Summer is such a sweet word filled with so much happiness especially for kids. Each year that passes I feel the very precious and fleeting nature of it even more keenly. Kids are changing, growing and becoming bean poles. No matter how much they tower over me, they still just want to get their fill of popsicles, pools, staying up late, running around town on bikes, camping and all those quintessential summer rites.
When I returned from my vacation, I learned my close friend is battling a serious illness and she hasn’t left my mind hardly at all. She’s a happy and joyous person who knows how to enjoy life and I am hoping she will soon be better.
I am feeling very much aware that it’s important to live in the moment.
There is no perfect time to do something and later often means never.
Life is precious and summer especially short.
I wonder how many lazy summers do we have left for my kids to just chill?
Already my oldest is doing an short internship with my husband’s start-up.
Jackson’s first day of his internship. Don’t you love how they are both wearing flip-flops?
The Silicon Valley summer work uniform here.
Pretty soon they will be scrambling for more summer experiences, camp jobs and volunteer hours.
I am trying to be a ‘yes’ mom more so than usual this summer.
We made this collage of Griffin’s visit to Santa Cruz earlier this year.
Lemonade stand? Sure!
Late night frozen yogurt? Let’s do it!
Planet of the Apes? (Hey that one is major mom points if you ask me!)
Water fights, nighttime swims, sleepovers and camping on the lawn? Yes!
S’mores on the BBQ! Making ice cream!
More time for our favorite pets…
They so appreciate it!
Time for books! I’m reading as much as I can now!
A getaway with my husband before school starts is on my list too.
Some other ideas for savoring summer…
Afternoon ice tea with friends. My pal Kim is always good about impromptu tea chats on her porch.
Look at what my succulent gave us this week!
I am taking time to see all that’s blooming and enjoying the garden bounty and beyond.
Happy hour with your neighbors on Summer Fridays.
Movie nights on the driveway. (You can sometimes do this in conjunction with the happy hour.)
Game nights- we are talking board games here people- old school Monopoly and all that. (My kids love this and no one misses television when we get in the habit.)
Late night tennis when it’s cool and the courts are open!
Summer Camp for you! ( I am doing this!! At least I am calling it such. While my youngest is away at Scout Camp, I signed up for a Blogher Convention nearby and am meeting some friends and hope to make more friends and learn a few new things.)
Yesterday, Grif and his friend Nicholas and his little sister had a lemonade stand in the park.
They had been wanting to do this for a long while.
I had saved an old copy of Martha Stewart for lemonade stand ideas.
Grif used it to make some cute goodies to sell.
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The day before they actually squeezed lemons from Nicholas and Lauren’s yard.
It’s was a pretty serious set-up and Nicholas was muddling raspberries and rosemary!
Gee maybe I should use them as bartenders!! ;D
Anyhow, would you believe they got only 1 customer?
We got some very un-California like, crazy gale force winds for a few hours and even a light sprinkle.
Just enough to clear out the park!!
I’ve never seen the park empty, ever! It was crazy.
Still they enjoyed eating all the profits…Sugar intake was likely at a record.
I let them enjoy.
We will make it happen on another day.
Is there anything that means summer to you?
How do you live in the moment?
It’s something I am working on.
Any tips?
Kim
