summertime to-dos: jessica.

{jessica from monster-cakes}

Friends: I'm headed out on a little vacation this week, so I thought it would be the perfect time to introduce you to some of my favorite bloggers. While I'm enjoying the sun and surf (and a few good books), my friends are taking over and sharing some of their plans for a fun-filled summer. First up is Jessica, a lovely fashion/lifestyle blogger and someone I'm happy to call a "real-life" friend. She's got some fabulous and fun ideas for brightening up summer days -- on the cheap! I know you'll love her as much as I do. Enjoy!

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Hello new friends! My name is Jessica Zigenis, and you can usually find me over at my blog, Monster Cakes, rambling about life with my husband and wild pups. While Annie is off taking a much needed vacation, I am the lucky duck that gets to take over her blog for today. I'm excited to meet all you Turning Pages fans, because any friend of Annie's is a friend of mine. Annie's blog is one of the first blogs I read each day, and she is an inspiration to me and someone I now call friend. Enough jabber. Let's get to it.

Now that summer is finally making an appearance in good ol' Oregon, I decided to make a list of summer musts. Only my list doesn't include exotic trips to Jamaica or a weekend at the Hamptons. You see, while my hubs is working his handsome tush off as a full-time student and volunteer fireman, I'm busy bringing home the bacon. And as it turns out, I don't bring home that much bacon. Which is fine, because who needs bacon anyway? It's greasy and gross. All we need is love baby. So my list, dear friends, is a silly list of creative summer musts that require just one thing: love.

1. Build more forts on movie night. Movies are much better when watched under a tent of blankets. I promise.

2. Bust out the vintage bike my father-in-law refurbished for me and ride to the farmer's market on Fridays. If I can't afford the produce, the veggies will at least make gorgeous pictures.

3. Take a drive and get lost on purpose. Oregon has endless country roads filled with vineyards and orchards. I need to schedule some time in to slow down and take in the beauty.

4. Send a friend, a stranger, or a far away relative a note once a week. Snail mail makes my heart go thump. And there's something so satisfying in making someone else's day.

5. Make it a summer mission to concoct the perfect and strangest smoothie together. Things could get real weird real quick up in our kitchen.

6. Be still and know that He is God. Take walks. Without my ipod. Just let Him speak.

7. Have a post-it joke competition with the hubs. Who can leave the funniest joke in the most random place just waiting to be discovered? Winner gets to watch the other person pee their pants from laughing too hard.

8. Switch things up and have a breakfast date on our rare days off together. French press + waffles + sunrise + my lover = bliss.

9. Go on garage sale hunts and see who can score the coolest item for a dollar. Let the games begin.

10. Spice up a BBQ with friends by including a water fight (supply guns and balloons) in the festivities.

Who knew that being broke would get the creative juices flowing and be so much fun?

I wish you all a wild, unpredictable, adventurous, smile-filled, memorable summer friends. And I hope you'll come visit me again soon.