Summer is unofficially here, though it’s felt like summer for weeks now in North Carolina! To me, summertime signals the arrival of endless pool time, jaunts to the beach, cookouts and grilling with friends, nostalgia for childhood summers, ice cream date nights, celebrating the 4th of July, catching fireflies, lots of watermelon, hosting friends, family vacations, getting outside, and enjoying all that our city has to offer this time of year. I love summertime so much (especially if by a body of water!), and we plan to savor this season and make the best of it. As you know, I adore making seasonal to-do lists (as evidenced by my summer bucket lists of 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013), and Rob and I have been brainstorming what we want to check off this summer’s annual bucket list of fun (my 10th annual!) together!

Without further ado, here is our 2022 Summer Bucket List:

• celebrate the 4th of July, one of my all-time favorite holidays! 
• visit our family in NYC this summer!
• enjoy a few glorious trips to the beach
• hang patriotic bunting on our front porch
• read lots and lots of books in the sunshine
• go to our neighborhood pool as much as possible
• go to a Durham Bulls game
• go to an outdoor symphony
• go to an outdoor movie in the park
• pick up lunch at Foster’s Market and enjoy a picnic & stroll at Duke Gardens
• explore a couple quaint towns nearby
• pick blueberries and peaches (and bake some amazing desserts)
• play tennis every week
• go to the farmer’s market regularly and cook lots of seasonal meals and desserts
• continue my every day walks (500+ days & counting!) around the neighborhood and local parks
• enjoy date nights on our deck under the string lights
• enjoy picnics at Dorothea Dix Park, Pullen Park, Fred Fletcher Park, and the Art Museum
• visit the sunflowers and wildflowers at both the NCMA and Dorothea Dix Park
• play golf/go to the driving range and then enjoy snowcones
• play disc golf together
• make plenty of homemade ice cream and experiment with new flavors (we’ve made so much homemade vanilla ice cream, strawberry ice cream, chocolate-peanut butter stracciatella, and pistachio gelato)
• make popsicles, banana pudding, and blueberry-blackberry-peach cobbler
• watch a movie outside on our deck with the string lights overhead and stovetop popcorn
• host dinner parties on our deck

Can you tell that we’re very ready to fully enjoy this season and time with our families and friends?! We are very excited to dive into our favorite summer adventures, activities, and trips, and we plan on embracing this season, finding joy, being with our loved ones, and having as much fun as we can while making new memories!

What are you most looking forward to this summer? I’d love to hear what you’re most excited about!