Summer Bucket List 2012

This post is underwritten by Old Navy. Whether you’re looking for a tankini, bikini, or a one piece, Old Navy has you confidently covered.

I can’t even believe it’s that time already. Another season come and gone. Another bucket list almost completed. Another new season begins. And more fun things to check off. This time, my focus was on appreciating the simple things. While there are a few outings and such on this year’s Summer Bucket List, it’s a little more about getting back to basics.

I made the list while the kids were out with The Ex today, and Nick spied it on the refrigerator as soon as he came home. I watched him reading through it, and when he came out of the kitchen, he nodded. “I approve,” he said. “I’ll let you know if I have anything else to add.”

I’ll bet.

This summer, I hope to get several trips to the Jersey Shore under our belts. The kids love the water, and I love the shore. It’s a win win. There’s something about heading south that makes it very easy to leave everything behind (I know Sarah, as well as many others, agree). Some sort of magic happens when sand and salt water meet, and all the sudden, everything is right with the world. That, and once we get to my parents’ house, all the to-do lists and checklists are out the window. The only thing you CAN do is relax. It’s hard for me to do absolutely nothing, but I completely appreciate the rewards of forced relaxation. Even just the drive down the parkway does wonders for clearing my head. The trip through the tolls and stops at the rest stops never fail to remind me of summers spent down the shore while we were growing up. I love that my kids are enjoying some of the very same traditions I enjoyed back then.

This year, Madeline is taking three weeks worth of swimming lessons, and I can’t wait for her to get started next week. She is my fearless child, known for jumping off the dock without waiting to make sure someone is there to catch her. And although I wholeheartedly embrace her fearlessness characteristics, my heart would beat a little slower once she has more basic skills under her belt. This is her favorite bathing suit from Old Navy (the closest one to rainbow stripes), no bunching, no slipping, super modest, and super cute.  Their bathing suits are also really good at lasting the entire season, which my wallet appreciates.  They’d probably last more than one season if the kids would only stop growing so darn much.

The lemonade stand.  Oh that darn lemonade stand.  The kids have been asking to do one for at least the past year.  The thing is, they invariably ask to do it on a Sunday at 6 pm.  Or a weekday at 4 pm.  They’re asking when inspiration strikes, which is great, but that doesn’t translate into lemonade sales.  And what fun is a lemonade stand without lemonade sales, right?  So this summer, I’m officially vowing to plan one with them.

Sonic.  Oh how we love a spontaneous trip to Sonic.

Of course no Summer Bucket List is complete without our End-of-School and Back-to-School Rainbow Cake parties.  The kids and their friends look forward to it all year, and when you’re faced with this kind of deliciousness, well, can you blame them?

Our 2011 Summer Bucket List is here (we can’t wait to go back to that safari!), and our 2010 one is here.  If you need even more inspiration for creating your own Summer Bucket List, head on over to Ali Edward’s site and check out her Summer Manifesto.  Just as we did for our Spring Break, we are going to be making a summer journal to keep all of our summer memories, and Ali has some great tips for doing just that right here.  Nick is also going to be keeping his own summer journal (all handwritten) to practice and hone his writing and reading skills over the summer.  Surprisingly, he’s pretty excited about it.  Although I’m sure it’s mostly because I told him I would share my markers.

The O’Malley clan is super ready for some laid back moments that summertime offers, 100+ degree heat be darned. Would love to hear about what YOU’RE looking forward to this summer … and if you are a blogger with your own Summer Bucket List, feel free to add your link in a comment below.

Thanks to the folks at Old Navy for sponsoring my post. I was compensated for this post as a member of Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all my own. ‘Cause anything else would be wrong. Very wrong indeed.