Every Summer I try to put together a list of things I want our family to do (you can see our Summer Bucket List from last year HERE).
This year, though, I wanted to make a little Summer Bucket List for myself, if you will.
Because making tin foil rivers and figuring out the best recipe for homemade bubbles is awesome and all, but there are a few things I am interested in personally accomplishing over the next couple of months.
1. Paint the front door YELLOW.
I have been kind of obsessed with yellow doors lately (you can see some of the ones I have been pinning HERE). If we somehow fall into some extra money this summer, it will be going toward this bright and happy project.
2. Dye my hair like Lorelai Gilmore’s.
Oh my goodness. Gilmore Girls. One of my favorite shows of all time. Why, oh why did they have to stop after only 7 seasons? I am making the hubs watch the entire series with me this summer (along with So You Think You Can Dance). Every time we watch it, I drool over Lorelai’s hair color. It’s like this deep chocolatey brown but with beautiful red highlights. I’m feeling adventurous.
I am also secretly dreaming about getting my nose pierced this summer.
It’s quite possible I am having a mid-life crisis. 🙂
3. Take the kids to the dentist.
I am HORRIBLE at remembering to brush my children’s teeth. So I have been avoiding the dentist like the plague because I know they are going to punish me with disapproving stares when they see the evidence of neglect in my kids’ mouths.
Not to mention that I don’t like going to the dentist and haven’t quite figured out how to cast this particular person in a positive light for my children. I used to tremble in the waiting room as a kid. Not even the treasure chest or 152 flavors of flouride treatments could change my opinion. And these days I am always getting in trouble for not flossing. Also my last pregnancy apparently sucked every last bit of health from my gums, so my trips to the dentist now usually end up with me looking like a scene out of the Vampire Diaries and wondering what having dentures will be like one day.
4. Teach my kids to swim.
Another area of neglect is that I have not yet taught my kids how to swim.
And we live in FLORIDA, people.
Not a fan of all the time it takes to put sunscreen on squirming little people so we generally don’t go to pools or the beach that often.
There is an indoor swim academy right by our house, however, and they were offering this AMAZING deal for 4 swimming lessons so I snatched it up. It’s time we get this figured out so the hubs and I can actually have fun at family swim parties and trips to the beach instead of playing Rock Paper Scissors to see who will do CPR if necessary.
5. Finish my Bible study.
I have fallen in love with Lysa TerKeurst and am eating up everything she has to offer. I did THIS BOOK earlier in the year and now I am doing THIS ONE called What Happens When Women Say Yes To God.
Remember my post about The Prayer Chair? Yeah, well, I haven’t been the best about waking up early these days, so my times with the Lord have been a little less consistent but definitely more creative. 5 minutes alone in the bathroom? Let’s dig into God’s Word. At a red light? Let’s finish up Chapter 6’s study questions.
I’m hoping that the summer will be a bit more relaxed and I will be able to finally figure out exactly how to say yes to God. 🙂
6. Respond to people who comment on Happy Home Fairy things.
I’ve been writing this blog since 2010 and I have been AWFUL at responding to all the sweet people (like my top commenters Debbie, April and Brandi, to name a few) who take the time to let me know they liked a post or printable or to just share an encouraging word. I seriously read EVERY SINGLE ONE and they bless me MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW, but I have just never been able to figure out a good response groove. Like if I respond to one, then I feel I have to respond to them all (even though there really aren’t a whole lot to manage).
I’m kind of an all or nothing kind of girl. Like if I can’t remember to brush my kids’ teeth every day then I might as well not brush them at all.
Lately, though, I have been really desiring to grow this blog and I think one of the things that I could do better is taking the time to connect with my readers. So, this summer I am going to do my very best to reply to every commenter. Even the ones on Instagram. And maybe Facebook. 🙂
7. Get 10,000 ‘Likes’ on Facebook.
Speaking of Facebook, I have this little dream of reaching 10,000 likes. I wish I had more time to pour into social media things. To be honest, I am AWFUL at writing status updates. I feel like there are people who just think in status updates and are constantly rolling out these intelligent and inspiring words.
Not me.
It sometimes takes me hours (and several trial runs by the hubs) to come up with something that I think is worthy enough to be shared. Plus, for the same reason I completely failed as an independent consultant for a home party business, I hate promoting myself. I always feel like I am bothering people with stuff about… me.
I suppose if I bothered them they could ‘unlike’ me, but then I would just feel bad about that.
Maybe the answer here is that I am just not cut out to have a huge, exploding blog and should revise some of these summer dreams to be more along the lines of ways I can be a better mom.
Because clearly I spend too much time blogging and not enough time preserving my children’s pearly whites.
8. Go see a movie.
Man, when the hubs and I were in college we lived near a dollar theater and we went to the movies almost every weekend. It was the greatest.
Then we had kids.
Isn’t it funny how going to the movies now seems like such a huge and expensive event?
But seeing a movie with my love is one of my fondest memories. Especially in the summertime. I love wearing a flowy dress and walking hand and hand through the parking lot after a good flick. Possibly holding ice cream cones with our other free hand.
9. Soak up every minute with my kids.
I really want to be intentional about loving every relaxed-paced second I have this summer with my 2 little buddies. I will be making the transition from part-time to full-time teaching in the fall so these next 2 months are going to be incredibly precious as we savor laid back mornings, running through the sprinklers (since they can’t swim yet), and having after dinner Dubstep dance parties.
10. Holding on to JOY when it gets hot.
Other than our trip to the Bahamas, we’ve been encountering a series of unfortunate events involving our house, our mortgage, water damage, mold, medical bills, insurance, my husband’s chronic back pain, illness, and job stresses.
Just the other day I said to no one in particular, “Are we in the furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?”
But then I quickly remembered that JESUS was in that furnace, too – right there with them.
And I vowed to walk in the same kind of trust and obedience as those 3 faithful men.
Even when things get hot.
And in summertime in South Florida, it’s kind of inevitable. 🙂
So that’s my list.
What’s on yours?
(And if you answer this question by commenting below, I will reply to you – pinky swear.)
– Julie
This is a great list! You’ve inspired me to make my own. You may want to think through the ice cream thing, though. I had romantic visions of walking down St. George Street with my DH, hand in hand, each of us with an ice cream cone. Instead, it was brain freeze as we hurried and sucked down the ice cream before it dripped onto our hands. In the heat of summer in St. Augustine, we were a hot, sticky mess. I’m sure it was amusing to the masses staring at us, though! I get a cup now 🙂
Rena! Thank you for the advice!! You are SO right. Cups are the way to go. 🙂 So glad you have a fun (albeit sticky) memory with your hubs. xoxo
I love your posts! Seriously Every time I see one in my inbox I’m like YAY! I followed through your journey with your youngest and helped council a friend through the same ordeal when her youngest was born. Your posts were such an inspiration to me and to her. I can’t imagine being strong enough to go through what you both (and many other women and families) have gone through. Miscarriages were hard enough… With that said, your audience knows you’re busy and you cannot possibly respond to every post! We understand and we’re still loyal followers so don’t sweat the small stuff! Also, I totally think you should get your nose pierced. At the moment I have 3 add on holes in my face and 7 holes total in my ears. no, I don’t have chains connecting everything! lol. But I have to say I LOVE my nose ring. It’s a form of self expression and it’s relatively painless. It’s like a small pinch but I will warn you that your eyes might water. It won’t be because you’re crying, but because of your sinuses! Go for it! Good luck with the dentist. I take my son tomorrow and he’s not thrilled that the dentist may pull his last remaining baby teeth that he was told to wiggle until they came out! lol
Robin, thank you for this unbelievably awesome and encouraging comment!! I appreciate your sweet words (and the grace you show with my lack of replies!)… And thanks for the nose ring encouragement. The hubs is excited about me doing it, so I’m thinking it’s either now or never. I bought a magnetic fake one the other day as a trial and I am OBSESSED. The Happy Baby, however, keeps pointing to my nose and saying, “No. No.” 🙂 Thanks for being a HHF reader. xoxo
Hi Julie,
Love your blog. It is so uplifting and full of great ideas and reminders. Keep up the great work!
Ruth! You are so sweet! Thank you for writing to me! xoxo
I think in Status Updates. Maybe I don’t have the cutesy ones, or super-encouraging ones, but I do think several moments a day, “I am so putting that on facebook”… it’s kind of a lazy way for me to blog. I don’t have time for blogging anymore, but I love updating people on my crazy life, my kids’ conversations, and the ups and downs of (this week, kidney stones) my life.
Also, you’re amazingly beautiful. I always wanted to have hair your color. I loved the pics from your recent kid-less vacation. You and hubs are adorable together! And I read every single post, but I rarely comment. I also often find myself praying for all of you. So there… do they call that a “stalker’?
Have a wonderful weekend, and know that you make a total difference to this Mama in Michigan.
Jenny. First of all – kidney stones?! I am SO sorry. That is SOOOO painful. I cannot even imagine having them on top of chasing kids around. You are a superhero. Second of all, stalk all you want! I am eternally grateful for the sweet people like you who pray for our family. We totally feel those prayers. 🙂 Thanks for leaving a comment today. xoxo
Love this (especially the random nose piercing haha)! Feeling inspired! I just had baby #3 and the baby blues are getting the best of me so I think it would help me to have some personal short-term goals. I just may have to do my own blog post and link up to yours!
P.S. My college roommate introduced me to Gilmore Girls and oh.my.goodness is it the best (I wonder how many hours we spent watching it . . . let’s not think about it)! So glad to see someone else loved it as much as I did. 🙂 Tell your hubby he’s one good man for agreeing to watch those shows with you–that’s love right there!
Debbie! C’mon over and we can have a Gilmore Girls marathon! And hang in there after baby #3… I will pray for you to feel encouraged in the days ahead. I know the initial period is so hard – so many hormones and changes. You are a warrior, precious sister! I am proud of you for persevering! :-))))) xoxo
Love this list!! A possible #11 from a fellow mom (9 and 3)who has taught full time the past 6 years: summer freezer cooking. I plan a list of meals, quadruple them all, use Sam’s/Costco to my advantage by shopping in serious bulk, then get the hubs to watch the littles for a couple of days while I cook like crazy. We found a chest freezer on craigslist and I fill it with months of meals to get us through the school year.
Jennifer, you are AMAZING!!! I am so in awe of you! You will need to share some of your favorite recipes!
No, no, no, you are amazing. And without the freezer meals, it would be chicken nuggets and those steamed vegetable pouches every night…instead of once a week. Spaghetti sauce, chili, and soups are easy ones that freeze well (and spinach hides so well in them). Hubby loves meatloaf, so I make minis in muffin tins, then freeze them in gallon size ziplocs and pull them out individually…much like chicken nuggets. 🙂
Thank you for this blog – you have always been a ray of sunshine to those around you, and this lets you shine a lot farther!
Julie – Praying for your husbands back and that you come out of these trials polished and shiny as gold. Blessings to you and yours.
Christina, we can’t thank you enough.
LOVED Gilmore Girls!! One of my all-time favorite shows. Do you watch Parenthood? Loralei is in that show as well now – another favorite. 🙂 I also loved the BORED printable you posted yesterday – thanks!!
Thank you, Emily!
Glad to know I’m not the only mommy with toothbrushing guilt 🙂 I should make an appointment for my boy, too!
Penny, you’re awesome. 🙂
I am so blessed by every one of your posts! Thank you for being “real” and making the rest of us feel “normal”. I am surrounded by mother’s who appear to have it all together in all departments. I try not to compare but it is sooooo difficult. To offer some encouragement in the “poop” department…I feel your pain and I cry with you just like I cried with my daughter on so many occasions for over a year. Miralax was our best friend. This too shall pass and God will be your strength. Thank you sweet friend I have never met!
Joni, thank you! Your sweet words encouraged me today! I especially appreciated the ‘this too shall pass’ comment. 🙂 You are a great mom, sister!
You really need to take your kids to the dentist You are doing them a HUGE disservice not brushing and not getting their teeth cleaned. With the info we have now people can keep their teeth their whole life but not if you don’t teach them how to take care of them Good luck.
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Dina, OUCH. You’re so right. I actually took my boys to the dentist today and they did great! No cavities and the dentist was super encouraging. But I will definitely commit to being more faithful in this area! Thanks!
Totally get your nose pierced! My hubby said he was okay with it too. My only reservations, is that I work part time as a physical therapist, but I work with geriatric people so I’m thinking they won’t see it :). Getting nose bling has been on my bucket list for about 10 years…..but I keep telling myself I’m too old….I’m 36. Where did you get your magnetic one??? Maybe I could try it out too!
Emily – I got it at a souvenir shop on the beach! 🙂
hey! they sell bioplast nose retainers. It’s basically a nose ring but it’s bioplast and clear! so if you can’t have it at work or if you’re worried about people seeing it, put in the clear. I have my nose, tongue, and lip done and I had both eyebrows at one point. I have clear retainers for everything! I’m 30 and my sister is 33 and just got her lip done. You’re never too old for self expression!
Ok Julie. So many thoughts as I was reading…first u are not far away from 10,000 fb likes, u can easily do it! Also those thousands that follow u would love to hear more from u via fb statuses, yes even just a simple thought. 😉 OH, let me help u feel better about yourself…my boys are 6&3, we live ON the beach and have a pool….they wear floaties and ive yet to help them learn to swim. So, bad mommy award goes to me. (Honestly, the floaties give me peace but I shouldn’t be so fearful to teach them). Lastly, did u know about dollar movie days in the summer for the kids?? (Not as awesome as a date night, I know) but we should do that one day if u arent painting ur door or responding to 10,000 comments or doing anything else on ur bucket list. 🙂
Marci, you just cracked me up! I’m sitting here watching TV with the hubs and responding to comments. I’ve got my work cut out for me! But I feel so blessed. Maybe we can teach our kids how to swim together! There is power in numbers. You aren’t a bad mommy. You and me have more important things to do like make superhero photo shoots out of sheets and felt and a cereal box city. 🙂 You’re awesome! Let’s hang out soon!
Hi, it’s me again , just an older woman’s take on things. Love your hair but a rich chocolate brown would just compliment your good looks, and the summer is the ideal time to “just do it” You have a lovely smile, take care of it, when you get older a white smile will be just part of your charm. Remembering to do everything is hard, I never did master that skill, your children will remember your faith and your laughter, and the fun outings you have with them. Happy summer!!!!!!!!
Thanks for your encouragement, Shelley! i will get on the dying my hair thing ASAP. 🙂 you are so sweet to me!
I. LOVE. YOUR. BLOG. You are uplifting & hilarious. I love the idea of making a bucket list for myself- I’m doing it tonight!!! I pray for your family often and will continue to do so. Don’t worry about commenting on every single comment- just enjoy your summer! I look forward to your blog when you have time :).
Staci – you are so encouraging! thank you! can’t wait to hear your bucket list. 🙂
I’m so glad I started following you on Instagram & FB. You are such an inspiration to me as a Christian, wife, & mom. I feel like we have so much in common! I HATE the dentist!! So yes, giving my kids the pep talk before taking my kids to their appointments today was difficult…but they did AWESOME! I am also trying to soak up every bit of summer with my kids! I teach at our church’s preschool and next year I am moving up from the 3s to 4s, which means a longer school day & creating a whole new curriculum because I have a lot of my same students again. Luckily my son gets to be in class again, which is a huge blessing to me! But my poor daughter is going to have long days/week as a 2.5 year old at preschool….bless her heart! I LOVE my job & the fact that my babies get to come to work with me every day! Just want you to know you are appreciated!! Keep up the good work! I always enjoy reading!! Hope you get to mark everything off your bucket list this summer!
Sara – we are living parallel lives! my little buddies go to school where i work too! it is the BIGGEST blessing. i am sure you are an incredible spirit. i love seeing all the sweet things you do for others with your kids. and i love that adorable bow in your daughter’s hair. 🙂
Your posts are always so timely. I JUST started my own list today. Get this… Under “plan healthier meals,” I put “paint front door Yellow!” I’m not kidding. 🙂 We have so much in common. We’re dealing with water damage in 1/3 of our house, redoing siding due to mold, (plus side is I get to pick new paint colors,) and struggling with husband’s job and back pain too. I’m terrified of the dentist, but my kids LOVE it there… Seriously. They’ve asked to go on their birthday. Say what?!?! And I hope to teach them to swim this summer as well. My son is 6 and has never had a lesson. Yikes. Anyway, I know how to pray for you more specifically. I pray for His peace, guidance, and provision in this season and that you’d truly feel Him in the furnace with you. (I loved that reminder!) Oh, and speaking of movies, did you get to see Mom’s Night Out? If not, you must! I laughed so hard, I cried. So relatable, so encouraging for moms. Whether you check anything off or not, I hope your family has your best summer yet! Blessings!
Leeanne – SERIOUSLY?! That is so crazy!!! let me know what yellow paint you choose! i am bouncing back and forth between a few different options. and i loooove that your kids ask to see the dentist on their birthday. that is miraculous. i am so sorry about the mold issues you are facing. i tell you, water damage really creates a LOT more problems then you think! one problem kind of rolls into the next, yes??? and i am REALLY sorry about your husband’s back pain… this has been something we have dealt with for 13 years… God is teaching me a lot in it. thank you so much for your prayers. and let’s go see that movie together. 🙂
Well, since you mentioned me in this post, I guess I HAVE to comment (as if I wouldn’t have, anyway…ha!) But seriously, it seems that every post makes me cry, laugh, think, or pray. Or all of the above. Your blog is the only one I follow regularly.
I have to agree with Jenny, who said she uses FB posts as a form of blogging. I started a blog about 3 years ago, and have about the same number of posts. (Feel free to send any blogging tips you have my way in all that free time you have.) I can never seem to get a full length blog post worded the way I want, so I just end up doing a condensed version as a status update. Lol! Maybe I should add blogging more to my own bucket list, along with baking and sewing more. And crochet. And freezer meals. And I definitely want to do some handprint art projects with my littles before their hands aren’t so little anymore.
Speaking of my littles, I was really bad at remembering to brush their teeth too, until I got the free Disney toothbrush timer app. Now they remind me to brush their teeth! LOL! I also have a dentist appointment this week I am NOT looking forward to…ugh…
BTW, I am Tweetysma on Pinterest so I’m sure you have seen me “stalking” you there, too. Haha!
Anyway, thank you again for doing what you do. It has been a blessing to read about your family’s journey so far, and to see how you have become even more like Jesus through it all. Thanks for letting me tag along. One more thing…I love SYTYCD! It’s the highlight of my summer TV watching. Sad, huh? 😉
Well, wouldn’t you know it, after I presumptuously assumed you were speaking of me, another Brandi has commented. Here I was, all this time, thinking I was the only Brandi in the world. Oops! 😉
This is only my second comment. You’re the Brandi she’s talking about, I’m sure 😉
Brandi – NOT SAD AT ALL. SYTYCD is totally amazing. 🙂 And I am going to go get that app immediately. And thank you for all of your sweet words and for always being such a faithful follower. Every comment you have made has blessed me richly. You are an angel!
Julie, you’re too kind. FYI, my Pinterest name in the comment above has a typo. It should say Tweetysmama. Look me up over there if you haven’t already. 🙂
I have two daughter (3 years and almost 2 years) and I’m 6 months pregnant with our son. In the midst of tantrums, fighting over toys and my never ending morning sickness, your posts never stop putting a smile on my face. When my inbox says there’s a new post it feels like a Saturday morning and my kiddos have just slept past sunrise :-). You’ll never know what a blessing your blog has been to me. I’m not even sure how I stumbled across it. I read post after post and found them adorable, then I came across the post about dropping your baby. Our youngest daughter managed to fall off our couch three times in the first six months! It haunted me and I knew we we’re the absolute worst parents in the world. I was positive it never happened to anyone else. And I just knew God must be so ashamed of us for allowing it to happen to His precious gift. Reading that post gave me the green light to forgive myself and move on. (Our son will only be allowed to lay on the floor until he’s in college!) On another note, my children have never been to the dentist. Until the past three months they rarely got their teeth brushed and if it weren’t for my less neglectful husband who actually remembers everynight, I’m sure they’d be well on their way to dentures. Again, thank you for sharing your stories about motherhood and making this mom feel a little less imperfect. Prayers for your difficult situations and that you get that yellow front door! (By the way, you’re one like closer to 10, 000)
Brandi, this comment really blessed my heart just now! Thank you so much for taking the time to write it. my husband, too, is WAY better at remembering our children’s oral health. he finally put a reminder in my phone to brush and so far we have been doing SO much better. 🙂 Thanks for sharing. You are awesome!
A couple of weeks ago I made a list of 30 things I want to do this year (since I turned 35 and all) and I’ll be darned if I didn’t just jump right in with it. I’ve already completed TWO of my items, but I like your idea of a “Bucket list for Summer.”
I don’t remember when I started thinking about piercing my nose, I know it’s been more than a year or even two. I used to think a nose ring was only for teenage girls going to college, you know, the ones who were just wanting to be a bit edgy. Then I started noticing them everywhere, my new friend had one, internet friends had them, even my babysitter had one. It quickly snowballed from something I thought about from time to time to something I was obsessed with.
When I say I was obsessed with it, I mean that I really wanted to do it but I was worried that it would appear foolish to everyone else. I also worried what my husband would say, yes I’m 35 years old. I hemmed and hawed over it (seriously) for a month. I finally got up the nerve to call and make an appointment and the only two shops I knew of (or had recommendations for) said “I’m sorry, we don’t have a piercer right now”. I almost took it as a sign and wrote the whole thing off. However, my husband thought, “…I’d look cute with a little nose stud.”
Luckily I have some pretty awesome friends and they kept pestering me until I finally went and did it. I made one of my best friends go with me because a) I’m a pansy and b) tattoo parlors can be a bit scary if you’re a suburban driving minivan mom like myself. Then there was the issue of “was I too old for a nose stud? Now, 40 something isn’t old at all, but my bestie pointed out that if I got my nose pierced post-thirty people might think I was having an early mid-life crisis. Whether or not that’s true, I decided to add it to my list of reasons to go ahead 🙂
I’m really happy with it mostly because it’s so subtle little diamond stud and ” I love the look.” Know it will be a little more sparkle on your nose, but will put a smile on your face every time you look in the mirror.
Please don’t hesitate to write me I can answer any questions.
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I feel like this was me writing this- esp. the Gilmore Girls and Lorelai’s hair color! Go for the nose ring!! My husband told me during my first pregnancy “mom’s don’t have nose rings” and I felt silly for having one and took it out. Approx 3 years later I had it redone and have not regretted it! Enjoy! Live it up! Be a cool, Jesus loving, kid supporting, super fun Mom!!
Kara – Thank you! Great minds think alike! 🙂 xoxo