What I Prioritize During the Summertime The Simple Joys of the Golden Season

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Summer isn’t just a season…it is a whole vibe. It is a window of time where everything sloooows down just enough to catch your breath. As a teacher, a mom and a woman who runs her life on caffeine and chaos I have learned to treasure the things that summer feel like a deep exhale.

Here is what I prioritize during this golden season…

1. Boredom-yes, and it’s on purpose

I welcome boredom in my house- not only for myself but for my kids too. You want to know why?? Because that is when creativity begins to bubble up. Boredom is the foundation of blanket forts, sidewalk chalk art, where wild stories are born or interactive play between my kids begin. When kids don’t have schedules, devices or TV watching they start using their brains and start inventing. Boredom is when the best ideas, the coziest rearranged corners in the house and creative projects emerge.

2. Waterplay of any kind

You don’t need a fancy vacation to make a magical summer. Give us a splash pad, a backyard hose, a small pool or a $5 sprinkler attachment and we’re good. Water play is the quickest mood lifter and the ultimate summer memory maker. My kids want to get wet on the daily. We decided recently to invest in an above ground pool and it has been played in almost daily since we purchased it. Water is the joy of our lives in the hot summer months.

3. Homemade Sun Tea

Is it even summer if there isn’t a big glass jar brewing sun tea on the porch? It is the simplest summer ritual that feels like magic. I remember my mother doing this each summer break and I always looked forward to it. It is such a core memory of summer as a child and I have carried it on for my kids to experience it. A few bags of tea, water and a glass pitcher sitting on a window sill, on the front porch or on the back patio and BOOM you have got a pitcher full of summer in liquid form. One sip and it takes me back to my 90’s childhood.

4. Slow Coffee Sipping Mornings- A Teacher’s Summer Reward

During the summer, coffee is not gulped on the go or taken as quick sips in between a lesson. It becomes a moment. I get to actually taste it! I get to sit on the couch in peace or on the back patio and enjoy it. It is enjoyed in the kind of peace that reminds me why rest matters and that I am more than just a to do list.

5. Homemade Meals and New Recipes

I love that summer gives me more time to cook intentionally. Whether it is grilling in the backyard, letting the kids help with a recipe or trying a new dish, homemade meals in the summer just hit different. There is no rush- no quick meals to eat on the go. It is a messy kitchen with no rush to get it cleaned up instantly, a love for a new combination of ingredients or a fun dessert that couldn’t be made without time.

Final Thoughts

My summer plans and priorities are not expensive or Pinterest perfect. They come with messy floors, wet towels and full hearts. During this season I hold tightly to what brings peace, play and presence. So here’s to boredom, backyard splashes, and slow sips of sanity. What you prioritizing this summer? Share your thoughts below!

Read about my other summertime blogs here!

Click here for my go to summertime fun items.