There’s something about summer—the long golden days, the warm nights, the sound of flip-flops on the porch—that calls for memory-making.
This year, I want to be intentional. Life after loss is strange like that. It teaches you to hold tight to what matters now—to the laughter of the kids still under your roof, the sticky fingers reaching for another Popsicle, the little voices begging to stay up just five more minutes.
So this summer, we’re not going big. We’re going meaningful. We’re creating our own kind of magic—messy, joyful, silly, heartfelt, and perfectly imperfect.
Here’s our summer bucket list, full of simple fun and moments that matter most. (And if you are in Licking County, Ohio there are some things to do if you need ideas!)
🌳 Nature & Nurture: Let’s Get Outside
We’ve learned that sunshine is healing and laughter echoes louder under open skies and forests of trees.
- Park or Trail Tuesdays – Let the kids lead, even if it means wandering in circles.
- Bike Path Scavenger Hunt – With a prize for “weirdest thing found.”
- Sunset-Watching Nights – Phones down, eyes up.
- Rock Collecting for a Memory Garden – Turn nature into something beautiful and lasting.
🎨 Creative Chaos (a.k.a. Art Days at Home)
Some of the best memories happen with glitter in your eyebrows and paint on your elbow.
- Tie-Dye Day – Chaos, color, and keepsakes. And ice dye can be fun on a hot summer day!
- You Pick It Dinner Nights – Where cereal and pickles are totally allowed.
- Kindness Rocks Project – Spread love around the neighborhood with cheerfully painted rocks! Even leave them at the local bike paths, parks, or playgrounds!
- Summer Scrapbook – Photos, silly quotes, ticket stubs—your family’s summer story.
🍦 Sweet & Simple Treats
Sometimes joy looks like a cone in each hand and laughter that turns into snorts.
- Ice Cream for Dinner – Once. (Okay, maybe twice.) Or have ice cream making parties!
- DIY Popsicles – Let the kids go wild with flavors. Ketchup? Maybe not.
- Snack Picnic with Fairy Lights – A sprinkle of twinkle makes everything magical.
🛶 Local Adventures with Big Memory Potential
You don’t need a plane ticket to explore. You just need a little curiosity.
- Explore a Nearby Town – Play tourist for a day. (or Door Dash! 😁)
- Farmers Market Fridays – $5 spending challenge = adventure. (In our town they also have Farmers Market Tuesdays as well, so check what other days you can go.) Licking County Ohio has several, including the Canal Market District in downtown Newark.
- Small-Town Summer Fairs – Funnel cake and Ferris wheels, here we come.
- Mystery Drive – Turn left or right at random and see where the road takes you.
🧘 Quiet Magic & Connection
Not every memory has to be loud. Sometimes it’s the whispered ones that stay the longest.
- Stargazing Nights – Lay on a blanket and make up constellations.
- Morning Journals – Coffee for you, crayons for them.
- Mini One-on-One Dates – Even 15 minutes can mean the world.
- “Best Thing This Week” Circle Time – Little joys remembered become big ones.
🪻 Keep Garet With Us, Gently
Even when the focus is the now, the joy, the laughter—we still carry him.
We feel him in a song on the radio, or see him in a dragonfly at the park. Even in the quiet moments when we feel his spirit nearby for no obvious reason. That’s the balance we’re learning: living and remembering. Laughing and honoring.
💛 Final Thoughts:
You don’t need a Pinterest-perfect summer.
You just need moments of togetherness.
Of connection.
Of joy that feels a little hard-earned and a lot heartfelt.
This bucket list isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence.
Let’s go make some magic! Let’s chase the fireflies and count the stars in the night sky!
🗨️ Your Turn:
Do you have a summer bucket list tradition with your family? What small joys are you planning this year? Let’s inspire each other—drop your favorite summer ideas or places to visit in the comments!
Light and Love ~Mandy
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