The Summer List – 2012 Edition

If you read Whatever.  Or, shuck it in a bucket.  If you listen to Joy and Tracy.  Whatever you call it, today’s the first day of summer and it’s time to make the best to-do list of the year.  That’s saying something, dear readers, I make a lot of to-do lists.

1.  Wear a dress or skirt (for at least part of) every day.  Here I am trying my latest one on in Banana Republic.

I had this goal in mind before I read this article Sam posted on Facebook.  It sums up everything I’ve ever wanted to be.  Which is to say, the lady who you run into in the grocery store looking fabulously fresh and pulled together even though it’s 100 degrees and humid outside.  I figure my first step in doing so is putting on something a little nicer than my go-to pair of running shorts each day.  So even yesterday, after a long day at work, and a sweaty walk into Georgetown, I got home, downed a huge glass of water, and found a sundress I hadn’t worn in forever to put on before dinner with some favorites.

2.  Complete The 100 Thing Challenge.  The premise is simple:  get rid of 100 things in your house.  Weed them out, pass them on to others, recycle, or simply trash them.  For someone who has tons of clutter on every flat surface in her home, this idea is simply inspired.  100 is enough of a reach to make the name challenge fit, and manageable enough that the task is not daunting.  The idea of pitching this much crap makes me giddy excited.  I am itching to get started right this very second, but I’m traveling soon, and I doubt my husband would be thrilled to have a mini-junk-collection sitting on the floor for several days.

3.  Eat at least 2 fruits and vegetables at 2 meals a day.  This is spa water, per Ali’s suggestion, and as I don’t actually eat the fruits I put in my tumbler, it doesn’t really count.

In the summer, I try to cram as many fruits and vegetables into my diet as possible.  If we’re not grilling, I’ll boil an ear of corn.  If I’m toting my water bottle around, it’s filled with strawberries and lemons.  I always eat a fruit or vegetable with each meal, but I’d love to replace some carbs with whole foods, and this seems the season to make it a habit.

4.  Be outside as much as possible.

From baseball, to grilling, to sitting on the deck with a book in one hand and a drink in the other, I want to soak up all the Vitamin D summer can give me.  One way I’ve already been making this happen is by walking to the library each and every day.  It’s pretty much my favorite place.

5.  Consume as much ice cream as possible.

Although CV and AGOMYR got pretty upset when I told them this goal included frozen yogurt.  Confession: anything that comes out of one of those swirly machines is fine by me.  Especially if I get to do the swirling myself, which I did here, with Queen Cupcake.  So far this summer, I’ve had peach, dulce de leche, and coconut.

As well as ice cream in a helmet.  Which always tastes better than any other kind.

So there it is dear readers, everything I’m hoping to do this summer.  What about you?  What’s on your lists?