A Summer List (and a Week of Dresses)

Last night my children and I sat on the deck after dinner (my husband was at a meeting) and made a list of all the things we'd like to do this summer. 

Annie fired off ideas left and right, and Finn carefully pondered and only added a few things. I had my own ideas to add, and together I think we came up with a pretty nice list. 

I'm not saying we will do all of these things, but we at least have a guide for some summery activities.  I felt led to do this particularly because we did not have a typical summer last year; one year ago today was my husband's positive surgical biopsy which affirmed that his cancer had returned.  June was taken by travel and various appointments in various states, July was all about massive surgery and recovery; August and September were about living in North Carolina for treatments. 

So I'd like to have a more typical summer this year, if possible!

Learn to make perfect lemonade

Go to the pool (this is a given, but we all want to do it!)

Play in the sprinkler 

Play with friend E

Make ice cream

Experiment in the kitchen (this is Annie's desire)

Hang out on the deck

Make s'mores

Float the river (my desire; the children are less enthused!)

Catch fireflies

Get an ice cream cone (my wish--I love an ice cream cone on a hot, hot day)

Go to the cupcake shop in the city

Go to Petsmart (this is a mystery to me, but both children wanted to do it, so okay)

Go camping 

Swim/play in the creek

Grill burgers on a charcoal grill

Go to the water park in the city

Go to the jamboree (a local-ish bluegrass music situation)

Square dancing

Eat corn on the cob and corn and tomato salad

Picnic at the covered bridge 

Eat a tomato sandwich 

Go to the pie shop

Visit {local landmark} for hiking and get a milkshake after at the cute restaurant nearby!

Play with sparklers

Go to the park and ride scooters

Yard picnic

Go to the lake 

Hike at the waterfall 

Swim at the other waterfall 

See Toy Story 4

Get rid of stuff (including extra toys) (can you tell this was my idea?) 

 Go to the carnival 

Put flowers in planters on the deck 

Listen to music and dine on the patio at a favorite local restaurant 
Play with Annie (she loves for me to play with her, and it's hard for me to carve out the time to do it often during the school year, so I want to play a lot this summer!)

So we have our fun work cut out for us this summer!

That doesn't count, of course, my actual list of things I need to do during our break from school. I have some household-related goals that need to be accomplished, but since we're not off of school yet, I haven't finalized that list. 

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And this week I'm challenging myself to wear dresses every day, in part due to inspiration after watching the Charleston Exposition video, and in part because Annie has been asking me to improve my wardrobe for a little while now.  I'll write more on that later!  But I'm wearing dresses all week, and taking photos each day, and at the end of the week I will write a post about it. 

And so far I'm loving it!!

Viva la summer and viva la dress.......