Summer is a bit like marathoning in that, if you know what you’re doing, you don’t sprint in the beginning. You jog–freely, lightly–saving the real efforts and mind games for when you’re fourteen miles in, your big toe is bleeding, your left knee is blown and you quite possibly crapped your pants without knowing it. I mean, I’ve never run a marathon, but I think this is how it goes which is exactly why I don’t plan on running a marathon. Where were we though? Yes, summer. So maybe I sprinted those first couple of days. Maybe it wasn’t necessary to have a kid spa day/movie day/pool party/art party/double sleepover all in two days. The thing is, I knew this. But I did it anyway because I get excited, and also I am ten. Let’s just say yesterday–officially Day 5 of Summer–I was struggling a bit. Like I called my sister with, “I think I made some irrevocable parenting mistakes today and yelled like I’ve never yelled before and it’s likely this day will one day be talked about in a therapy office years from now.” My favorite thing about calling my sister and admitting these things is that she got a head start in parenting and always tops my stories with her own, and her girls are all turned out lovely and don’t hate her.
“Kelle, don’t you remember that one time with Savannah?” she reminds me today, “When I put her in her room after losing it, and I heard her mumbling and crying? I went in to ask her what she was doing and she cried, “I’m PRAYING! That God will help you be a better MOM!”
We slowed the pace a bit and are resting and unwinding today. Light jog, folks. Light jog.
When we’re not simultaneously juggling pool floats, shucking corn and hosting a lemonade stand in the middle of our yard sprinkler, we are enjoying…
Downtime…see look! Downtime! Quiet rest and not bucketlisting the shit out of summer!
Living room forts and movies with school friends…
Dancing…”Alexa, play Let Me Love You”…
Dogs that are super old and still kickin’. Ever seen Croods? The grandma who answers “Still Alive!” every time her name is called? Totally our dogs.
Sitting on the lanai during rainstorms…
Looking at our travel books to get excited about summer adventures…
Summer naps (rare and cherished)…
Our kids’ alter egos…respectively Superman:
…and Mary Lou Retton:
When Dash gets in trouble and you’re talking to him and he puts his hands in front of his face so he doesn’t have to look at you (does it all the time now and it’s so hard not to laugh)…
He balances it all with so much sweetness, so we’re good…
Matchy matchy summer style…
Public House lunches…
Using the summer to hit up some of Naples touristy spots like Tin City…
One more thing…thank you for all the comments and amazing book recommendations on our 50 Favorite Picture Books post. Oh my goodness, if you’re looking to build up your kids’ libraries, check out the comments–so many great recommendations and several books I’m excited to check out that we’d never heard of before.
Happy Weekending!
DeANna Blaylock says
Ahh sweet summer! Enjoy every bit of it! I teach so I savor summer so sweetly…..but sadly my summers are now hoping to see my 19 year old between job shifts and shuttling my 15 year old to his first summer job. I miss the $2.00 Tuesday movies, pool days and breakfast play dates!!! I love reliving those memories through y’all!
Laura says
Sounds like you’re kicking off summer on the right foot!! So funny that Dash puts his hands in front of his face! What a cutie.
nonnie says
Your Dash reminds me of wonderful grandson. He is 6 and I call him my best boy. Something about boys. O have read your blog since Bella was born. It has made me a better person and grandma to my grandson and granddaughter. Thank you
nonnie says
I meant Nella
Jessica says
I love this post! But my comment is unrelated to this one. I just had to get on here to say that I ordered story worth for my grandmother after you posted about it and it’s the best thing I ever did. I’m in Michigan and she’s in Texas so I don’t see her as often as I did as a child. Reading the stories of her childhood and the things she finds important in life every week makes me cry happy tears. And I think it makes her feel special knowing we want to read stories of her life!! So thank you for posting about it. It’s priceless.
Justine says
This post really made me giggle, on a morningI was just not expecting to! Thank you. Xo
Beverly Breslen says
Thank you for this. This is my first summer with my eight year old due to a job ending. We decided that I can be a stay at home mom and I, too, had a bucket list of things to do everyday. I did none of them because my boy decided he liked going to the skate park every day! Yahoo! I can sit under a tree and read, lol. Then we picnic in the park. Then once or twice a week with playmates with friends. It has been working out beautifully
Shannon Brown says
Your lanai is the bomb dot com. In the words of Liz Lemon, “I want to go to there.”
Great post!!