It's August 1st. There are exactly 21 days left until our first day of school. Twenty-one days. How is that possible? This summer it has all gone way too fast. We are not ready summer! Do not leave us yet!!
A few weeks ago I read this interesting article about what we "should" be doing this summer. I'm pretty sure it was written from a dreamers stand point, like what we should all want to do this summer. Still it left me feeling a little sad. We may not make it to the beach this summer, or to a theme park. There is no way we will walk in a meadow and catch fire flies or climb a mountain top... It just left me thinking. Have I made the most of this summer? The more I think about it, the more I'm sure I have.
This summer I served ice cream for dinner more than once. It's super easy clean up if you use cones. Easier clean up if you go out for ice cream. Plus around Fresno, it's just too damn hot to cook.
This summer I have slept in more than once. Chucking all obligations. I have laid in bed for over an hour, scrolling social media, listening to my kids play, ignoring requests for breakfast. This summer I have skipped my alarm altogether on Sundays, and it felt so right!
This summer I have spent multiple days in pajamas. Letting my girls follow suit. We have eaten snacks from the pantry for meals, and watched Cartoon Network all day. These are the same days that were spent reading in bed. Enjoying a summer best seller with a happy and hopeful ending.
This summer I made lame excuses so I could go to Target alone, after dark. That way I could blast the Red Hot Chili Peppers, that always feel like summer. Throwing on a hat and flip flops just for a few moments alone. To enjoy the school supplies where the Halloween candy soon will live. Taking my time, wandering but never lost.
This summer, the Husband and I were able to watch half a movie, together, uninterrupted. A real movie with bad words and adult content. Which means the kids can't watch it. Which means we get to be adults again.
This summer I took my kids to Starbucks on multiple Sundays. Those Trenta cups make the best water cups, so I made it my mission to get a new on each week. Most Sundays this was the only adventure we went on, spending the rest of the day at home. Maybe there was a baseball game on, or an 80s movie. Maybe we saved our energy and went swimming later in the day. Maybe we did nothing at all, but those Starbucks Sundays will always be my favorite.
This summer I took my kids to Starbucks on multiple Sundays. Those Trenta cups make the best water cups, so I made it my mission to get a new on each week. Most Sundays this was the only adventure we went on, spending the rest of the day at home. Maybe there was a baseball game on, or an 80s movie. Maybe we saved our energy and went swimming later in the day. Maybe we did nothing at all, but those Starbucks Sundays will always be my favorite.
This summer I stayed up late, way too late. But the house was so quiet, and no one ever asked for water or goldfish. No one needed me to scratch their back or comb out tangles. It was so quiet that I was able to watch what I wanted to watch on any electronic devise of my choosing. There were no fights or whining about anything in those late hours of the night. It was perfect and just what I needed.
This summer I didn't write as much as I thought I would. I thought about it from time to time, but I was so busy with other things. Maybe that makes it less of a priority, and I'm okay with that for now. I also went days without posting on social media. Not because I made a conscious effort, but because I was in it. In the moments. Forgetting the phone all together. I can't say that it was a bad thing. It was kind of refreshing.
This summer I didn't write as much as I thought I would. I thought about it from time to time, but I was so busy with other things. Maybe that makes it less of a priority, and I'm okay with that for now. I also went days without posting on social media. Not because I made a conscious effort, but because I was in it. In the moments. Forgetting the phone all together. I can't say that it was a bad thing. It was kind of refreshing.
This summer I decided that my kids could be bored. I let them find themselves bored. If not now then when? I want them to experience down time, and what it feels like to be schedule free. So much of there time during the school year is filled with obligation and activity that I really wanted them to know what summer break feels like. So, we were bored. Sometimes we found a new show to binge. Sometimes we colored those cool adult coloring books that takes hours to finish a page. Sometimes we packed it up and went to swim at grandmas. Boredom didn't hurt them one bit, it inspired them to be kids. Kids with some freedom to be bored.
This summer I decided that six in the evening is the perfect time for a good swim. Or a good time to go to Target or the grocery store. It was kind of nice to decide to do something after spending all day doing nothing. It was easy to decide to throw on a hat and find some motivation to do anything. Especially if anything included ice cream or slushies.
This summer I declared that swimming could very much take the pace of a bath. Maybe baths are overrated when all you do is swim. Why wast soap? Chlorine is close enough right?
This summer I woke up in a bed of legs and tangled sheets. Legs that aren't mine. Tangled because we all fell asleep laughing or reading. Tangled because they all crawled into my bed anyway. It's the best and worst way to wake up. Best because those little people love you so much they can't stand to be away from you for even a night. Worst because your legs are asleep, you are sweating from all the body heat, and you really have to pee. This summer I woke up in a tangled bed so many times, it almost seemed comical. Still, there is something so sound and content about waking up in heap, listening to the tiny snores of your children.
This summer I wanted to live the laziest life. I wanted that for my entire family. The school year gets so bogged down with obligation. In just 21 short days we will be back at school, lunches will have to be made, homework to be done, dance classes to rush to. I wanted to enjoy the downtime, take advantage of the days that were free of classes or appointments. We didn't do a single bucket list item. We didn't complete a single suggested summer homework worksheet. I don't feel bad about it. My kids are healthy and happy, tanned and perfumed with chlorine. This summer we said yes to pajama days, yes to nights at the pool, yes to chips and Popsicles for dinner. Because summer never lasts as long as it should.
In twenty one days it's back to reality.
Until then, I'll be enjoying the last few days of this summer.
This summer I wanted to live the laziest life. I wanted that for my entire family. The school year gets so bogged down with obligation. In just 21 short days we will be back at school, lunches will have to be made, homework to be done, dance classes to rush to. I wanted to enjoy the downtime, take advantage of the days that were free of classes or appointments. We didn't do a single bucket list item. We didn't complete a single suggested summer homework worksheet. I don't feel bad about it. My kids are healthy and happy, tanned and perfumed with chlorine. This summer we said yes to pajama days, yes to nights at the pool, yes to chips and Popsicles for dinner. Because summer never lasts as long as it should.
In twenty one days it's back to reality.
Until then, I'll be enjoying the last few days of this summer.
