Here we are. Labor Day; the unofficial end of summer.
I quit my job at the beginning of the season and my mind was full of all the things I would do with the seemingly endless days that stretched out before me. I’d do projects. I’d take the kids on fun outings. I’d diligently keep them on track academically to prevent the dreaded “summer slide.” It was going to be awesome.
I was going to be awesome.
And now, as the air starts to take on that familiar chill, I’m forced to admit that the summer is over. So if you’re tired of scrolling through photos of other peoples’ idyllic vacations and lazy beach days, I’m here reflecting on the reality of my life.
This is how I spent my summer vacation.
- I flew solo to take the kids to Florida to visit family.
- I learned that Florida is hot in July.
- I realized that only silly people go to Florida in July.
- I decided I would start my freelance work when I returned in mid-July.
- I extended my deadline to August 1st.
- I then extended my deadline to September 1st.
- It is now September 5th, and I haven’t done anything.
- I did not read through the school district material about the summer reading and math expectations until late July.
- My son still met his reading goal.
- My son did math a total of four times.
- I gained seven pounds
- I painted my kitchen cabinets white.
- All of the grass in my backyard is now also white.
- As is part of the east-facing side of the house.
- I made a hot breakfast for my kids nearly every day.
- I made them lunch about 40% of the time.
- My dinner stats were significantly better than lunch.
- We had a fair number of beach and park days.
- I didn’t go to a SINGLE outdoor movie or concert in the park.
- I realized I quit my job solely for the flexibility of being able to attend summer outdoor movies and concerts in the park, and I’m very disappointed in myself for attending neither.
- I canned some tomatoes.
- I waged a battle against squirrels that were eating my garden.
- We started the summer with earning screen time through reading time.
- We’ve ended the summer not caring.
- For the entire two weeks of the Olympics, my son stayed up until 11 pm to watch them.
- We also ate dinner on the couch in front of the TV.
- My son is still staying up until 11 pm.
- We had a few fires in the backyard and roasted s’mores.
- More frequently, I ate plain candy bars and raw marshmallows after the kids went to bed.
- (Did I mention I gained seven pounds?)
- We haven’t eaten on the back porch nearly as often as I’d have liked.
- I didn’t really do back-to-school shopping.
- We quickly threw supplies in our cart while waiting for my husband’s prescription for his second occurrence of strep throat within a two-week period.
- The kids fought.
- The kids played.
- I took some pictures.
- (Not of them fighting. Or really playing.)
- We hung out with some of our neighbors.
- I finally taught my son how to tie his shoes.
- We went camping a few times.
- We really did have the best summer ever, even though I didn’t do half of the things I thought I would.
I’m ending this season kicking and screaming, but I have no regrets about the summer. Even though things went undone and it wasn’t perfect, it was amazing.
It was real.
It was ours.
