As we prepare to head into the astronomical summer, I am back with another seasonal bucket list. This time, though, I have a bit of a twist – we are focusing on mom this season and making a summer bucket list for moms!
Summer
Summer is usually all about the kids. The kids are out of school. They have camps and special summer activities on a near daily basis. It’s easy to let an entire season go by without thinking about mom and what she wants once.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that mom should be the center of the universe for the entire summer. I fully endorse family fun in the summer, and even suggest that you include your kids in some of these summer bucket list for mom activities. Look at a summer bucket list for mom simply as a reminder that you matter too. Remember, if mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. Make yourself happy this summer, moms, and prioritize yourself by ticking off the activities on a summer bucket list for moms.
Summer Bucket List for Moms
Day drinking
There is something so indulgent about sitting down outside in the middle of the day and drinking a cold beverage. It really doesn’t matter at all what that cold beverage is or where outside you sit.
You can choose to drink something alcoholic, like a beer or a margarita. The concept still applies with a nonalcoholic beverage like iced tea or a chilled can of flavored water straight from the fridge. Whatever whets your whistle is the right beverage to choose.
As far as the ideal venue for a little day drinking, might I suggest the shade? It’s in the 90s here, so the thought of sitting in the direct sun long enough to consume a beverage is daunting to me, as I assume it is for you too. Other than finding yourself some shade, go wherever the wind takes you. A restaurant patio, a concert tailgate, or even your backyard while the kids play all fit the bill nicely.
Pool or beach day
Although you can and will have pool or beach days that include your kids this summer, to really check this item off the list, leave the kids at home. Sure, a family day at the pool or beach can be fun, but I know no person who would describe that as relaxing.
Find yourself a day, or even an hour, when you can go sit by or in a body of water without the kids. You can have a little solo session or make it a social activity and go with a friend. The point here is to chill, and you can’t do that when you’re constantly worrying about a little person drowning or fighting with that same little person about applying sunscreen (truly my least favorite parenting job).
I took a half day from work last summer and took myself to the pool for an hour before I picked up the kids from daycare. It’s amazing how restorative that one hour was. I promised myself I would do that at least once every summer from then on. This reminds me that I need to schedule that time soon, but I’ll probably wait until it’s not in the 90s.
Trip
Who doesn’t love a summer vacation? It’s practically a must on any summer bucket list. What makes this a worthwhile addition to a summer bucket list for moms, you ask?
Of course, it is super if mom can take a trip without the kids sometime over the summer. Grab your sister or your best friend, and have a little weekend getaway or a dream vacation to Greece. Although this is the ideal (and sounds AMAZING), a trip without the kids over the summer just isn’t a realistic option for most of the moms I know.
So, how can most moms check this item off their summer bucket list for moms? When you go on your summer vacation with your family this year, pick at least one activity you want to do and prioritize it. Sure, you may get a little whining if you take a day of your beach vacation to go antiquing. But guard that mom priority with your life! It’s important that a family vacation is fun for the whole family, not just the kids.
Last summer, we went to Louisville, Kentucky for our family vacation. It was perfect because we included activities for everyone. We spent a whole morning at the Louisville Slugger factory for my son, went to the Louisville Zoo for my daughter, took a tour and had a tasting at Willett Distillery for my husband, and went to the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs for me. Everyone had a great time at all of these activities, and we all felt that we left our summer vacations with a full cup. It is possible!
Book
Here I go suggesting that you read again! I know that I have become a broken record about reading being crucial to mom’s well-being, but I think this is especially the case in the summertime. I think I, like many in my generation, can trace my love of summer reading back to the Pizza Hut Book It! program. Who knew that a personal pizza could get so many children to read so much over the summer?
Now in my adulthood, there is no promise of pizza to kickstart my summer reading (unless I buy or make it myself). The siren call of summer reading for me now is the escape I get from it. With two small kids and demanding jobs for both of the adults in my family, we don’t get to go to magical, far-off places or find ourselves in fun, dramatic situations often. I can get there in my bed with a book, though.
If you’re looking to escape this summer, here are a few books I have read recently that you might want to consider:
- Anything by Elin Hilderbrand – All of her books are set on Nantucket and take place in the summertime. I’m not sure how much more quintessential summer reading you can get. I’m currently reading Golden Girl. The Hotel Nantucket is probably my favorite of the Elin Hilderbrand books I’ve read. It has beaches, love, mystery, and a resident ghost!
- Beach Read by Emily Henry – As the title suggests, this is very much a beach read, but it also has some substance to it. If you don’t like a book that is pure fluff, this is a nice mix. I am interested in reading more Emily Henry books if you have any recommendations.
- Emily Giffin books – I have been on an Emily Giffin kick lately, and I’m not sure why. I’ve enjoyed many of her books, starting with her debut novel Something Borrowed. I just recently read Where We Belong and thought it was a quick, fun read about a serious subject – adoption.
- Liane Moriarty books – If you’d prefer a bit more meat on the bones of your summer reads, try a book by Liane Moriarty. She somehow weaves absolutely suck-you-in plotlines into light, easy reading. I have recently finished The Husband’s Secret and I loved Big Little Lies. I want to seek out the rest of her books ASAP!
Ice cream
Unless you are lactose-intolerant or otherwise have some aversion to dairy products, ice cream in some shape or form is likely on your summer list already. Let’s take it up a notch and make homemade ice cream for this item on the summer bucket list for moms.
I got an ice cream maker attachment for my Kitchen Aid what seems like eons ago. It is still sitting in its box in my dining room sideboard, wondering if it will ever get called into action. This is the year, lonely ice cream maker! If you also have a neglected ice cream maker, dig it out and try your hand at homemade ice cream. I want to start with a plain vanilla, my husband’s favorite and an absolute must if you plan on making any kind of baked fruit dessert this summer. If that goes well, maybe I’ll get fancy with the mix-ins.
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, there are plenty of tasty no-churn ice cream recipes out there that are a whole lot less bothersome to make. Last year I made two varieties – Blueberry Crumble (for 4th of July) and Ricotta. Both were a hit!
Date night
Don’t let the summer pass you by without a date night. I’m mostly including this on the summer bucket list for moms to remind myself that I need to line up a babysitter and plan a date night with my husband. It’s easy to let things like date nights go unplanned. Sometimes you might think they’re more work than they’re worth. But repeat after me – you need a date night.
A date night can be anything you and your partner like to do together. Get tickets to a concert, have a fancy dinner al fresco, play golf – whatever sounds like fun is a great date night. My husband and I really like to try all kinds of beer, so our go-to date night is to find a brewery and start sampling!
Yoga
As I mentioned in at the beginning of the year, my 2024 resolution has been to move by body more. Through striving toward making progress on my resolution, I have rediscovered yoga. It is such a nice way to move your body, feel strong, and set your mind back to a place of calm, even if only temporarily. I don’t have much time to attend classes at yoga studios, but I have found a few YouTube channels that I really like – Yoga with Adriene and SarahBethYoga are the two I find myself going back to most frequently.
If the bugs aren’t too bad, might I suggest you take your iPad outside and practice a little yoga while you commune with nature? At this time of the year, you’ll probably get pretty sweaty doing yoga outside. Who doesn’t love a little free hot yoga session?
Make something
Get your creative juices flowing this summer, try your hand at one of your new low-effort hobbies, and make something! Anything you make counts here. If you like to cook or bake, find a recipe you’ve always wanted to try but never have and make it. Are you a crafty lady? Head to Michael’s and get supplies to make your front door a new summer wreath. If you’re more of a fashionista, perhaps you can tie-dye a t-shirt for yourself to brighten up your wardrobe a bit.
Feel free to get your kids involved in your creative project, or not. I am inspired to make a homemade ice cream cake at some point this summer, and I will definitely get my kids involved. Lots of spoon licking will be happening that day! I also want to start and finish a new cross-stitch pattern I bought. That will be a solo project done without the kids. Balance is possible!
Good luck with your summer bucket list, moms! Keep me updated on your progress and share your adventures over on Instagram @sarainseason. What item are you most excited about ticking off this summer?