Yesterday was the official first day of summer! It’s been rainy and unseasonably cold here this week, but I’m not letting that dampen my seasonal enthusiasm. I thought it could be fun to share a few items on our summer fun list today (the last time I did this was in 2017!), as well as a few thoughts on how we’re handling summer break with our rising second grader (and two preschoolers!). First up, the summer bucket list. Summer Fun List — Go on at least one thrifting excursion— Make popsicles— Eat breakfast in the backyard— Take neighborhood walks after dinner— Enjoy a nostalgic date night while in Connecticut— Splash at Fews Ford— Play tennis once a week (ambitious!)— Have pizza at the pool— Have pizza at Dix Park— Take the kids to the new splash pad at Pleasant Park— Make our favorite peach-blackberry cobbler— Road trip to the Betty Confetti craft club with June (join us!)— Go to a Bulls game with the tickets the kids earn from their summer reading program— Jump off the wharf at the Island (if it’s warm enough! Right now the forecast looks chilly!)— Take our paddle boards somewhere new— Use our Museum membership with friends— Enjoy a stopover in DC on our road trip home from New England Last year, I shared some thoughts at the end of the summer on how we handled June’s first summer break as two working parents. It was a popular post, so I’m planning to write this year’s version in a few months, but in the meantime, I thought I’d give a brief overview of what we have planned. This year, as I suspected, we were able to back off formal programming a bit – she’s a year older, we have last year’s summer experience under our

It’s hard to believe, but this year’s summer fun list is even longer than last year’s! Every age with June has been sweet, but I’ve heard from many people that 15-24 months is an exceptionally fun stretch, and I believe it – we just can’t get enough of our girl!! I fully intend to check off every one of these things together before September 22, and I’m ridiculously excited about the thought. Off to print and hang this list on our fridge! Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, friends! — dine under the lights at Vin Rouge — take June to splash at Fews Ford — decorate June’s bike and walk in our town’s Fourth of July parade — spearhead a street potluck — invite friends over for a cookout in our backyard — take June to a splash pad — make berry cobbler — go to a Bulls game — road trip to Maine — roast s’mores in our fire pit — jump off the wharf at the Island — outdoor movie at Koka Booth or the Art Museum — picnic at a Back Porch Music concert — spend a day at the beach — film our second June in June movie — ice cream at Maple View — road trip to Michigan — pick blueberries — have a classic cookout with hot dogs, grilled corn, pasta salad, potato salad, and more :) — lemonade at the Honeysuckle Tea House — camp with friends — check out the books, flowers, and potstickers at Brewery Bhavana — make pavlova — try a canoe ride — celebrate Cow Appreciation Day What’s on your summer fun list

This is a long list of summer fun, I’ll admit. But this is the good stuff, friends!! I am ridiculously excited about everything on this list, and I plan to check off every single one. My advice, if you’re planning to make your own: print it out! Ours is hanging on the fridge where we can see it every day, which just plain makes me happy, but also helps us remember to get out and do! In no particular order, the list to enjoy before September 21… — go to a Bulls game — feed June her first solid food — road trip to Maine — host my childhood friends for the weekend — roast s’mores — make bruschetta with our garden produce — jump off the wharf at the Island — outdoor movie at Koka Booth — outdoor movie at the Art Museum — make strawberry lemonade — picnic at a Back Porch Music concert — spend a day at the beach — make chicken souvlaki — finish our June in June movie — watch fireworks — ice cream at Maple View — road trip to Connecticut (I have a whole other list I’ll share of CT fun!) — take June swinging at a playground — pick blueberries — make a pizza with our garden produce — lemonade at the Honeysuckle Tea House — camp with friends (June’s first camping trip!!) — buy a new flag for our house — visit our friends in Brevard — squeal over June in her adorable swim outfit — BLTs at Merritt’s — renovate our backyard What’s on your summer fun list

I missed the official first day of summer by a few days, but it feels like my summer will really begin tomorrow, when John and I leave for our big road trip to Michigan! Here are a few other things I’m hoping to “accomplish” this season… — Host an adventure dinner party (!!!) — Bake something with fresh berries or fruit — Order from a local food truck (I’m eying this one) — Swim in the Eno — Go to an outdoor country concert — Watch an outdoor movie at Koka Booth and the NC Museum of Art — Spend a day at the beach — Watch fireworks — Pick blueberries — Canoe down the Haw River — Stargaze during the Perseids meteor shower — Buy a grill — Make flavored lemonade — Jump off the dock at the Island — Eat lots of bruschetta :) What’s on your list? I’m always inspired by what y’all have planned!