My Summer Must Do List

My car's thermostat said Memphis hit 101 degrees today, my morning commute has gotten easier and the boys started their summer school/camps today. So I'm officially calling it summer.

With that, I have developed a summer to-do list, things I'm going to make a point to do before the weather gets cooler. I'm blogging about it to hold myself accountable and will post a picture of each item as I mark it off the list.

 

1. Make ice cream. The ice cream maker I received for my wedding nearly 10 years ago has never been out of the box. This summer, we're making ice cream. Mom assures me it's not that hard.

2. Campout in the backyard. Jack wanted to add this to the list, and I'll have to borrow a tent to make it happen. Smores are a must.

3. See Cars 2. The rest of the world may not be counting down the days until Cars 2 hits theatres, but we are. It'll be Ben's first trip to the movies.

4. Head East. We're due a trip to Mamaw and Papaw's house and summertime is the best time to go. When it's warm, the boys can stay outside with the cows, donkey and dogs. Can't wait for this trip.

5. Learn to make ribs. I consider myself a decent cook, but I've long been intimidated by ribs. Living in the BBQ Capital of the South, we just order takeout when we get a craving. This summer, I'm going to master it.

6. Head to the lake. This is John's one contribution to the list. Not sure what we're doing when we get there, but apparently, we're going to the lake.

7. Catch fireflies. This reminds me of summer nights growing up on a farm. We'll find a Mason jar and grab fireflies after dark.

8. Hit the Memphis Farmers Market. We live in the burbs and usually stay close for fresh produce. One Saturday morning this summer, we're heading downtown for the mother of all Farmers Markets -- at least in Memphis. Here's one great benefit of having kids who wake up at the break of dawn.

9. Take in a Redbirds Game. Another first for Ben, we've got an appointment with the ballpark and some $5 lawn tickets. Taking the afternoon off work to make it happen will make the day even sweeter.

10. Watch fireworks. Somehow we always miss the big fireworks shows during Fourth of July weekend. We'll find some this summer.

I'd love to add "sell my house" to this list, but I'm not sure how much control I have over that these days. Same thing with "teach Jack to swim." I'm working on both, but for now, we'll stick with this.

I'll let you know how it turns out. Happy summer!