Sigh, can you believe we are approaching mid-July already? As a teacher, I can’t help but have my eyes on the calendar. It’s bittersweet, of course. I am already buzzing with back to school ideas, but I want to linger a bit more intentionally these last few weeks – enough to enjoy the smell of Jameson’s hair as I snuggle him, the ease of Jason’s laugh as we picnic in the backyard, and the sound of Harper’s voice calling out “Watch this, Mama!” These are the days.
The days I treasure most are the ones that are simple. My favorite time of day is the morning, before everyone else is awake. The morning sun casts just enough light to pad around the kitchen quietly without turning on a light. With the coffee brewing, I sit in an armchair with a good book. Eventually, I’ll head upstairs with a hot mug for Jason, and the kids will wake up and snuggle into our bed. Cartoons take over while Jason and I sip coffee and talk about the day.
Next ingredient: Go outside. What to do today? Maybe a little bike ride or a spin on the skateboard.
Maybe “dive” for treasures …
In Colorado, a perfect summer day’s heat is almost always interrupted by a little afternoon thunderstorm. What perfect timing for a little quiet.
When the sun returns, a perfect summer day wraps up with a dinner grilled outside, preferably shared with family.
Lately, our evenings have ended with family walks and a board game or two. Our recent favorites (that are friendly for just-turned-five-year-olds and older ones alike) are:
I love that a perfect summer day meant staying close to home. When we ask Jameson what he wants to do for the day, he mostly says “I think I’ll stay home.” Jason says this is sweet … until he’s forty and living in our basement. But for now, I’ll savor this.
