The countdown has begun whether you know it or not. The days, the hours, the exact number of minutes left until summer begins is being counted by those who yearn for the magic and delight the summer months deliver–the scent of grill smoke wafting through neighborhoods; the night chorus of crickets; the thrill of catching the ice cream truck, landing the perfect cannonball in the pool, twirling a sparkler through the night sky to write your name.
No season stirs the magic and wonder of childhood bliss quite like summer and yet, for many, it can also elicit immediate stress–No school! No routine! Long days of entertaining kids, lining up camps and–Dear God–spending sixteen hours in the car trapped with your family on the way to the National Park visit that looked so dreamy when you booked it last November. And then there’s Pinterest Patty, your smiley neighbor whose World’s Best Summer Mom posts keep popping up in Facebook, stressing you out even more. Is it really necessary to build a market farm stand two months in advance in preparation to sell bakery goods in your driveway at the neighborhood garage sale? No, it’s not. Do you miss the feeling of your youth when you wanted summer to last forever, when scoring the last blue raspberry Otter Pop in the box was the pinnacle of summer happiness?
Regardless of how we’ve grown or how life has changed–more kids, full-time jobs, less energy, tighter budget, challenging circumstances, distinguished “spark”–the magic and possibility of summer still exists, buried in every square on the calendar that officially constitutes the season, there for us when we want to revisit Never Land. I’m here to tell you, “You can fly!”
Summer is my favorite, and I’ve been fortunate to enjoy so many summers adventuring with my kids. I feel like I’m 10 years old again come June, lost in a storybook of sensory experiences and potential for fun and meaningful memories. I completely understand the overwhelm of summer though and know that we all have our areas of inspiration. Summer memory making happens to be one of mine, and I want to share it in a way that can help bring magic to your summer. So I’ve been making something for you, and I’m thrilled to offer it to you today for presale, 25% off!.
Once Upon a Summer is something I’ve been dreaming about since last summer–a compilation of summer inspiration, easily accessed in a digital document, to help you find ideas, tips, crafts, activities, motivation, creative enthusiasm and pure happiness in the simple celebrations summer offers whether they be in the backseat of a car on a long road trip, in a living room fort at the end of a tiresome workday, or in a quiet moment in nature. We, of course, don’t owe our kids “magic” or “storybook” because they are equipped with their own imagination and creativity to make summer adventures on their own. So this isn’t about over-the-top effort or mom guilt for what we aren’t doing. On the contrary, this guide is just as much about you having fun and loving summer as it is about offering something to your kids. It’s meant to be an invitation, not an obligation. You don’t have to be a Pinterest Patty, you just have to love having fun.
You can print an ink budget-friendly version or scroll through the complete PDF, stitched with images that will evoke all your summer senses. I can’t wait to share this with you and consequently spend the summer with you, adventuring together through the magic these months hold.
Pre-order now for a 25% discount! (It’s only $9 right now!)
Let’s start with jumpsuits and rompers because I’m feeling very passionate about them right now. It’s a one-and-done outfit, and there are so many cute options available. I have a really long torso, so I used to think jumpsuits and rompers didn’t work for me, but my attraction to them won in the end. It turns out there are so many that work, and as long as I try them on to make sure they’re wedgie approved, we’re good. Current favorite: DENIM. I linked this Free People one at the end of this post. It’s so comfortable! I may end up cutting the sleeves and rolling them up when we get to boob sweat temps here, but for now the longer sleeves don’t bother me. I wear it with nude clogs to make my legs look longer, but you could totally wear sneakers for a more casual look, or heels to dress it up. There’s a Wrangler denim romper linked at the end as well which I wish I would have seen first–I like the little bit of elastic in the waist.
Here’s how we attacked the job:
2. Take drawers out and soak & clean them. I just used hot soapy water.
3. Deep clean the refrigerator and shelves with natural cleaner. I used Thieves cleaner, but you can use vinegar and water or baking soda for scrubbing.
One bin is for citrus (lots of Cuties!), one bin is for cheeses, and one bin is for our 
I also washed all our fruit and stored it out of the bag it came in–much cleaner looking and saves me from having to wash it before we eat it.
