Buddies, it’s time – and we’re suspiciously on time for this 12 months’s Summer season Bucket Record! My timeliness doubtless has the whole lot to do with the truth that I’m scripting this within the very wee hours of the morning. I’m up out of behavior from the final 12 weeks postpartum, however right here’s the factor: my child appears to be sleeping by way of the night time!? What is that this!? What is that this present of quiet and darkish and time: all-mine time? (Let’s disregard the truth that I must be sleeping.)
With these superb, middle-of-the-night minutes let’s discuss Summer season Buckets. I’ve been making these summer time lists for the higher a part of ten years (2015 // 2016 // 2017 // 2018 // 2019 // 2020 // 2021 // 2022 // 2023), although the weblog report signifies that I’ve missed the final two summers as I used to be treading water within the deep finish of fertility therapies and managing little emergencies at this very outdated home. However this 12 months (!!!) with child John over my shoulder, it’s time for a candy summer time and an inventory to make it so.
It’s dawned on me that this summer time just isn’t for John to recollect a lot because it’s for me to cherish. It’s for me to maintain the vibes exceptionally, stubbornly excessive.
This 12 months’s Summer season Bucket Record can be going to be a video sequence over on Instagram, so – lock in. We’re going to chase whimsy and pleasure, keep up with the solar, and in any other case make some actually nice days. Right here’s what’s on my record, and I completely insist on listening to what’s on yours.
SUMMER BUCKET LIST sum•mer buck•et record (noun): an inventory of issues that an individual wish to accomplish and expertise in the course of the summer time months. If completed appropriately, ought to contain water-guns, pool time, and presumably roller-skates.
Summer season Bucket Record, 2026
1 • Paint terra cotta pots for The Bakehouse with Mother Mother has been quietly carrying me this postpartum season with a protracted keep right here in Texas the place she’s momed me whereas I learn to mother myself. I maintain discovering little corners of the home she’s tidied or organized whereas I wasn’t wanting, one thing sewn, one thing sorted. There are small acts of her love in all places – it’s probably the most unimaginable factor. One among our very favourite issues to do collectively is craft and dilly dally, and we’re going to do each – with acrylic paints and terra cotta pots for The Bakehouse.
2 • Churn a batch of selfmade ice cream and eat our manner by way of each artisan ice cream store in Houston. It’s not misplaced on me that the Web At Giant is having a fro-yo summer time, however I’m out right here sticking with the good things. Summer season with out ice cream is simply… sizzling. I need to pull out the ice cream maker and churn a creamy summer time strawberry ice cream (and incorporate basil someway?), or a peach ice cream? The world is my oyster (although an apparent NO to oyster ice cream). And then (as a result of I’ll all the time decide to a bit) I need to street journey into Houston and discover each small-batch, handmade scoop scenario town has to supply. I’ll report again.
3 • Take John on his first aircraft experience and journey to California and put his toes within the Pacific Ocean. This one makes my coronary heart squeeze simply desirous about it. I grew up working at that chilly California water, sand between my toes, guarding my lunch from the very aggressive seagulls on the seashore. I need John to really feel that for the primary time – we’ll begin small, by placing his 4 month outdated toes within the tide to christen him as a California child born in Texas.
4 • Open the Little Free Bakery in Bellville. This has been on my coronary heart for some time and that is the summer time we make it occur! The thought is straightforward: slightly free library, however made with my baked items! My husband Will designed and constructed the field, I’m doing my finest to get it painted (within the span of John’s naptime), and we’re practically there! Bellville is such a form city, I need to give one thing candy again whereas I’m on maternity go away, earlier than The Bakehouse Texas opens again up in September! (Extra particulars coming: comply with @thebakehousetexas)
5 • Make a Strawberry Brita Cake I’ve been dreaming about this cake for weeks now, ever since I noticed it in Susan Spungen’s Substack. Strawberry are fleeting (effectively, the great ones) and deserve the reverence of buttery cake and baked meringue. I’m unsure whether or not this cake comes collectively for 4th of July festivities or for a random Tuesday night time although I’m inclined to throw a complete ceremonial dinner with this cake because the star of the present.
6 • Have a good time Will’s half birthday Hear me out – everybody with a winter birthday ought to expertise the glory of a summer time birthday by celebrating their half birthday this summer time. Will’s birthday is is correct round winter holidays and… it simply by no means will get its due. Final 12 months I made a half birthday cake (chocolate layer cake with peanut butter whipped cream and banana slices), lastly shopped a birthday current for him, and there we have been in full birthday mode on a random Monday in June. Extremely suggest!
7 • Give away zinnia bouquets I planted a downright embarrassing quantity of zinnia seeds this spring and so they hit the bottom able to go! Zinnias are probably the most beneficiant flowers. Even with no inexperienced thumb (and Lord is aware of I shouldn’t have one) they maintain blooming their virtually cartoon-ish colours so long as I maintain chopping. I’ll be amassing bunches for neighbors and associates and sure inventory The Little Free Bakehouse with them too…. yea, that’s what number of I planted. LOL, a whole bunch.
8 • Eat a extremely good sandwich outdoors. Right here’s a reality universally acknowledged: a sandwich all the time tastes higher when another person makes it for you. I don’t make the foundations (and this summer time I don’t make the sandwiches both). I’ve by no means had The Godmother from Bay Cities Deli in Los Angeles and I feel that’s the place this bucket record merchandise begins and presumably ends. A basic Italian sub eaten outdoors within the California solar on the identical journey I put John’s toes within the Pacific for the primary time. Some days simply write themselves.
9 • Love massive. All the things. I write this one on the backside of practically each summer time bucket record and I imply it each single time. This 12 months it appears to be like like: the large toothless smile John provides me once I wake him from a nap. The best way he tucks his head into my neck proper earlier than I lay him down. Love for the recent, steamy mornings (someway). The slower afternoons. And are available September when The Bakehouse opens again up and this little summer time closes, I hope John’s within the child service whereas we make pies. That’s the entire dream. All the things else is simply particulars and hopes for cake, ice cream, and a extremely good sandwich.
What’s in your Summer season Bucket Record this 12 months? Share within the feedback under!
I hope you’re having fun with your days, associates.
My like to you.
xo Pleasure
