summer survival and thrivable, Part 1

If you asked me, I would tell you summer is my least favorite season.
Why, you ask?
For several reasons:

Because I am not a fan of sweating in sleep.
Or sweating when you wake up.
Or sweating any other time.
Because it can be taxing to have all the kids at home and at each other 17 hours out of the day (yes, even in their sleep..)
Because the house gets all cleaned up my 10am and is a mess again by 11am.
Because you try to escape boredom and head to the park, only to find that the slides have become hot iron griddles and your kids legs and bums are sizzling bacon strips.

I guess I have focused on those things in the past. This year I realized something.

I think I totally love summer.
I made a list.

I love waking up in daylight, instead of darkness. Because it's just wrong to wake up when it's still dark.
I love the lax schedule.
I love the later sunsets.
I love sitting on the porch and talking with the spouse while the kids play.
I love the smell of chlorine and sunscreen on my kids' heads.
I love all the outside playtime.
I love how the TV stays off and all the books stay cracked open. (Serious. I have already read 6 books this summer. I love summer reading!)
I love the tigers blood snow cones.
I love happy hour lemon berry slushes at Sonic.
I love to barbecue everything.
I love garden fresh tomatoes.
I love darn fresh corn.
I love putting avocados into every single thing I make. And I really do mean everything... except drinks, cause that would be gross.

(Yes, I am aware that the above list is heavily weighted on the obsessed with food side; what did you expect?)

I have always loved those things, but I always thought being in a constant state of hot was worse than anything. What I know now, is summer feels right. It feels calm. It feels good to slow down and enjoy. To watch a sunset or a thunderstorm and know we can take as long as we like, nothing else matters. That we are creating moments the kids will remember, that we are creating their happiness. And that is worth more than my sweat and discomfort.


Just so you know, I reserve the right to take back every positive word I said about summer when the triple digit weather hits.

But anyway, with this new found realization, I am on a mission to make this summer fun. In order to do that, I know I need to fill the summer up and keep my kids busy, happy, and whine free.
So this week, I am sharing with you my plan of attack to survive and thrive this summer. Think of it as some unsolicited advice from a total stranger; and isn't that the best kind?