The Great Summer To-Do List, v. 2

The very second post on this blog (one year ago at the end of May!) was my summer list of super fun books and activities. I made this blog in the first place to track my progress, to keep me accountable, and to recount my sewing adventures, so it's nice to see it live out a full year and come back to where it started.

Last year I wanted to read:

Grace Bonney's Design Sponge at Home... and I did. I think I checked it out from the library like three times last summer. I should just buy it.
A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin. Yeah, I read that and every other book on a Song of Ice and Fire. I like to call last summer "the summer I lived in Westeros."
The Western Canon by Harold Bloom. That was super boring and I quit so fast.

I wanted to be active by:

Attending movies at the park! We missed every one we wanted to see. Not this year!
Making my own clothes. DONE. More to come.
Host some crafternoons: See above.
Art lessons with my nieces: we never did a dedicated lesson, but we did do some crafts. Two, in fact, which was apparently enough to have my youngest niece asking "did you bring a craft?" every time I come over.

Finally, I wanted to follow tradition by

Attempting and failing to tan: CHECK.
Blueberry picking: CHECK
Float trip: CHECK.
Catch a lightning bug: where was I last summer? Away from all the lightning bugs apparently.
Visit family: done, several times over.

I'm glad I proved to myself I can keep most of a list! Now to move on to this year's:

1. Read Books

1a. Storyteller: the authorized biography of Roald Dahl: Donald Sturrock
I loved Roald Dahl's books growing up. I have already gushed about Matilda here on this blog, but there are so many more that made a mark on me and my imagination: The Witches, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator (now that's some crazy stuff), the BFG! I was able to sort of grow up with his work; as I moved past elementary picture books, I read his short stories in middle school and still visit them now and again. What was this man like? This summer, I guess I will find out.


2a. The total money makeover: Dave Ramsey
Because I want to save money, ok? Summer is a time for some notorious spending on my part. Maybe reading this, or sleeping with it under my pillow, will help.

3a. Poirot Investigates: by Agatha Christie
I love Christie's mysteries and I love Poirot, so I'm really excited to have found this collection of short Poirot mysteries to tickle my brain. I have a life goal of reading all of Christie's work. I'm nowhere close right now, but this is another step.

2. Be Active

2a. Movies at the park!
2b. Make my own clothes. Specifically finish that Washi dress I cut/new knit Scout tees/a fun fifties style dress with this fabric:

2c: Finish some WIPS. Specifically a picnic blanket quilt I started last summer. It actually just needs to be bound but I hate that part...
2d: Memorize something. I'm not sure what yet, but of course scripture is the first thing that comes to mind. I just feel that I am losing my memorization skills as I get older. I need to pump those up!
2e: Expand my horizons! This summer I will hopefully take an online class on Islam. I am pretty excited about it because I love school and I can't help myself.

3. Follow Tradition

3a: pool time/attempt to tan
3b: blueberry picking
3c: visit family

I hope your summer is filled with lots of fun activities, books, and fun times with friends and family. I'm looking forward to seeing how I do this year! Now that that's done, I'm off to work on list item 2c... wish me luck!