Summer List

So I'm an obsessive planner, but not the kind who always has everything together (not at all). I'm the kind of planner who always wants to have something to look forward to... and so I make lists. A lot of lists. I am always making the lists. 

And I almost never actually accomplish everything on the list, and that's okay, but this year, I actually did! I truly succeeded at doing all 10 things on my Summer Fun To-Do List, and Thomas helped me do it! As seen here:

1. Eat watermelon

I have obviously eaten a lot of watermelon. Thomas, on the other hand, had never eaten watermelon until this summer! So I put it on the list. He loved it. Obviously. Watermelon is the best. Just in general. It's definitely my number one melon. 

2. Eat an ice cream cone

I was 100 percent no sugar for Thomas for a long time, and I'm still not crazy about giving him sweets, but I will say, once he hit his first birthday, I eased up on the situation. I love ice cream. I especially love ice cream in cones. It's just so fun! So I definitely got my ice cream on this summer, and I even shared with my little fellow.

3. Go to River Jam at the U.S. National Whitewater Center

We live less than five minutes from the U.S. National Whitewater Center. Lucky us! Every Thursday and Saturday, they have free music and good beer. We went twice this summer: Once with Thomas when he was still on California time (it's too late when he's on NC time), and once as a date night to see Delta Rae play (they were amazing).

4. Mountains

We took two trips up to the mountains this summer. They are my favorite place in the world.

5. Go to California

Is it cheating to put stuff on the list you absolutely know is going to happen because your sister is going to get married and there is no way you're going to miss it? Anyway, I put this on the list, and we went! It was a great, exhausting trip.

6. Play in a river

Thomas got his play on in the New River several times. I love his little baby face, and sometimes I feel twinges of sadness when I see how big he's getting... But then I remind myself of all the fun things he'll get to do when he's bigger! Thomas enjoyed the New River, and I think the older he gets, the more fun he's going to have in our favorite mountain location!

7. Celebrate Thomas's first birthday

This is another thing that I was obviously going to do. Maybe this is why my list was accomplished? Should I put "Celebrate Thanksgiving" on my fall list? I'm feeling pretty good about the list-finishing, so maybe I will! Anyway, Thomas turned one, we had a big party, and a good time was had by all!

8. Hang out at OMB

This was the final item we completed on my list, and it's one I really wanted to happen. Olde Mecklenburg Brewery was the first brewery Robert and I went to together (and it was our wedding beer!). It recently opened up a new location, and we both wanted our dads to come see it. So... we had a grandparents visit to toddler-friendly OMB (seriously, a million kids are always running around that place). Pictured below: My mom rocking some amazing costume jewelry!

9. Visit the Atlantic Ocean

I sort of wanted the Atlantic Ocean to be Thomas's first ocean because North Carolina is his home state, but California is his mama's home state, so the Pacific was a good first ocean too! At the end of summer vacation, we did make it to Myrtle Beach. Thomas loves those waves!

10. Visit the Pacific Ocean

The evening before my sister's wedding, she threw a party on the beach, and it was just gorgeous. Thomas saw an ocean for the first time, and he was mesmerized.

That's it! The list is complete! And the summer was great. It's so crazy the season of summer still has a month left. What's that about? I'm knee-deep in school! Anyway, it's time to start thinking about fall for sure!