Slow Summer

Our summers are very laid back, due to the commitments we typically have throughout the school year. I love that the kiddos spend their days playing using their imaginations. We also spend a lot of time together as a family, whether it be having a BBQ and eating on the deck, taking a stroll on the beach, or cuddled up reading books before bed. These are the best times in my mind, they’re unplanned and create wonderful memories to look back on.

Being a Texas girl, my view of summer is very different from what I have now in Maine. My kiddos don’t know what Texas summers are like, but they do like the idea of them. I’m not sure they’d love the 100+ degree temps like I do, since they didn’t grow in them like I did.

Summertime in Maine hasn’t even really arrived yet, we’ve had a couple “hot” days, but they’re always followed by cool days. Summer heat doesn’t stick around long here. August is usually our warmest month, and September cools down rapidly.

Throughout the summer my kids spend much of their days outside playing, whether it be building forts, swinging, catching frogs, ants, salamanders, or whatever else they can get dirty doing!

Last year we went “camping” (my husband’s version is much different than mine LOL) on Father’s Day weekend, he just called today and we are going again! It seems that is his gift of choice for Father’s Day. It also might be our new family tradition! The kiddos are very excited to be going again! Last year I spent much of my weekend writing for my lil corner here as I wasn’t feeling well. I’m hoping to do a bit of writing again, without the latter event. We will be staying in the same cabin I believe too!

Our year has been cooler/wetter than usual, so my garden isn’t doing as well as I had hoped. I am still hoping to get the cooler temperature veggies to grow for me. I had high hopes for this year, but I am learning to just be thankful for that which I get!

The lettuce, cabbage, blackberries and raspberries seem to be doing well. The kiddos love to grab a handful of berries while they’re outside playing! They’re the perfect snack!

I encourage you to not over plan the summer season, be sure to allow time to just be a family and enjoy time together. Sometimes we feel like we need to check the boxes showing we’ve used every moment of “free time”. This doesn’t allow us to have any spur of the moment ideas, and I’m learning that sometimes they are the best times we could have and we often miss out on them.

Slow down. Enjoy Summer. Cherish your family.