list forty-five: a summer manifesto

(as inspired by one of my favorite list makers, the incomparable mollie greene)

I will play records in the backyard

I will pick berries til my fingers are stained

I will bake things with said hand-picked berries

I will take walks with my husband

I will hang my sheets outside to dry

I will wear my skirted bathing suit with pride

I will take the kids to the drive-in

I will watch scary movies with ava

I will watch action movies with ezra

I will have money stashed for the occasional ice cream truck

I will share jars of flowers from my garden with my friends

I will play two square with ezra for longer than five minutes

I will get up early to hit the yard sales with ava

I will paint my fingers and toes varying shades of aqua

I will jump through sprinklers

I will ride my bike during magic hour

I will read books outside

I will cross a few things off the list

I will insist on the cherry snow cone

I will insist on the cherry-dipped ice cream cone

I will help ava transform her room

I will not cry when she turns thirteen

I will talk into fans, I will pretend I am darth vader

I will make room for small adventures

I will say yes to bubbles

I will say yes to water balloons

I will always say yes to the park

I will always have popsicles in the freezer

I will stop worrying about things I can't control

I will put it in his hands

I will dream about lightning bugs

I will swim in the ocean