five things Friday: summer bucket list edition

Happy summer! Though the Michigan weather doesn't tend to cooperate with these unofficial seasonal changes, it still feels like we're kicking off summer, now that Hendrik has had his last day of school, and Memorial Day weekend is upon us. This is always our first cottage weekend of the year, and even if we have to wrap up in towels to stay warm, we're determined to get some beach reading in!

Everyone knows how summer just goes by so much faster than all of the other seasons, so I like to kick it off ASAP, and to make a list of some things that I want to make sure I enjoy before it flies by - which it will even quicker this year, with Hendrik's first official year of school starting, pre-Labor Day.

Here are 5 things on my summer bucket list:

1. Go on a family bike + ice cream outing.
2. Host a cookout with friends once/month.
3. Play hooky for an afternoon and read a good mystery/thriller by the pool (solo!).
4. Make strawberry jam with fresh-picked berries.
5. Take Hendrik on some kind of special back-to-school fun outing before he starts kindergarten.

And what are you looking forward to this summer?