summer bucket list.

I haven’t had a summer off in years. Really, it’s been a long time.

I think the school system kinda sets us up for failure. I’m serious. Follow me here. You go to school for what, like 13 years or something, and you get incredibly accustomed to starting a new year in August, and daydreaming of June, when you’d be on break for two whole months. And then, you go to college, and you get extra long breaks, in the summer AND the winter.

And then you get a job. And BAM. It’s NOTHING like that. No summer breaks. No winter breaks. Just work. It’s really cruel, you know.

Anyway, back in the days when I had a job, I’d sit at my desk and dream of having a summer off. I had beach pictures posted all over my desk. I’d stare out the window and imagine what my friends and family were doing (most of them work in education). I secretly hated them, and I hoped that it rained every single day and ruined their summers. I’m a baby like that. And then once I made up my mind to get my teaching certificate, I would daydream of what that first summer off would be like. 

And here I am. My first summer off. This isn’t exactly what I pictured. Because, you know, in order to have a summer off, that means you would have to have like a job first, which, as of now, I don’t. So this is my first summer unemployed. Wow. That doesn’t sound nearly as glamorous.

Anyway, I’ve determined to make the most of this summer off. In between sending out resumes like it’s my business and praying for a job, I’ve compiled a list of things I want to do this summer. I shall call this my summer bucket list. I’ve seen some other gals do this around the web, and I thought it was a neat idea to keep a record of what I wanted to do this summer. So, without further ado, my summer bucket list:

Summer 2012 Bucket List

1. Take PB to a water park (we actually did that today).

2. Make PW’s blackberry cobbler. We have a gazillion blackberry bushes around the house.

3. Go fishing as many times as we can.

4. Go to the beach.

PB at the beach last year. He looks like a little groundhog.

5. Teach PB to catch lightenin’ bugs.

6. Eat from our garden daily.

7. Lose 5 pounds. Haha. Yea. I can’t even keep a straight face as I type that.

8. Fall asleep on the couch one night while watching ‘Fresh Prince’ reruns. 

Back in the days when my little bald boy would sleep peacefully.

9. Sleep in till 8:45. Side note: why does my son wake up at the butt crack of dawn every morning?

10. Drink more water.

11. Have a water balloon fight with my boys. 

12. Finish at least 2 pieces of furniture. At the moment, I have 5 pieces of furniture waiting to be refinished, and I cannot get motivated.

Part of a kitchen cupboard I’m working on, and have been working on for a year. Sigh.

13. Go yardsaling. And poundsaling, as much as I can.

14. Make a table. I’ve been eyeing a few Ana White plans. And I’ve been playing with my miter saw for a while now. I’ve been stocking up on some needed tools, and I’m ready to get my first furniture build under my belt!

15. Take PB to a carnival/amusement park.

16. Take my mamaw to the social club dance. There were alot of older, single men there!

17. Go to the dentist. Gah. I hate to go to the dentist.

18. Have a picnic with my boys.

19. Take PB to a football practice with Ben.

20. Go to a weeknight movie.

21. Gain those 5 pounds back by eating my weight in chocolate ice cream.

22. Find a JOB.

23. Read 3 books in the Bible. Currently, I’m in Matthew. I’d like to finish that, and read at least 2 more.

24. Simplify and declutter. I’ve actually been doing this for a few weeks. Ben and I cleaned out our closet a few weeks ago and took out 5 big bags of clothes that didn’t fit or we didn’t wear. I didn’t know we owned so many clothes!

25. Slow down and enjoy these sweet days with my boys. They’ll be gone before I know it.

What about you guys? Do you have a summer bucket list? Plans for the summer? Things you’d like to accomplish/see/do? 

Have a blessed Wednesday 🙂