Summer Bucket List

 

Recently, I was getting a bikini wax. (I know...quite the opening sentence, huh? And so appropriate for a summer-themed post, no? But really, don't get too excited--I'm not going to get too graphic. It just happened to be the setting of this little anecdote.) My waxing girl (is there a better, more official job title for this?) immediately got into the usual small talk that is certainly a requirement for such awkward and still surprisingly painful appointments.
Her: "So, how've ya' been? School year's almost over, huh?"
Me: "Yeah, just a couple weeks left."
Her: "So what do you do with the boys? Do you put them in a summer camp?"
Me: "Oh, no, they stay home with us, because my husband's a teacher too, so we are all off the whole summer together."
Waxing Girl abruptly stops mid-hot-as-hell-wax-smear and looks at me, eyes wide:  "Oh. My. God. Do you  hate it? Oh. My. God. Are you miserable the whole summer? I'd go crazy."
Me: "Uh, no. I love it. It's great."
Her: "Oh. My. God. I would die."
She went back to her smearing and ripping, and I went back to my wincing and bracing. I'm not sure if it was the prospect of her husband being home all summer with her, or her kids, or both.

In our house, on the other hand, we count down, literally. As of today, it's 5 more school days. And then we are free...temporarily...but totally and completely free. Summer, for us, is Sacred.



 

1. Hang out in my pool.
2. Workout outdoors more than in the gym (no more 4:30 a.m. alarms!!).
3. Run on the beach.
4. Wake up super early, drive to the beach, and show two sleepy little boys their first sunrise. Then take them to breakfast.
5. Spend time with my girlfriends.
6. Help my littlest one get to know his soon-to-be kindergarten friends.
7. Not fret about my littlest one starting kindergarten until (at least) the week before school actually starts.
8. Paint my nails fun, summery colors.
9. Stay up late watching movies and snuggling under a cover with Hubby.
10. Take the boys to a painting class.
11. Drink lots of wine.
12. Drink lots of really cold beer.
13. Try absinthe.
14. 18-day RV Road Trip!!!
15. See Dave Matthews Band in concert for the 6th and 7th time.
16. Spend a lot of time in bathing suits and flip flops.
17. Read.
18. Blog.
19. Watch the night sky with my boys until we see a shooting star.
20. Spend a rainy afternoon doing silly, spiky, colorful hairdos on each other and taking pictures.
21. Organize my photos.
22. Organize my closet.
23. Organize my make-up drawer.
24. Be outdoors...a lot.
25. Run barefoot on the grass.
26. Play Frisbee.
27. Have a post-run fruit popsicle on the beach (and not care that it's dripping down my arm).
28. Go stand-up paddle boarding at least once.
29. Eat at our favorite taco shack on the beach.
30. Go dancing.
31. Try out a new local bar that was featured in a travel magazine.
32. Go to yoga.
33. Go swimming (or just floating) at night in my newly heated pool.
34. Wake up whenever.
35. Go to sleep late.
36. Have lots of sex.
37. Have post-sex waffles.
38. Spontaneously come up with new ideas for this list!