Now that the school year has officially ended and I’ve completed my required summer trainings, I’m ready to settle down and create a routine that embraces and affords allotted times for my new commitments. Even with new endeavors ahead of me, there are still some fun and relaxing things I want to take the time and enjoy this summer. If I achieve them all, GREAT! If not, I’ll have fun trying.

1. Eat a bowl of cereal – While this seems very simple, eating a bowl of cereal is difficult for me. I am not a morning person so I plan my mornings with having  enough time to leave the house and arrive to my destination on time, without having to rush to get there. This means I often eat breakfast in the car and we all know eating cereal and driving is not a good idea. If you know me, you know sitting and having a bowl of cereal means I am in a mode of total relaxation. Eating a bowl of cereal means my day is going to be slow and deliberate. These are days I can stop and smell the roses. I am hoping to eat a bowl of cereal at least twice a week this summer.
2. Attend an Astros game – I have not been to an Astros game since I was a kid. Even after winning the World Series title, I still failed to jump on the bandwagon and support the home team. This summer I would like to revisit my childhood by going to a game and enjoying peanuts and a Dr. Pepper while sitting in Minute Maid Park with the roof open.
3. Take another wine tour – I am definitely what one would consider a social drinker so I don’t know much about wines and whatnot. However, after attending a couple of wine tours/tastings, I have enjoyed assessing different wines. What I’ve discovered about myself is while I dislike blueberries, I love wines with blueberry flavor.
4. Read at least six books – My reading has fallen off in the last couple of years. I use to read 2-3 books/month. Now I read 5-6 books a year. I want to get back into the habit of reading and enhancing my knowledge of different topics. One of the reasons my reading has fallen off is because I’ve expanded my choice of reading selections. At one point my library consisted of mostly drama and erotica. I am now reading more self help, nonfiction books and children’s fiction. This adjustment has caused some delays in my reading goals but I’m very task-oriented so I’ll make myself uncomfortable to achieve this goal even if it’s only for the sake of satisfaction and elation.
5. Attend a drive-thru movie – Again, this is another pastime favorite. As a young girl, this was one of our monthly outings as a family. My small family went to a drive-thru movie a few years back. My son really enjoyed the movies while my husband and I enjoyed relaxing, napping and the concessions. It was a very quiet evening and time well spent with the ones I love.
6. Participate in restaurant week – Restaurant week occurs around the time of my birthday. I usually pick a new restaurant to enjoy dinner for my birthday but this year I would like to make an effort to try at least four to five new restaurants during this time. I will probably go during lunch hours since the prices are slightly lower. I know the portions are smaller but I would rather a sample before spending the big bucks.
7. Take an impromptu trip – My trips are usually planned well in advance. I want to pack a bag and take a small getaway at the spur of the moment this summer. It doesn’t have to be a far away destination, it can actually be a staycation. I just want a chance for a different scenery for a brief moment.
8. Attend an outdoor concert – I attended my first concert a couple of years ago and I would have never imagined having the fun I had. I love music but I am not a fan of crowds so I didn’t know if I would be able to relax and focus on the music instead of the people. My husband and I were were able to get seats with very few people behind us and even fewer people on the same row. Since I love being outdoors, I want to combine my passion for music with being outdoors.
9. Improve my photography skills – I took a photography class some years ago. I was able to meet some dynamic people and many potential photographers. I learned so many things I was doing wrong not only in taking pictures but having others take pictures of me. I practiced a lot after taking that class but in an area like photography, I need reinforcement. Because I did not continue to practice the craft, I went back to just snapping pictures.
10. Use my passport again – The process for my passport was quite overwhelming. Due to some name changes that were undocumented, it was a tedious process for me to gather paperwork to support the name listed on my ID versus the name on my birth certificate. With all the trouble I went through just to get the passport, I think I owe myself a few more stamps.

What are your plans for the summer? Are you planning fun-filled activities, trying something for the first time or are you “just coolin”?