Summer Bucket List-Parrot Head Style by Jenn

And finally---we have Jenn from When in Doubt, Add More Salt.  Jenn and I have been friends for most of my blogging career, and I've found her posts to be fun and full of great ideas to keep a toddler entertained.  In her days before she was a SAHM, she was a teacher so she utilizes those skills by always having an educational spin on fun activities with her toddler boy W.  She's also very creative, and I'll catch myself wishing we lived closer so she could help me with my lack of creative/domestic skills.  Without further ado....

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Thanks for sharing your blog space with me today, Natalie! I love your posts and watching Nolan grow. I'm fairly certain that he and W would be best buds if we lived closer. And I can't wait for the arrival of little brother! Cheers to a relaxing week on the beach with your family!

I'm Jenn (who calls herself Cajun Cowgirl) riding the trails between TX and LA with my Cowboy (husband of almost 9, yes nine, years)  and The Sheriff (our ever-growing sweet boy).  I've been blogging my way through toddler days, hot summers, Pinterest attempts, and a love/hate relationship with March Madness brackets and growing my hair long, and I'm so grateful to share a bit of our lives with you today. Oh do please read on before judging the choice of picture below. 

Natalie left the door wide open for her guest posting, so while she's enjoying a bit of summer vacation at the beach working on her tan while keeping Nolan's digestive system free of sand, I thought I'd fill you in on how we'll spend a night (or two if it's full of awesome) of our slice of summer. 

I went ahead and made our family a little bucket list; it's nothing fancy and filled with activities we'd probably do anyway. I threw a few creative ones in there, including a "Jimmy Buffet Night." Cowboy read over it and questioned, "What's a Jimmy Buffet Night?" to which I responded, "I don't know yet." And I really don't know yet, but I'll take a few moments to get in touch with my inner Parrot Head and share with you. Hopefully there are some JB fans out there, and y'all won't email Natalie asking, "Where did you find this girl?"

Any American Idol watchers know just how important song choice can be, so we'll be sure to set up the evening accordingly.

The Menu and Venue:

Cheeseburger in Paradise --  I do, in fact, enjoy mine with lettuce and tomatoes, Heinz 57, and French friend potatoes, Mr. Buffet, so we'll fire up the pit for this "All-American" cuisine. As far as paradise goes, I'll trade the palm trees, crystal clear water, oversized umbrellas, and white sandy beach for time spent with my boys outside on the shaded back patio complete with toddler swing and sandbox and, well, 90+ temps.  But we'll make it festive for sure. Perhaps a wreath of mini-umbrellas for the occasion:

Source: cfabbridesigns.com via Tiffany on Pinterest

This Southern girl says "yes, please" to some mason jar decor

Source: la-belle-vie.tumblr.com via Katie on Pinterest

And this (and the summer temps) bring me to our next song. We'll certainly save some jars for serving. 

Margaritaville -- I'm sure I'll find myself in the toddler pool at some point, but in order to really keep cool, we'll have a bottomless supply of this Texas implant's favorite beverage. It would truly be an injustice to have such a theme night without the ritas.  This summer I hope we manage to try a few of these:

Source: jasonandshawnda.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

The Entertainment

Son of a Sailor -- So I'm not a son so-much, but my dad is a sailor, one of those souls who feels the call of the water and answers with the tender splashes of a boat against the tide. One of my dearest friends is what I'd call and "ocean girl." She's completely at home in the water. I've always wanted to be that beach-y, scuba-diving, live in my swimsuit in the summer on the boat type of person.  So I live vicariously through this song, and we'll pretend as we splash in the toddler pool or perhaps play in the pirate water table I hope to acquire by then. We'll pretend that we are on the back deck of our beach house listening to the waves crash gently against the shore as Mr. Buffet sings us into the night.

And if all else fails, I've got a slew of Parrot Head hats in my possession, courtesy of my dad, and we can always attempt to persuade The Sheriff to wear them while we take tons of photos because he's stinking adorable with our fingers crossed that maybe, just maybe, in one of them, he's still enough and looking in our general direction.

So there you have it, our Jimmy Buffet night. Of course, these melodies and others will run through the evening, and at some point we'll put the toddler to bed and crawl back outside for our fill or dodging Texas-sized mosquitoes and those bottomless margaritas. We'll check it off the old bucket list and begin brainstorming ideas for next year. Perhaps I'll get this ambitious:

Fins to the left, fins to the right...

Source: food.tipjunkie.com via Megan on Pinterest

Thanks again Natalie! Wishing you the very best of vacations!

Now how fun is she?  She can throw me a Jimmy Buffet party anytime!  Head on over to her blog and see many more of her creative ideas :)