It's starting to feel like fall here in Southern Virginia. The heater clicked on this morning, so yeah. It's here. The start of a new season is magical. It's a time for fresh starts and new rituals. And don't we all have a little bit of Anne Shirley in us when the leaves start to change? I will romanticize the coziness of fall with the best of them, but summer has my heart. Switching out our crisp, cool summer sheets for the cozy flannel ones, packing up the fans, shaking out fleece jackets and hunting for matching gloves and wool socks; it feels very final. I'm determined to love fall and winter as much as I loved spring and summer, but still. A little sad.
So before I throw myself into Fall (which really is great, I know) Summer 2017 deserves a shout out. Most of Summer 2016 was a blur of 3rd trimester sweaty stress. But this year . . .
Early summer meant no mosquitoes (yet), almost hot days and beautifully warm evenings. We could finally enjoy our backyard again! As well as morning walks to the water, beach trips, zoo trips, playdates at the park. I read quietly on the porch during naptime and snuck outside often in the evenings to catch a quick breath and watch the fireflies. I taught J about "summer sounds" and we reveled in the racket of cicadas and crickets.
Mid summer was filled with the happy chaos of visitors. It has been years since we have lived close to family and we've become accustomed to it. Until we see them again and are reminded how badly we miss sharing our day-to-day lives with them! Trips to visit family include full days of air travel with toddlers or days of driving . . . so, you know. Worth it, but it comes with a price. Family coming to us? Gold.
And late summer. I learned to love it. The mosquitoes were horrendous. The air was muggy. But guess what? Early mornings and evenings at the beach were the perfect temperature, and mosquito free. We frequented our aquarium, children's museum, and local libraries during the day to avoid the stifling heat. I kept a can of DEET on my back steps at all times so that as soon as the breeze picked up we could leap outside for a short walk or "motorcycle ride" with J's bike. Long days allowed for walks after dinner, which was often late because we had been hanging out on the porch with the boys' water table.
Of course I'm leaving out all the sweaty tantrums, high AC bills, and scratchy bug bites, but who wants to remember that stuff? This is how I want to remember Summer 2017.
Early summer meant no mosquitoes (yet), almost hot days and beautifully warm evenings. We could finally enjoy our backyard again! As well as morning walks to the water, beach trips, zoo trips, playdates at the park. I read quietly on the porch during naptime and snuck outside often in the evenings to catch a quick breath and watch the fireflies. I taught J about "summer sounds" and we reveled in the racket of cicadas and crickets.
Mid summer was filled with the happy chaos of visitors. It has been years since we have lived close to family and we've become accustomed to it. Until we see them again and are reminded how badly we miss sharing our day-to-day lives with them! Trips to visit family include full days of air travel with toddlers or days of driving . . . so, you know. Worth it, but it comes with a price. Family coming to us? Gold.
And late summer. I learned to love it. The mosquitoes were horrendous. The air was muggy. But guess what? Early mornings and evenings at the beach were the perfect temperature, and mosquito free. We frequented our aquarium, children's museum, and local libraries during the day to avoid the stifling heat. I kept a can of DEET on my back steps at all times so that as soon as the breeze picked up we could leap outside for a short walk or "motorcycle ride" with J's bike. Long days allowed for walks after dinner, which was often late because we had been hanging out on the porch with the boys' water table.
Of course I'm leaving out all the sweaty tantrums, high AC bills, and scratchy bug bites, but who wants to remember that stuff? This is how I want to remember Summer 2017.
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