Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Things I Love About Summer

This post should be easy - I mean the conventional wisdom is that summer is awesome, right?  But I've never been too much of a summer girl myself, so this takes some work for me.  But positive thinking is a good exercise, so I'm bound and determined to find 10 things I like about summer (not in any particular order).

#1. Green Tea Frappuccinos - Generally I'm a latte or macchiato girl, but on a hot summer day that simply won't do and I'm not much of an iced coffee fan, so Green Tea Fraps (no whip) it is for me.  I think the odd color is half the fun.

#2. Sandals and Flip Flops - This pertains to me AND to the rest of the family.  They take up less space (when you have eight people and multiple pairs of shoes, this becomes important) and they are easier to put on, both as an adult AND for the littles.  And nothing says comfort like naked and free toes. :)

#3. Swimming - I think it's the cheapest, easiest entertainment out there (especially for us who have the luxury of nearby family with a pool).  And it's super healthy for you too.  I haven't been in the pool this summer as much as I probably should be, but it is amazing how good it feels on a pregnant body as well (or should I say, how heavy and burdened you realize you are when you climb OUT of the pool).

#4.  Camping - Okay, okay, I have a love-hate relationship with camping.  It's SOOOO much work and sleeping is just never very comfortable, even on the best of nights.  And the epic clean up/laundering when you get home is rough too.  But there's just something so family-bonding-ish about the whole thing that keeps me looking forward to our once or twice a year trips every winter.  And, let's face it, nature, while it scares me a tad bit, is just awesome, isn't it?

#5. Easier Mornings - This isn't universal, we often have early mornings for skating, swim team, and various appointments, but in general it's less hectic as there are at least only one or two kids that need to be ready early versus the entire crew.

#6.  Grilling - I love the grill.  We don't use it as much as we should, but grill cooking in the summer is the best.  Especially veggies.  Who knew zucchini could be so delicious?

#7.  Laundry - There's less of it in the summer, I think because each individual piece has less fabric in the summer, and because, let's face it, there will be days (not often, I promise) when the kids don't make it out of their PJs.

#8.  Long Nights - The lazy, sunshiney nights are some of the best times of the year.  In the early and late summer, they are perfect for sitting out on the patio.  And the sunsets, oh the sunsets.  Amazing, and certainly reflective of God's majesty.

#9.  Green - Okay, Idaho doesn't compare to the Midwest here, but hey, I'll take what I can get.  I love to see things at least a *leeetle* bit green.  Now, by late August, green is very relative lol.  Speaking of green, my oddly happy hydrangea bush brings me great joy too!

#10.  The Family Unit - While I love the school year and have never had a second thought that traditional schooling is exactly what's right for our family, there's a sweet togetherness that happens during the summer.  The younger kids and older kids spend more time together, bonding as a unit.  It's neat.  I think perhaps the brevity of it helps keep it sweet too.



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