This summer

I hope to do a few things:

1. Go berry picking.
We went blueberry picking in Newport last year and looooved having fresh berries.

2. Learn how to make jam and do some canning.
I've been wanting to do this for the last 2 summers and still haven't tried it.

3. Work on a sewing project. Maybe even learn how to quilt?
Quilting is intimidating to me. This is almost like conquering a fear for me.

4. Have more fresh flowers in vases.
Working on it! Planted some flowers already!

5. Make homemade ice cream.
We made vanilla last year, but I want to try a different flavor. Strawberry? Chocolate espresso?


6. Go through every closet and the basement: Clear out, clean, and organize.
This really needs to happen. Martha has great organizing ideas. Although some seem like just more work and even a little ridiculous. Keeping a pantry inventory. Really?


7. Have more lunch picnic dates on campus with Bryce.

8. Go to a flea market and/or auction.
Never been to one!

9. Get tubes from a tire place and go tubing down the river.

10. Rearrange the furniture in our bedroom.
I wish we had money to buy new furniture or decorate more. But sometimes rearranging can make you feel like you're in a new room. Even redecorating with things you already have, like moving something that's in another room.

11. Go on a multi-day canoe trip.
Bryce and I bought a canoe a couple years ago. We've never done a float trip (more than a day) together.

12. Go to the beach.
Check! My family is going to Ocean Isle for a week in August! Cannot wait!

13. Learn how to make the 5 minute artisan bread that my friends say is easy. I bet the book is good.
Bryce and I made bread a few times during our first year married, but haven't really had much luck since.


14. Pick a race to start training for.
I would like to run a race maybe in the late Fall. I guess this depends on how busy I'll be with classes. But I've been itching to get back into training for one! It's easier to be motivated to run if I'm working towards something. This is my go-to website for looking at race dates/locations. This is also a good website for finding races.

15. Paint something.
One of my dreams is to take an art class someday. But I want to just buy a canvas and try my hand at it. Water color may be fun. A blank canvas staring at you is also intimidating. Maybe I'll do a really small one like postcard size.
16. Go to Floyd on a Friday night.

17. Frame my undergraduate diploma. (It's been 4+ years. It's time.)

18. Go to the Chateau Morrisette for the Sunday buffet, tasting, and free live music.

19. Make pizza on the grill.

20. Relax.

I would also love to learn Photoshop. But it's not very practical since a) I don't have Photoshop, and b) It's not in the budget right now. I wonder if a public library would have it? Or computers on campus?

I was sitting at the Farmers Market today with Lindsay talking about all the things we want to do this summer. It seems like a pretty long list. Do you have any summer lists?