Top To-do's in June

June is here!  Well it has been for about a week now- but who’s counting? 

You know what June means:  The beginning of summer barbecues, pool parties, and umbrella drinks (unless you’re like me and prefer a Yuengling, but only because it’s fun to say)

And though June may seem like it’s all fun and games for some- I’ve decided to come up with a list of important things to get done before the end of the month (and our annual trip to Minnesota!) so I will feel at least somewhat accomplished before the summer is nearly half over.

So here it is: (subject to change as time permits)

1.        Organize garage.  (yawn!)

2.        Excessively make random lists, gather items, and assign little chores for the kiddos in preparation for a 50 hour round-trip to MN.  (yes, I said 50 hours.  Of driving. With 3 kids.)

3.       Find the most perfect, heartwarming, sentimental make-you-cry, useful everyday Father’s Day present… for less than $20.

4.       Have one last “Southern Belle Friday” before kids are out of school.  (a.k.a. drink sangria on back deck and pretend that I have butlers to do all my fancy work like polishing the silver.)

5.       Get through the book 50 Shades of Grey so that I can keep up in conversations with all of my friends despite the fact that I want to stab myself in the eye for every time she says “Oh Crap”.  

6.       Learn how to read palms for a second income.

7.       Lose 10 lbs for my trip home.  You know, in case I see anyone I graduated with.  While my 10 pounds don’t normally bother me in Maryland, there is something about going to MN that sends me into a dieting tailspin.  For about 2 days.  Then I give up and proclaim I just don’t care.  Which of course is a lie, but sometimes denial is a happier place. 

8.       Get my feet beach-ready.  You know, carve off the excess skin (eew), trim, and put an unnaturally bright color on the nails so they will look nice- so they can get chipped and stubbed in the sand after a day and a half.

9.       Buy a bottle of sunscreen every week because I either leave it somewhere, or run out of it, as I have been scared to death from all of the wretched warnings in the news to let my children step out the door without it.  (Remember back in the days when your mom proclaimed you were tan enough not to get burned and would be fine?  “Now go play in the streets until dark!”  Ah, such simple times.)

10.   Put up a hummingbird feeder.

11.   Learn how to grow vegetables.  This sounds easy enough- and I know my ancestors did it for survival- but for some reason, every year after the plants are about half-way to harvesting, they shrivel up and die.  Yes, I’d like to learn how to grow things that do not shrivel up and die.

12.   Take down hummingbird feeder when I realize the only thing interested in it is the 3-mile long trail of ants now encircling my front porch.

13.   Clean the leaves out of the pool everyday because I am obsessive- and I find it strangely calming.

14.   Watch sunsets while sipping a glass of wine from my deck or the nearby beach as the children catch fireflies and frolic about happily and carefree.  Because really, isn’t that what summer truly is?

   What is on your list??