Shop My Outfit:
I don’t know how, but the first day of summer is less than one month away (June 21st). Time is sure flying by lately! So far each season this year, I’ve come up with a seasonal bucket list. I really enjoy making these because I am a huge planner. They also inspire me to be more creative/intentional with the time Jake and I get to spend together. I love to stay busy and, rather than our typical dinner date, this gives us fun things to look forward to. This time I’ve also decided to include my personal goals for the season as well. I hope this helps me be more accountable. Summer is one of my favorite seasons, so I am excited to share my summer bucket list.
Personal Summer Goals:
- Start A Workout/Healthy Lifestyle: To be honest, I’ve been struggling in this department. I was doing great until after our Europe trip. Recently, the barre studio I was going to closed. I am working to establish a new workout routine (hopefully a new class I enjoy) and go back to a healthy lifestyle. Lately I’ve been splurging every weekend and have noticed my clothes not fitting right. I am actually wanting to do a healthy lifestyle now.
- Clean My Closet: Jake and I live in a home from the 1950s, so our dedicated storage areas are not optimal. Being a blogger, I have accumulated more clothes than I can wear. My goal this summer is to clean out my closet and donate/sell clothes.
- Finishing Decorating Our Home: I have finished decorating our main room and kitchen, but never decorated our bedroom. Decorating can get expensive quickly, even when shopping at budget friendly stores. This is why I’ve done it slowly. Jake likes to joke around that I’ll finally be finished decorating just in time to move again. I am planning to finish decorating our bedroom and our fireplace mantle. I cannot wait to share photos as I do this. I also want to finish decorating our patio with stringed lights, and maybe add some live plants on the patio.
- Start New Blog Series: Lately I’ve been very inspired and have started planning content months in advance. I will be starting a new series soon called “Back to Basics”, featuring a must-have wardrobe staple(s) for the season. I am not sure if this will be monthly or quarterly yet. Also, starting later this summer I am so excited to announce I will be sharing a new blog series called “Bite-Size Birmingham.” Shout out to Jake for helping me come up with the name. It’s probably no secret, but we absolutely LOVE Birmingham and I am so excited to share a monthly blog post featuring aspects of the city, focusing on the food, the things to do, and the places to explore. Birmingham is a hidden gem and I cannot wait to take you around my darling little city. I am finally familiar enough with our city, so I will be sharing this soon. I think July will be the launch.
- Have A Cook Out: I am finally slowly starting to meet friends here in Birmingham. Moving and making friends as an adult is so hard. I want to start being better about hosting people now that our home is mostly together.
- Share More Lifestyle Posts: I have worked on being more intentional with my posts this year and am excited to incorporate more lifestyle content.
Summer Bucket List
- Pick Peaches: We went strawberry picking this spring, and now I want to go pick peaches. Peach season is coming up soon, so I hope we can make a trip to do this.
- Have A Picnic: I haven’t had a picnic in years, but would love to do one soon. This is a fun and inexpensive date idea. Stay tuned, I will be sharing summer date ideas soon.
- Grill: Summers are best spent outside, so I cannot wait to have Jake grill more this summer.
- Enjoy Summer Foods: Some of the things that come to mind are watermelon, potato salad, lemonade, hot dogs, s’mores and more.
- Visit A Winery: Jake and I went to Napa last year and y’all know I love a good glass of wine. There are a few wineries outside of Birmingham, so I’d like to visit one, or maybe part of our summer vacation will include a winery visit.
- Road Trip: One of the many reasons Jake and I wanted to move to Birmingham is the close proximity to so many fun places (Nashville, Atlanta, Destin, New Orleans, Chattanooga, Asheville, NC, and more). A road trip is definitely on our agenda for this summer.
- Baseball Game: Okay, I may not be a big sports fan and hate watching baseball on TV, but baseball games are so fun to attend. Birmingham’s local minor league team is called the Barons and the games are a blast. Fun fact: Michael Jordan actually played for the Barons.
- See Sunflowers: Sunflower season is coming up and it’s been on my bucket list for a while to visit one of the fields. I missed visiting a tulip field, so I am hoping to make it to see sunflowers.
- Visit the Beach: The beach is probably my favorite thing in the world. A beach trip is high on my agenda.
- Visit the Lake: Growing up, my family has always gone to my grandparent’s lake house. I also have a best friend whose lake house I grew up going to many weekends. I am hoping to make it to the lake this year.
- Visit the farmers’ market as much as possible: Our farmers’ market is finally open and we’ve already been twice. I cannot wait to go more because our farmers’ market is amazing!
- Visit The Zoo: Not going to lie, I’ve already been to the zoo twice this season. Our little Birmingham Zoo is great. It might be worth it for us to get a membership!
- Hang Out On The Patio: Jake and I have already visited a roof top recently. I cannot wait to spend more time on our patio.
- Plan a Vacation: Jake has a week off in between June and July, so planning a vacation is a high priority. We haven’t officially made plans yet. He will be done with his intern year of residency and will be starting his anesthesiology training. He has 3 more years until he is done with training.
- Float The River: I haven’t floated the river since college, but I would love to float the Cahaba River this summer.
- Attend A Music Festival: Birmingham has a lot of fun music festivals in the summer. I am hoping to make it to one.
- Bike Bar: Birmingham has a pedaling bike bar that takes you around the city. I am hoping to do this soon.
- Pool day: Although Jake and I don’t have a pool, I’ve been craving a pool day. We will have to do this on vacation!
About My Outfit:
When I think of summer, I immediately think of floral and bright colors. I had been eyeing this Chicwish dress for some time. I ordered my regular size and it runs true to size. It is a bit low cut, so I wore a little bandeau under it. The quality is amazing and I styled it with a pop of pink to play up the color. The details are so beautiful on this dress and I am obsessed. I can guarantee it will be worn a lot this season.
Wow! That’s a big summer bucket list. I better get started on checking things off. What is on your summer bucket list?
Okay, I love this post!! Your dress is SO pretty. I love the feminine details. And your summer bucket list is so inspiring! I also really like the sound of your new blog series! Both sound awesome and I can’t wait to read about it! So creative!
Katherine | http://www.oneswainkycouple.com
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Thank you so much, Katherine! I had so much fun putting this together because it inspired me to come up with fun activities. I am obsessed with this dress. Cannot wait to wear it more.
I’d love to go pick peaches! I also love going to wineries but sadly I won’t be able to enjoy that for awhile since I cannot have alcohol on the candida diet!
Jennifer
Effortlessly Sophisticated
Author
I would too! Strawberry picking was so fun. Aw i’m sorry. I hope you the diet is helping you feel better. <3
Such great goals and bucket list items! I have never floated a river and it is totally on my life bucket list.
Can’t wait to read your Bite Size Birmingham and Back to Basics series!
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Thank you so much, Amanda! I am going to have a busy summer if I can get these all checked off. I floated the river once in college with Phi Delt and it was sooo much fun. You need to go, it was a river in Tahlequah, Ok. I am so excited for these series. I think they’ll be good for my planning too.
I have this dress! I like how you added the cami underneath! Looks great!
Tara
http://www.thefashionhousemom.com
Author
It’s my favorite dress ever! I love it with and without the little cami under it. 🙂
This is such a great post, Courtney! I love when you share your bucket lists with us. I also love the new blog series you’re going to be adding! They sound like great ideas. Oooh, we have a peddling bike bar back home and I’m wanting to try it too when we’re back this summer. It sounds like a lot of fun! Also, your dress is so gorgeous!
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Thank you so much for reading, Lindsey! I am glad you like them. I feel like it helps me be more accountable, otherwise we end up not doing as many fun activities. The bike bar sounds so fun. I hope to do it.
Oh my gosh, Summer is coming fast Courtney!! It is great planning ahead, I need to work on that more! It is easy to get away from staying healthy, believe Me! I hope you find a new workout routine. It will feel good to donate or seel some clothes, Do you do poshmark? It will be exciting to get your bedroom decorated and finish the fireplace. I will look forward to your new blog segments , I love the names back to basics and Bite size Birmingham! Maybe one of the local newspapers will hire you! I am glad you are meeting new people as you settle in a new city, it can be hard to add friends as an adult. Peach picking sounds fun! Oh by the way I made the Strawberry dessert, It was so good and a big hit ! Thank you Dear! A picnic is so nice , when the weather is just right. Looks like Jake is gonna be a busy Man cooking!! The summer foods sound so good right now. Wineries are so awesome to visit, it will be on our to do list… I hope! It seems you have a host of fun cities in driving distance from you. Minor league baseball is so fun and more family friendly. It will be nice to get some photos of sunflowers. The beach is a nice place to hangout and the lake will bring back memories. A zoo pass pays for itself if you get there a few times. Hanging out on the patio and just relaxing is a favorite of mine after the kids are tucked away! Good for Jake having a week off work! I have seen the bike bars and look fun to do.
Oh my gosh this dress is the cutest!! The lace trimming is so pretty . It is a really feminine creation . I see what you mean about using a Bandeau under it.
Thanks for the post, Happy Friday Dear , Terri xo.
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I cannot believe how close summer is. It feel like summer already in Birmingham (it’s in the 90s already). Thank you! I am doing well so far on my eating healthy and working out. It’s not been long though hhaha. I do use Poshmark! I need to list more on there. Thank you, I cannot wait to share my new posts. That would be amazing if I could get connected with a local newspaper. It would be a dream come true. I am glad to hear you liked the strawberry dessert. I am so glad you like my dress, yes it was a little too low for my comfort without a bandeau. I love it though and will wear it a lot.
Oh my 90s seem a little high for me Courtney! I need to use poshmark also. Thanks again on hte dessert recipe! It will be nice to wear that dress through the summer , take care Terri xo.
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Yeah it’s getting too hot fast. You’re so welcome. Have a great week.
Have a great week also Courtney, I published part 2 of the Kansas city trip!
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Yayyy I saw. So good.
I want to create a bucket list of things to do in my city too! Especially with kids!
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You should! I need to create a city one too. 🙂
This dress is gorgeous! I love the print on this!
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Thank you so much, Morgan!
Love your goals and can’t wait to for updates! 🙂 I made a summer bucket list too and it’s been fun to already cross a few off!
xoxo A
http://www.southernbelleintraining.com
Author
Thank you so much, Annaliese! It is so fun and keep me accountable. I cannot wait to share as I cross them off.