Summer Bucket List

Last year we made a summer bucket list on a chalkboard in our dining room. I was inspired by Meg over at Whatever blog, who does an amazing summer bucket list every year with her family.

Summers for us are usually pretty dull. Both the husband and I are very sensitive to the sun . . . so while most people are laying on the beach we are both hiding in the shade, slathered in sunscreen. The nature of my job means that vacation time is unpaid, so while I usually take a few weeks off it often means that we can't afford to go anywhere because of the loss of income. We're just not those people who live for summertime and who have a full schedule once it arrives.  Usually summer means a lot of watching tv with the blinds closed, but last summer was so different.

Last summer we visited the spray park several times. We walked to town and got ice cream after dinner. We had family photos taken. We went to the fair, to the beach (even if we sat in the shade). We sat on a friend's porch and watched the northern lights late at night. We stood on our deck in the middle of a thunderstorm. We sat around campfires and roasted marshmallows with various neighbors and friends. We tore down a wall and ripped up carpet at a friend's house. We had a Duck Dynasty themed party, went for boat rides on the lake and hiked to a waterfall.

It was a summer full of activity and adventure. The best summer in a long time! And we didn't even go on a vacation. I didn't even take a day off.

It was the list.

Having a list of simple, mostly free things to do in a place where we could see it daily was just the push we needed to turn off the tv, stop hiding from the sun and enjoy the season. We still spent most of our time in the shade, but looking back at the summer of 2013, we had a season packed with activities and a busy social life. And it was good. Good for us as a family and especially for me as a very worn out, over-worked mamma who desperately needed some fun.

We want this summer to be awesome as well. Not the SAME as last year, but just as awesome.

And so, the 2014 Summer List has begun!