For as long as I can remember, I've always been a summer girl. I always enjoyed school, but it was summer that I truly felt free. And I think it's where my careful attention to the little details of life all began. There's nothing quite like walking barefoot in the cool green grass that hour before the sun is going down, that refreshing rush of dunking your head under pool water on a really hot day, or coasting downhill on your bike and feeling the breeze in your face. When I was a kid, summer was hitting golf balls over the field in our parents' backyard, driving with the windows down in Dad's pickup to Caseys for a frozen Snickers or slushie, the anticipation of the Butler County Fair rolling into town and the sounds of a lit-up grandstand from our porch, and late nights at the swimming pool twirling a whistle around my fingertip. Summer was home. There were no cell phones, no email, and no homework assignments, and the only job stress I had involved cleaning the bathrooms as a lifeguard at our pool. I must be getting old because when I think back to those carefree summers, I can't help but think that those were definitely the good ole days. And now that I have kids, getting to dip our toes into that summer joy is not only for them, but it's an invitation to reconnect with that same kind of joy for myself.
One of my favorite ways to celebrate summer is with our annual summer bucket list. I've been making one for years now and it really does add to our fun and inspires so many of our summertime memories. We try to include favorite things from years' passed, but also like to include new adventures to try for the first time. A lot of things are simple and don't require a lot of fuss, but I fear we'd forget about them if they weren't there. We usually get pretty close to checking them all off, but don't feel pressure or guilt if they don't get done. Those are the ones we discard or save for next year! These bucket lists keep me creatively inspired throughout the summer weeks, and help me stay in awe and grateful for the simple joy we can discover in our surroundings.
I've displayed these bucket lists a lot of ways over the years, but my favorite was last year. With these little tags and washi tape, it's pretty fun to see and anticipate the fun we plan to have, and then watch our days of summer dwindle while the memories pile up in their place! It's a tangible reminder that keeps us inspired and accountable, and the kids love being a part of taking them off the chalkboard after we've accomplished something.
Since the kids are both writing now, I also snagged a super fun idea from Kelle Hampton to make this year's list more interactive for the kids. I ordered a set of these blank Passport books from Amazon, and wrote each item from our bucket list on separate pages for both Cruz and Mila. After we accomplish an item, they can stamp it and fill the page with drawings, words, or printed pictures to keep as a memory journal for our summer. Stay tuned for more passport fun as our summer goes.
And here she is! Our 2019 Summer Bucket List...
1. Grab some donuts and go watch the sunrise
2. Press flowers
3. Small town adventure day 2.0
4. Paint rocks and spread around town for people to find
5. Grill out at the park
6. Explore the Maquoketa Caves and stay for a drive-in movie
7. Hike and kayak at Alice Wyth Lake
8. Decorah for our anniversary
9. Outdoor movie night - Harry Potter!
10. Spend a long weekend in Chicago
11. Backyard camping on the last day of school
12. Bike to Single Speed with friends
13. Family bike ride to farmer’s market
14. Lie on the ground and look at the stars
15. Order pizza and take it to a park for a picnic
16. Kayak at sunset
17. Family golf outing
18. Go to the movies on a rainy day
19. Single Speed trivia night
20. Go berry picking
21. Eat hot dogs and close the pool down
22. Get a Nelly dog
23. Bake a summery pie
24. Get an ice cream cone from a small town shop
25. Boating day with cousins
26. Make homemade ice cream
27. Go on a nature walk
28. Buy a destination mug on vacation
29. Make a creative s’mores recipe
30. Invite a friend over for homemade sangria
31. Have a pillow fight in a hotel room
32. Prepare an ethnic meal I’ve never tried before
33. Plan one epic family road trip
34. Watch an Iowa sunset from a dirt road
35. Teach Mila to ride a bike
36. Teach Cruz to tie his shoes!
37. Picnic and walk through UNI prairie
38. Maddie Poppe at the Butler County Fair
39. Read a book on the porch
40. Invent and name a summer cocktail
41. Go device free for 24 hours
42. Go to a house concert
43. Our favorite booth at Wilbos and a stroll down Main
44. Sign up for summer reading at the library
45. The Greatest Showman on the Cedar
46. Make mom’s potato salad
47. Host a lemonade stand for a good cause
48. Sunday brunch after church
49. Donate some books to lending libraries around town
50. Spend a morning on the deck, reading the paper and drinking coffee like old people
51. Summer day with the whole family in the backyard
52. Eat at Maid-rite after a morning at the library
53. Welcome summer breakfast party
54. Spend a day at Lost Island
55. Spend a day in Allison
56. Ride a ferris wheel at a carnival
And as always, some of my favorite photos and moments from last summer...ten days to go!
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