I love the change of seasons from spring to summer. Even though the years of three-month breaks from responsibility are a distant memory, there is still a sense of fun that comes with summer and switching up normal routines.
I’ve been making all kinds of lists for summer. Lists of things I want to try, projects to start (and finish!), places to visit, and books to read.
Below is my (initial!) list of things…
TO READ…
Fueled by my love of the Olympics and specifically gymnastics, I’m adding this book to my reading list, by our very own hometown girl, Shawn Johnson, and this book by one of my favorite gymnasts, Dominique Moceanu…it sounds scandalous! I don’t expect either book to be a very long read – perfect for poolside entertainment. 
TO PLAN…
We never had a housewarming party last December, so a half-year later, we are planning a 4th of July shindig prior to heading out to seeing fireworks. Because so many friends now have children, it will be the first kid-friendly fiesta we’ve thrown, so I’m having fun pinning party ideas that work for kids and adults alike.
Source: farm5.static.flickr.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest
TO BUILD…
With our landscaping and bookcase projects nearly behind us, we are turning our attention to the basement. Funny enough, it hasn’t evolved MUCH past these “in progress” shots from last fall when the house was being built. You will notice a guy in pro golfer costume Page demonstrating the general direction of a tv room, and we would like to add a half bath (for easy access off a hot tub on the patio) and a small bar area where the stairs meet the lower level.
We have a lot of sketching to do to plan out what we want (and before we can obtain a permit), but then it will be game on this summer and we hope to do several of the steps (framing, tiling, painting) ourselves. We’re hoping to have it COMPLETE by the one year anniversary of our move-in date (Dec 1) but as we all know, the best laid plans…
To visit…
I don’t have a particular town in mind, but I’d love to explore an Iowa town I’ve never been to – maybe Dyersville to see the Field of Dreams? The past couple of summers I introduced Page to Decorah for a friend’s wedding, and we checked out Pella for the tulip festival. I’d love to do another “local” road trip around here some summer Sunday…I also wouldn’t mind a trip to my beloved Iowa City – not for a game, or for a wedding, but to just lounge around town in favorite spots and discover some new ones as well.
To eat…
We are somewhat creatures of habits when it comes to our dining experiences. There are a couple new (to us) places I would like to get to for a summer cocktail, or a morning cup of coffee (depending on the time of day!) and a delicious meal. Hoping to check out Christopher’s in Beaverdale, Mars Cafe downtown, and Luna Bistro in the East Village, to name a few!
I’m sure this list will grow quite a bit in the coming weeks…anyone have any fun to-dos on their list for the upcoming season??
