Check Up On The Check List!

At the start of every summer, I make a list of fun things to do –not so they all get done, but so that if ever the words are uttered, “Mom, I’m bored,” there is an answer.

Here’s the follow up.

100) Ice Cream. It’s always summer if you’re eating ice cream. DONE OFTEN.
99) Fireworks (Ditto) DONE!

98) Playing cards. –DONE OFTEN.
97) Going to the pool. NEED TO DO MORE.
96) Going to the library. DOING NEXT Week.
95) Berry Picking. –DONE.
94) Praying a daily rosary of grattitude for this season of warmth and wonderfulness. SOMETIMES DONE.
93) Painting a room.
May be an image of fig
92) Planting a garden. Done.
May be an image of fruit
91) Waterballoon fight with children. Need to do –planning to do for Labor Day as a close out.
90) Drawing every square inch of the driveway. –Need to do.
89) Going to the fair. –Next week.

88) Baseball –watching, not playing. Did, done, will do again.
87) Practicing my drums.
May be an image of 2 people
86) Going to a concert. TWICE! Loads of fun. May be an image of 2 people and text

85) Watching a movie as a family. Done, doing.
84) Hiking in the mountains. Done.
83) Skipping rocks. May get to.
82) Pilgrimage to a local shrine. Need to do.
81) Adoration in the heat of the day. Done.

80) Dance competition with your family. (Rejoicing in the gifts of our bodies)
79) Board game day. (No screens)
78) Fishing. (It’s what the apostles do). May get to.
77) Summer Cleaning and donating, also known as Trucky day in our house –I rent a truck. I love it. Doing, ongoing. Haven’t yet rented truck.

76) The Beach –my personal sacred place, all of the ocean. –Done.
75) thrifting. Not done.
74) painting on canvases. Done.
May be art of text

73) daily rosary or daily mass, in person or listened to. Getting better at it.
72) Star gazing. –marvel at the heavens created by the One who created them. Done multiple times.
71) Smoking a brisket, a slice of heaven. –accidentally bought a pork, not beef brisket. Still good but bummed as I dreamed of beefy goodness. –seasoning was off, too sweet.
70) Visiting battle grounds, learning history, honoring the dead and praying for their souls (Spiritual Act of Mercy) Need to do.
69) Going to a museum, taking in the beauty. Still need to do.
68) Teach two daughters how to drive –it will also improve my patience, and increase my faith. Working on it.

67) Hammock time –it is good to rest. Done multiple times by multiple people…and the dog.
66) Write letters. Saint Paul did, we should too. Need to do.
65) Go to the Zoo. Some did.
64) Rent a Kayak or Canoe on a local lake. Want to do.

63) Bonfire s’mores. Done.
62) Spa day at home. Need to do.
61) Kite Flying. Not yet.
60) Spend a day in DC. Not yet.
59) Food Truck Day. Done, loads of fun.
58) The Aquarium. Not yet.
57) Library, once a week. No.
56) Mario Kart Races with handicapping. (It will be my kids’ revenge for driving lessons). Working up the courage to propose.
55) Symphony at the local theatre. –not yet.
54) Theatre at the local theatre. –not yet.
53) Practice the piano. –not yet.

52) Write 5oo words a day, even if it’s just a list. It’s good practice for your brain. –not yet.
51) Weekly Classic Movie Night. I made a list a few years ago, I will pull that out and use it. Done more than once, but not yet weekly.
50) Beat Bobby Flay –we used to do this, and I am the reigning champion, but my husband has become much more accomplished as a chef in recent years. I still have speed on him, but he has skill. –Done, but instead, we work together.

49) Whiffle Ball in the back yard. Not yet.
48) Throw a party. Done, big time.
47) Date Night once a week. Part of sustaining ourselves. Done!
46) Help 8th apply for college. Working up the nerve.
45) Shop for Back to School Stuff. Some.
44) Visit family, both sides. Some.
43) Ride horses. I’ve done this in Shenendoah and love it. DONE!
42) Go to local farms –mushrooms, fresh cheese, tomatoes that can be measured in pounds, wines, it’s wonderful. DONE!

41) Volunteer with the Church pantry program. Need to do.
40) Bowling with family. Not yet.
39) Minigolf –bragging rights do sometimes cause people to pray perhaps for victory more than they should. Monday scheduled.
38) Comedy Club –we’re near DC, think it’s something we should explore. Not yet.
37) Provide Paul with opportunities to read, write, garden, and cook. Done some.
36) Run/walk in a 5k. –not happening.
35) Blow bubbles. Not yet.
34) Pedicure day, all the girls who want one. Done
33) Dentist day –taking care of the body. Done
32) Physicals day. Also done.
31) Planetarium. Not yet.
30) Visit three colleges. –plotted UMD, UMBC, TOWSON and ND/SMC for fall.
29) Go to Charlestown and see the horse races. –watched on TV –does that count?
28) Ocean City for a weekend. –Done.
27) Smith Island. (Never been). Always good to go somewhere new.
26) GoKarts. –on the list.
25) Sugarloaf Vineyard. –DOING THIS SUNDAY.
24) Gettysburg –we go almost every year on the 3rd.
23) Hershey Park or Bush Gardens. –OCEAN CITY and FAIR Instead.

22) Daughter goes abroad. DONE.

21) Take a class at the local school in something. –Exercising the brain. DONE
20) Catch Fireflies –done.
19) Declutter. (Proof of the triumph of hope over experience). STILL DOING.
18) Chase down the ice cream truck. NEED to do.
17) Drive in Movie –hoping for Godzilla Minus One. –MOVIE SHOWING is DEADPOOL –not happening.
16) Jump off the high dive –it doesn’t matter how often you do it, it’s still a bit scary. DID.
15) Help two of my kiddos find summer jobs. –DID.
14) Write an article a week for somewhere to submit. (Again, hope over experience). NOT QUITE THERE.
13) Read a book a week. And encourage all my kids to do the same. Audibles count. DOING, DONE, LOVING IT.
12) Edit. It’s a discipline I need. –Need to do more.
May be an image of grass

11) Take dog for daily walks –it’s when I’ll get in the rosary. Tomorrow’s her birthday. BECOMING MORE ROUTINE.
10) Thank God daily for my family, and all the gifts of every day. DO, NEED TO DO MORE.
9) Go out to lunch with friends, once a week all summer. –DID SOME, NOT ENOUGH
8) Take a trip to visit a friend (in July). Need to plan with friend.
7) Work on working out –by doing my therapy stretches I’ve ignored for several months. –Started a daily walk.
6) Visit daughter out in Chicago so she knows, we think of her often. –She’s coming here!
5) Go to confession once a month to keep my spirit properly docile. NEED TO DO AUGUST.
4) Try to spend less and use what we have more. NOT DONE
3) Home grown tomato salad –a taste of Heaven if ever there was one. –DONE ALMOST EVERY DAY!
2) Eye appointment –DONE!
1) Outings with each of my children –individuals, at least one each, this summer.

We still have three weeks of summer, it’s happening, even if the happening is resting. Now I’m going to go read my book, maybe draw a picture and make dessert for tonight’s dinner with my son. I can tell you, the list didn’t dictate, but it sure helped with the creating of the reality.

Check Up on the Check List!