Summer Can Stay…

I am likely one of the few people making a bonfire with the 1000’s of back to school catalogs I have received and begging summer to stay.  I am going to come right out and say it…

“I am not ready for back to school and I don’t want summer to end!” Whew, I feel better.

I have a feeling if you ask me in a couple years, when both my kids are in elementary school, I imagine I might be more than ready for summer to end early.  Yet right now, in this moment…I love summer and not only because it gives us Wisconsinites a chance to enjoy the beauty that will soon turn to a frozen tundra again.  My daughters are at an age where wonder is around every corner and both the most elaborate and the most mundane days hold the same amount of possibility and the same potential for joy.  This is the way I want to be, to live.   As grown-ups we lose sight of this wonder, of this ability to see days for their possibilities instead of their responsibilities.  Summer makes me grasp a little of that childlike wonder and rejuvenates me.  Don’t get me wrong my kids can be challenging and balancing work with family is always a bit of a juggling game.  Still, we managed to make some pretty amazing memories.  Here is my summer 2014 top 20.

I would love to hear some of your favorite moments of the summer, share in the comments below.

1. Beach Days.  Sure the amount of sand I dumped from swimsuits, toys, towels was enough to start our own beach here at home but seeing my girls play in the lake together and building a castle and mote with my five year old while her sister plotted how to crush it…priceless.

2. Dollar Tree Shopping Spree.  I took my girls to the dollar tree for the first time and gave them each a basket and told them they could pick out any five items (non-food) they wanted.  They looked at me like I was a two headed dragon but quickly began their “spree”  it was hard to narrow it down but they each ended up finding five new “treasures”.  Possibly the best $10 and hour I have spent this summer.

3. Concerts.  We made it to six Lunchtime Live concerts and two Concerts on the Square.  Spending time with friends, eating outdoors (I cannot emphasize the bliss of one less time I have to sweep the dining room floor in a day), sunshine, music filling your ears and heart.  Pretty much the perfect way to spend summer days or nights.

4. Ice Cream.  We made a lot of ice cream.  We ate a lot of ice cream.  It was good.

5. Swimming Lessons.  I love swimming lessons in the summer.  The girls can be in their suits when we get there.  The hassle of 100 layers, coats, mittens, hats, boots in addition to swim stuff that accompany the rest of the year are somehow a little less fun.

6.  Annual Spa Trip with my friend (and fellow writer) to Sundara Inn and Spa.  Sometimes a little time away from the kiddos really does make the heart grow fonder.  Or at least the head a little more sane.

7. Our Garden.  I have loved planting and nurturing our first fruit and vegetable garden.  My girls can’t wait till we harvest our humble tomato crop (3 monster ones) in a few days.

8. The Children’s Museum.  Despite our beautiful weather we did get a few raining and all around yucky days that we happily spent at the museum…making art projects, soaking themselves with the water on the herb garden and putting on show that including belting out “Let it Go” at the top of their lungs.

9. Bike Riding.  Now that my five year old can ride her bike like she’s practicing for the Tour de France we have taken quite a few family rides where either my husband or I pull the two year old in the trailer then do our best to keep up.  We are lucky to have so many amazing trails here in the Madison area.  Despite a major wipe out and gash on my five year old’s chin (heartbreaking) we clocked many a fun hour on our bikes.

10.  Two words.  Run Outside.  As much as I love the treadmill (insert sarcasm here) there is nothing like feeling the pavement below your feet and the sun on your face while you run.  I even had the chance to do a 5K fun run (the glow run) with some friends.  We ran down the middle of John Nolan Drive!

11. Fireflies.  I remember the warm summer nights as a child…feet sticky with humidity and the dirt of barefoot fun, dancing in the grass with the magical lights of the fireflies.  I loved seeing the joy in my daughters eyes as they watched the fireflies light up our backyard this year.

12.Sunflowers.  We got the chance to enjoy the Sunflowers again this year at Pope Farms Park and even got some AMAZING pictures of my girls by the talented Laura of Raspberry Lane Photography.

13. Fireworks.  Nothing says summer like a lit up and sparkling sky.

14. Cooking.  I have had the wonderful opportunity to teach the culinary class at Summer on the Farm this summer and it was a complete pleasure to watch the children learn about and explore new healthy foods and recipes.  I’m a little sad it’s coming to a close soon.

15. Board Games.  Playing board games on the deck with my five year old, while the two year old sleeps is always a fun time.

16. Day Dreaming.  Lying on the grass in the backyard choosing which cloud looks most like a frog and day dreaming about our future projects and adventures, almost better than actually having the adventures.

17. Books.  Yes we do read all year but without the added school reading (for my five year old) we managed to knock out 100’s of new library books and 5 or 6 chapter books.  Summer reading is the best.  Oh and I managed to finish a couple “grown-up” books too.

18. Picnics.  I know I mentioned this under concerts but I cannot emphasize how much I love eating outside and the mess it doesn’t make in my dining room.  We managed to find a few new favorite parks and had many picnics this summer.

19. Flowers.  I love the summer flowers and the way my girls still pick me “flowers”.  Is there any better feeling then when your mother loves the flowers you picked her?  (even if they were weeds, I loved them).

20. Wine.  Sipping wine with my husband on the deck at dusk.  Two sleeping kids and a chance to catch up, drink some wine and star at the stars…pretty much perfect.

So while I am starting to get a little bit excited about pumpkin spice lattes, tall boots and chunky sweaters I am not quite ready to say goodbye to summer yet or the magic that it brings.  I am not quite ready to say goodbye to the magic that is early childhood.  Maybe tomorrow.  Maybe in a few years.