In case you haven’t heard of the idea, a summer bucket list is basically a list of things you want to get around to before summer “kicks the bucket”. You can see last year’s list right here.
Last year, I tried to make my list a mix of tasks and fun things, and this year will be the same. And probably a lot of things on the list will be repeats!
1. Roast marshmallows over a fire in our fire pit.
(partially because this is fun and partially because we have a big pile of branches that have fallen from our trees and they need to be used up!)
2. Paint my kitchen cabinets.
I had put this as a maybe on last summer’s list, but this summer, I am committed. My worn, ugly cabinets are getting a facelift!
3. Arrange sleepovers.
These are sort of tough to do during the school year, so I want to make time for these while my kids and their friends aren’t doing school.
4. Declutter my house from top to bottom.
Because I am so much busier during the school year, clutter and mess slowly build up in my house. So, in the summer I like to declutter and organize. That way when we start school in the fall, we’re at least starting with a fairly clean slate.
5. Move Lisey into Zoe’s room and move Zoe in with Sonia.
Zoe’s had her own room for her whole life and Lisey has never had her own room, so we feel like it’s time to switch things up. In conjunction with the move, I’m going to fill holes in the wall and repaint what is currently Zoe’s room, so this is going to be sort of a big job.
(and it’s very much the kind of thing that never would get done during the school year!)
6. Go to a u-pick farm at least one more time.
We already picked strawberries, but I think it would be fun to go pick cherries again like we did last year.
7. Go to the library every other week.
Keeping my kids reading is important to me all year long, but especially so in the summer, when they have more free time.
8. Make a baby book for Zoe.
Because I started getting into photography more when Zoe was a baby, I do have oodles of pictures of her (I broke the stereotype and took progressively more pictures of each baby!)
And I did scrapbook quite a few pictures of her first year. I never got around to doing pages about her birth or her first couple of months, though, and recently, she noticed that and seemed a little sad.
I’m not sure if I’ll go the digital route or the traditional photos+paper route, but I’d like to do something for her. Maybe I’ll check and see what she’d prefer.
9. Say yes to waterplay more than once a week.
Swimming, slip n’ slide, and the sprinkler are all options.
10. Write to my grandpa once a month.
He doesn’t do email. 😉
11. Possibly write a new ebook.
I have an idea, but I’m not sure if I’ll have the time. We shall see.
12. Plan for next school year and order all of our books/supplies.
13. Eat some meals outside.
14. Do some serious baking with Lisey.
We got a little behind on that during the school year, so I’d like to make up for some lost time.
15. Redo the kids’ chore lists.
16. Do some blog updating.
I’d like tinker with my About page, spruce up the FAQs, and so on.
I think that’s good for now. If by some miracle I get around to all of this stuff before summer’s over, then I can always add to the list. 😉
Diane C
Wednesday 26th of June 2013
Hey Kristen and BarbaraB, There's no reply button under BB's last post, so I thought I'd start fresh... We have been in escrow to purchase a short sale since January. In the meantime, while we wait and pray for the final green light, we have looked at scores of houses. I will add that we are in a high COLA and are looking in the up-to-$1MM range (gasp!). We have seen a number of horrifyingly bad paint jobs. Even in this price range, people try to cut corners by doing it themselves and doing it badly. As your daughter's results and Kristen's research show, it pays to take the time to do your homework and do it right. That's why hubby was so willing to take the time to spell out the steps. If it helps one person avoid a DIY disaster, it's worth it. Funny side note: Early in our search, I called him about a home I'd previewed, saying he needed to come see it right away. He walked in, turned around slowly and said, "Honey, I couldn't live here. There's not a single straight line in this house." And that was before he'd set foot into the badly painted kitchen. LOL, I've learned a lot from him in this house-hunting process.
Jo@simplybeingmum
Friday 21st of June 2013
Kristen, what would I do without you and your blog? When energy wanes and motivation dips, I read a post like this and think... just do it, already. Make a start, get listing! Thank you!
Allotment Adventures With Jean
Wednesday 19th of June 2013
Looks like you are in for one busy summer. You have managed to factor some fun times in between the work.
Diane C
Wednesday 19th of June 2013
Okay, he's talking while I'm typing.
First, consider replacing your hinges with concealed hinges to really update the look of your kitchen. This is a bit pricey, but well worth it. Look online for deals, particularly on "Blum" concealed hinges. You should also purchase a jig to match the new hinges, so your holes will be perfect and you will retain your sanity. (He suggests Rockler's Woodworking.)
Start by marking all cabinet doors and drawer fronts as you remove them so you get them back in the right order. BTW, don't do the insides of the cabinets or drawers unless you absolutely have to.
Wash everything with TSP.
Spackle all holes and imperfections in the cabinets. (He recommends Crawford's Vinyl Spackling Paste.)
Sand everything with 180 grit sandpaper. He says to use a sanding block and keep it flat, but I know you are onto that technique.
He likes Bin White Pigmented Shellac by Zinsser for your primer coat.
Let dry at least overnight and then sand lightly with blocks. You can use a sanding sponge on the door insets if they are curved.
Next, caulk the inset panels of the doors where the inset panel meets the door frame. This eliminates shadowing and makes it look like a higher quality door.
For the actual paint application, he recommends brushing the frames and spraying the cabinet doors and drawers. Even if you have to rent a sprayer, the results are so superior to brushing that it's worth every penny. It also goes much faster than brushing or rollers. (In fact, he emphatically states as I'm pecking away that you do NOT want to roll the cabinets. He asked me to repeat this for emphasis. Rollers, even foam ones, tend to create an unattractive stipple effect.)
As to the actual paint, he likes the Benjamin Moore Advance Waterborne Interior Alkyd, which is designed for cabinets. Expensive, but worth it. Follow manufacturer's directions and you've got it made.
I know this sounds like a lot of work and some of the supplies are pricey, but the right materials and methods will make your project look professional and the results will last for years.
Now, for comic relief, he just asked me if you have kids. Then he asked if you use your kitchen a lot. Upon hearing the answers, he rolled his eyes and said "I wouldn't paint then, I'd re-stain them another color instead." If you decide to go with this option, he likes Minwax products.
Are you tired yet? Want to move this to next year's bucket list? I could certainly understand if you did. However, I'm still going to send this, in hopes that it helps someone, somewhere, sometime. Kind regards, Diane and Lance
Kristen
Wednesday 19th of June 2013
Excellent-thank you!
We're planning on doing invisible hinges...we priced them and they're actually the same price as the exposed hinges (they need to be replaced either way, because the finish is worn and the style is such that spray painting doesn't hold up.)
And yes, I am SO not rolling my cabinets. I'm not into the stippled look.
I knew I wanted to clean the cabinets but wasn't sure what to use, so I'll pick up some TSP-thank you.
The caulking hadn't occurred to me at all, but I'll give it a try.
Diane C
Wednesday 19th of June 2013
Hi Kristen! My husband is a painting contractor and always produces beautiful results. As soon as I can tear him away from the project he's got going in the garage, I'll show him your photo and pick his brain for advice. Be back soon!