SUMMER IS BASICALLY HERE

First of all YAY! It's was a gnarly winter. Seondly, meaning, I need to start planning all of the super fun amazing adventures j.rue and I will keep ourselves busy with over the next few months. Well, that's what I have done in the past. Remember my most ridiculous bucket list last year? Kind of dumb. Maybe got through 1/4. This year, I'm too tired to do that and I'm just moving too slowly. We're going to be a little more realistic this year, so here we go:

Summer Bucket List 2013:

1. Take every other Friday off with J.rue. Scheduled. I'm over the moon about this.

2. Go to Fairview, meaning j.rue will go to ride 4-wheelers and I'll sit on my bum and read.

3. Kaysville 4th of July fireworks. Food at my house before.

4. More Kaysville corn dogs (about the size of my femur) and Wendy's frosty cones. Really any good food opportunity that presents itself.

5. Swimmin'

6. Read at least 5 books.

7. Backyard marshmallow roast with people we love.

8. Driving range & mini golf, because I'm so great at both of those.

9. Farmers markets (SLC&Ogden) at least 2 Saturdays

10. Our annual Lava Trip in September

11. I honestly do not think that we're going to be making it up to Lava in September, much to my mother's chagrin, so I'm going to add one more just in case. I want a solid 10: a walk to the dollar theater for a late movie. That is one thing that we'll probably be doing much less frequently next summer, so we should take advantage.

Much better yes? It's weird to think that this is our last summer before little rue joins us. Not that she's going to cramp our style or anything, she's more than welcome to join us for next summers festivities. But it's even weirder to think that she'll be coming right about when this summer will be winding down. It's going to go by so fast. I'm so ready/not ready.

Summer Bucket List - Check Point

So, it's almost August, and to be honest, we're not doing fantastically well on our bucket list. I know that I said that I'm not planning on doing EVERYTHING, but I wanted to at least get close. J.rue and I have about 2 months before we need to wrap up summer 2012. We have quite a bit to fit in.

What have we been doing all summer you ask? Well, there's been a lot of Friends watching plus hanging out with real life friends. We prefer the latter. Here's the rest...


1. the color run
2. buy a hammock
3. read 2 {real} books on said hammock
4. DISNEY LAND!
5. Volley ball in the backyard
6. "movies under the stars" at the capitol
7. camping at bear lake
8. eat outside at the oaks
9. fire pit party with friends
10. nerps
11. replace the fence {boo, but yay!}
12. hike adam's canyon with the puppies
13. driving range
14. spot a shooting star
15. fireworks {kaysville, 24th in ogden, taylorsville}
16. croquet
17. savor a whole box of pineapple popscicles
18. walk to the dollar theater {and then go to a movie} - Friday night!
19. girls camp!
20. make fruit salsa and cinnamon chips
21. st. george
22. swimming {at least 4 times for j.rue's sake}
23. eat at one dine o' round restaurant {at least}
24. picnic at a cute park
25. make ice cream
26. las vegas ladies trip! - A week from this Friday -- YAY!!!
27. visit the doggy park
28. tour mrs. cavanaugh's chocolate factory
29. bike rides at dusk
30. eat blueberries
31. watch the sunrise
32. turn on the oven no more than 3 times - so far so good
33. kiss on a ferris wheel
34. geocaching
35. nelson's custard
36. all day movie marathon {when it's just too dang hot out}
37. visit ashley in logandale {before she has her baby -- and then after!!}
38. mini golf
39. hike to the Y
40. snow cones -- 5 so i can get the 6th free - working diligently
41. make a bird feeder
42. wear my salt waters for 10 days straight
43. watch the moon rise
44. try turkey burgers
45. SLC farmers/arts and crafts market
46. free outdoor concert with little caesars pizza
47. drink nehi peach soda {on my hammock}
48. pizza on the grill
49. annual lava hot springs trip
50. hike mt. tipanogous
51. paddle boats in slc
52. visit greece {or some other foreign country - any suggestions?} - This was more wishful thinking. Maybe Hawaii in March?!
53. 4-wheeling
54. make green smoothies
55. technology free weekend
56. zip lining
57. fly a kite
58. do an act of service
59. visit the spiral jetty
60. go to a dinner mystery theater
61. achieve my goal weight
62. greg laswell concert - missed this one, dang it!
63. Shooting {j.rue finds this fun for some reason}
64. Fairview with the Ruesches
65. drive-in movie

K, j.rue, let's step it up a little bit shall we?

SOS!

I woke up this morning and realized that j.rue and I are leaving for a short trip to Cali in 10 days and I haven't even begun preparing the essentials. Plus, I'll be out of town Tuesday and Wednesday next week and then have a girls camp meeting Thursday night. We leave Friday right after work.  AHH!

This was kind of a funny little trip. We've been talking about going to California for the last year, but we didn't know when because of j.rue's new job. Then we found out we had to go a specific week. Then we weren't going, then we were, then we weren't, you get the idea. Well, it's officially on now and I need to get my bum into gear.

So, my dear lovely readers, if you wouldn't mind helping me out {you do have the best opinions of course}, I need suggestions on:

- A few good beach reads. I hate the ocean in California - much to cold and sticky for my taste - so while I watch j.rue frolic about, I plan on reading under the brim of my floppy hat.

- You're favorite facial sunblock - one that doesn't make the skin rebel and break out.

- Road trip tunes, because, of course!

- Favorite Disneyland ride. I plan on going on them all, but it's all about priorities people.

- Oooh and I'm looking for a good swimsuit cover up. 

If you can offer any suggestions or California wisdom please feel free to leave a comment or email me at chelsea{dot}ruesch{at}gmail{dot}com.

Please and thank you!!!

p.s. Morgan - we're so excited to see you guys! Thanks a million for letting us crash at your place.

Summer Bucket List: 2012 Edition

Here it is folks, the 2012 Ruesch Summer Bucket List. A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into creating this baby. Okay, I'm maybe overexxagertaing a little, but it did take a solid week for us to come us with everything we want to do. It's a little exhausting to look at, but it makes me super excited still.

Summer doesn't "officially" start until June 21st, but as long as it's warm we can count it as summer, yes? I'm hoping this list will help j.rue and I to avoid the, "what do you want to do?" and the response, "I don't care, you choose." Then we proceed to sit on the couch and watch tv or j.rue will sneak downstairs to play the xbox of evil. We just can't have that.

1. the color run
2. buy a hammock
3. read 2 {real} books on said hammock
4. DISNEY LAND!
5. Volley ball in the backyard
6. "movies under the stars" at the capitol
7. camping at bear lake
8. eat outside at the oaks
9. fire pit party with friends
10. nerps
11. replace the fence {boo, but yay!}
12. hike adam's canyon with the puppies
13. driving range
14. spot a shooting star
15. fireworks {kaysville, 24th in ogden, taylorsville}
16. croquet
17. savor a whole box of pineapple popscicles
18. walk to the dollar theater {and then go to a movie}
19. girls camp!
20. make fruit salsa and cinnamon chips
21. st. george
22. swimming {at least 4 times for j.rue's sake}
23. eat at one dine o' round restaurant {at least}
24. picnic at a cute park
25. make ice cream
26. las vegas ladies trip!
27. visit the doggy park
28. tour mrs. cavanaugh's chocolate factory
29. bike rides at dusk
30. eat blueberries
31. watch the sunrise
32. turn on the oven no more than 3 times
33. kiss on a ferris wheel
34. geocaching
35. nelson's custard
36. all day movie marathon {when it's just too dang hot out}
37. visit ashley in logandale {before she has her baby -- and then after!!}
38. mini golf
39. hike to the Y
40. snow cones -- 5 so i can get the 6th free
41. make a bird feeder
42. wear my salt waters for 10 days straight
43. watch the moon rise
44. try turkey burgers
45. SLC farmers/arts and crafts market
46. free outdoor concert with little caesars pizza
47. drink nehi peach soda {on my hammock}
48. pizza on the grill
49. annual lava hot springs trip
50. hike mt. tipanogous
51. paddle boats in slc
52. visit greece {or some other foreign country - any suggestions?}
53. 4-wheeling
54. make green smoothies
55. technology free weekend
56. zip lining
57. fly a kite
58. do an act of service
59. visit the spiral jetty
60. go to a dinner mystery theater
61. achieve my goal weight
62. greg laswell concert
63. Shooting {j.rue finds this fun for some reason}
64. Fairview with the Ruesches
65. drive-in movie