Summer Bucket List Challenge Update
Summer is definitely not over! ;) Thank goodness because we still have a few things that we need to cross off our Summer Bucket List! Haha! We know we still have a few things that we just aren’t realistically going to be able to make happen this summer (like Ryan running a 10K! ;) ). However, it is exciting to know that we already have a head start on creating our list for next year! ;)
In the meantime, we are definitely celebrating the excitement that we have had this summer! Our Bucket List has definitely helped us keep our priorities straight this summer and reminded us to have fun when our heads were buried in our computers for too long! I would say, we have had one pretty AMAZING summer and we are so grateful for that! Huge thanks to our friends over at the Happy Family Movement for encouraging us to create our list in the first place!
It has been awhile since we updated you all on our progress, but if you follow along on Instagram you have seen some of our fun! ;) For those without Instagram… here is an update for you!
Go Strawberry Picking
We actually did a full blog post on this one! ;) Remember, 18 lbs of strawberries later and all of the strawberry goodies that we made with them?!? ;)
Go to the Little League World Series
The Little League World Series is an event that is near and dear to our hearts! Growing up about 10 minutes away and even spending a summer lifeguarding in the Grove (where the teams stay for the Series!), we have many fond memories that surround the LLWS. Whenever the last two weeks of August roll around, our hearts are either glued to ESPN or we are enjoying the magic on the Hill in Williamsport! It is my dream to document a team’s journey to Williamsport… a behind the scenes look at the excitement, the challenges, and the dreams! (More on this to come in the future for sure! ;) ). Anyway- this year, our schedule didn’t allow for us to be there for any of the games. However, we were home the weekend before and I did hop over to the Hill on Monday before the Series started with my brother. I talked him into just taking a moment to go sit on the hill and take it all in. As we were sitting there, we witnessed the spirited team from Puerto Rico running laps around the Little League complex (not an easy task!) and they never once stopped chanting as they ran! (Of course, they quickly became my favorite team!) Just before we left, we walked over to the stairway to make our way to our car. Taking one more look around and thinking about the dreams that were becoming a reality before our eyes, a whole group of 11 and 12 year old boys (as well as about 3 or 4 coaches) came running by us! With their mouths wide open in AMAZEMENT, all we could hear was… “Ohh my gosh! Look at that!!” “Look how BIG that stadium is” “WOW!.” The team from Delaware had just arrived and we got to experience their first glimpse of their dreams becoming a reality. That was PERFECT.
Have a Picnic at Fort McHenry watching the clouds
Yep… I did this. One day, I was just not feeling it. I was struggling to get anything done and I just needed a break! It was one of the most beautiful days outside (no humidity and about 80 degrees!) It was AMAZING! I grabbed the blanket and a pillow AND a good book and just sat outside at Fort McHenry watching the clouds roll by! It was so good for my soul and I absolutely recommend this to everyone! ;)
Go to an Orioles Game and get Boogs BBQ
Ahhh! Boogs BBQ is like a staple when going to an Orioles Game! ;) Ryan has been to a few games this year- but we both went on a super fun double date with Sarah and Joe a few weeks ago!!! Unfortunately, the Orioles lost, but we had the most AMAZING seats to take the evening in!! ;) (Thanks to Sarah and Joe!) We had a blast and definitely enjoyed us some Boogs! We are super excited to say that we have two more Orioles games on the calendar for this year!!! So that means two more Boogs too! ;) SO FUN!
Travel to Portland
Ok, this one we kind of cheated on! ;) We didn’t make it to Portland, Maine this summer… but we definitely did make a trip to Portland, Oregon! ;) That totally counts, right?! ;) All that matters is that we had FUN- and that we definitely did!
Go to the Flea Market on the Eastern Shore (ie. Crumpton Auction)
SO many of our AMAZING couples and friends have told us about the Crumpton Auction. As soon as they see our home decor (the exposed brick and original hardwood floors from pre-1900s) they say, “you would absolutely love the Crumpton Auction!” ;) Basically, they had us so super excited… I couldn’t wait to go!!! However, I definitely was a little nervous and maybe a tad intimidated at the thought of a real auction!
Ohh my goodness… ;) As we drove through the farmer’s fields and miles and miles of nothing, we started laughing at the thought that we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into! ;) THEN, out of nowhere we see a field full of “junk!” ;) and cars everywhere!! After seeing no one for miles, we realized they were just all at the Auction! ;)
As soon as I got out of the car I was like a little a little kid in a candy store! ;) I was SO EXCITED… not necessarily because of the junk (haha… I am far from a hoarder!), but because of the cultural experience we were about to have! ;) I am pretty sure the smile did not leave my face all day! (Even when we lost the bid for the milk crate and old oar we were bidding on!) ;) We did, however, walk away with a beautiful old cedar chest for $30! ;) Thank Goodness for Melissa Manzione and her mom for showing us the ropes! We definitely would have been lost without them… but we would have been lost with a smile on our face that is for sure! ;)
Spend the day at the beach reading a book
We have been dreaming of a day where we could put everything away and literally just lay at the beach and read a good book! We are FINALLY making that happen TODAY! ;) The weather is looking awesome… so we have made it a date! We blocked the day off and are currently on our way to the beach!! ;) SO FUN!
Added bonus… we did spend an evening at the beach earlier in August with my best friend, Megan, Glenn & Jackson and their beautiful family!! (Megan’s Birthday just so happens to be on Friday… so we figured it would be fun to wish her an early happy birthday! ;) YAY! HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY Megan!!!) Our evening at the beach with them was magical to say the least! We did take a few photos and then finished off the evening with a round of mini golf! AMAZING! (Mini Golf def has to go on the list every year from now on! ;) )
Throw a big 4th of July Party
The 4th of July is always a super fun holiday for us! Since we have made the move to Baltimore, we enjoy it even more because we have this fabulous view of the fireworks! ;) Every year, they bring the barge in and place it nicely right in front of us! ;) And every year we are pinching ourselves knowing that we are super lucky and super blessed to be able to celebrate in such a fun way!! Every year we open our home to family and friends in hopes that they will be as excited as we are about the fireworks! ;) We love being surrounded by our family and friends and love being able to celebrate such fun holidays in such a special way!
Go to an outdoor concert/performance
We have/will be doing this a few times this summer! So fun!! A few weeks ago we decided to go to the Boordy Vineyards for their Summer Concert Series! It was a blast!!! Seriously! We loved every minute of it! We packed a picnic and enjoyed some wine while hanging out with hundreds of other people on the lawn! It really was magical!
AND by the end of the day tomorrow…. we will have done it again! ;) We are planning to make our way down to the Keith Urban Concert in the Baltimore Harbor to kick off the NFL Season!! AHHH! AMAZING! What a super fun way to kick off the football season, right?!! It might be crazy crowded, but we are super excited!!
SO MUCH FUN!! Seriously- what a fabulous summer, right?!? And it is still going strong! We are so grateful!
Tell us about your summer fun!! We want to know what we should put on our Bucket List for next summer! So, please, do share!! ;)