes. But wait, if that was cool enough, get a load of this–ten lucky kids will get a chance to speak live with the International Space Station. Be sure to get there early because the first 200 kids through the door will receive a Lunar Sample Bag stuffed with 5 lbs. of space-related materials.