Every Friday I’ll indulge my order-crazed brain in a list of randomness. Welcome to my Friday Fives.

We are now past the middle of June. “Summer” by school-calendar standards, by normal-people’s standards, started well over a month and a half ago, yet there was a fresh dusting of snow on the mountains this week, I wore my winter coat twice and ran my space heater in my office non-stop until today. This is what causes tears, people. And all-around grumpiness.

But, next week promises 90-degree forecasts, sunshine and merriment. All signs are pointing toward summer, and here’s why:

5. Are We There Yet?

Sean and Wallis, some of our favorite people in the entire world, get here on Sunday, which means we have pool therapy sessions (featuring Wallis’ famous giggle-swim), 80’s Movies nights, and many meals at Rancherito’s, Herm’s and Jimmy John’s in our immediate future. I hope all of my summers can involve extended visits with these besties.

4. Eat, Drink and Be Merry

We have our first cook-out potluck dinner with some of our USU music faculty friends scheduled for this week. There’s something about eating on blankets in a backyard that feels 200% like summer. The only problem is that I suffer overwhelming paralysis when choosing what foods to bring to any potluck. I have a plethora of recipes pinned, magazine-torn and dog-eared that I feel guilty to make something already in my culinary arsenal. Should I try out a new recipe on my friends? Or should I go with my foolproof standbys, comforted with the knowledge that it’ll be delicious? What do you do? Too many recipes, not enough lifetimes. I completely get this from my mother, and I’ll never complain about it. #recipehoarder

3. Temples and Tacos

Each Father’s Day weekend, the greens around Logan’s Tabernacle transform to host the region’s biggest Arts Faire. (Add an ‘e’ and you’re fancy…Subtract an ‘e’ and you’re Marci.)  Since Joe was out of town, I tagged along with a few of our friends to look at hundreds of booths with paintings of Mormon temples. I mean, there was other stuff, but mostly temple paintings. I did get to sample a Navajo Taco that was made with fry bread and conveniently smothered in meat chili, despite me ordering the veggie version. Le sigh. Nothing a little Dole Whip couldn’t fix. (Also pictured: Chilali’s gourmet mac-and-cheese and Chris’ dutch oven dinner with “funeral potatoes” and cobbler.)

2. The Tube

I imagine you can tell a lot about a person by looking at their DVR selections. Here’s what ours will be showing all summer: True Blood, The Bridge, Drunk History, Face Off, The Next Food Network Star and the perennial favorite, Barefoot Contessa. We also will finish the last two seasons of The Shield, True Detective and, time-permitting, God-willing, The Wire. So, what does that say about us?

1. Pretty in Coral

The easiest way to tell it’s Summer? My toes are painted in OPI’s Cajun Shrimp. It’s sassy. It’s fiery. It would complement tanned skin, if that’s something you’re blessed with. But I can also testify it looks just as nice on pasty whiteness. It’s my absolute fav for these summer months. But once it turns cold? Say, in late September? It’s all (dark) purple, all the time. This is what I’d call a limited release.