The Summer List

Daily activities alone consume me.  Having four small children and a job is enough to keep my busy forever.  There are days I barely have time to breathe.
But to make things even more complicated, I am selling our house.  It's the right thing to do, it's the sane thing to do.  Yes, it will be hard to walk away from the forest of trees in the backyard, the horses in the front.  The flowers that I have worked on for years.  The apple trees that I have yet to see an apple from.  The corner jacuzzi tub that is my sanity escape.
But there is so much to gain by moving closer to work, moving to a home that doesn't require mowing several hours each time. To a home in a neighborhood with close neighbors and kids running around to play with my own.
It's a difficult decision, but when it comes down to it, the only one that makes sense.  And the way I see it, if this is God's plan for us, the house will sell and we will move.  If it's not His path for us, we won't find a buyer.  So we shall wait and see what God has in mind for our family.  I have finally decided to throw my hands up and let God decide our fate.  His planning skills are better than mine anyway.
In the meantime, getting lost in the details of cleaning and organizing and fixing everything wrong with a house in order to sell it, I don't want to forget that it's summer.  That I have kids that will never get this summer back.  They will never be 9, 8, 5, and 3 ever again.  So I vowed to take time out to enjoy summer with them.  To feel the sun on our face, the wind in our hair.  To run through the field while chasing a frisbee, to explore and learn and enjoy this life that God has given us.
Because though sometimes we forget, each day is a gift.  Each day is something to enjoy, to cherish.  Who knows if there will ever be a tomorrow.
I have a friend at work that is facing his mortality and told me he wrote a bucket list.
I decided to write what I call
'The Summer List'.
Maybe we'll get to all the items on the list, maybe we won't.  But here are a few that we have already enjoyed...

The local drive-in movie.  Complete with a smattering of stars overhead, glow-in-the-dark bubbles, citronella candles, blankets (chilly nights still!), and a bowl of super buttery popcorn.

Waiting for the movie

And the movie begins!!

Fireworks.  they are more commonplace than when I grew up, but watching the kids chase down parachutes floating from the sky is a fun way to enjoy the summer.  And you can't beat sparkler letters.  Of course that's something we have to work on - Gwen was trying to make an 's' in this one!

Gwen pausing to 'model' for me

Lex catching his parachute

Hunter and my Dad amassing a huge pile of debris in the driveway!

Homemade sidewalk paint from Pinterest.  Easy, colorful, perfect for pics.  True to form, Callie painted herself more than she painted the concrete.  She said it 'felt good' to paint her feet.

Callie's kick off to summer. She turned 3!!

This was during work hours, so no kids.  Just the annual strawberry festival on the circle.  And an awesome lunch - a strawberry shortcake piled high with fresh berries, ice-cream, and whipped cream.  A perfect summer day with a beautiful sky overhead, in the middle of a beautiful city.

Swimming is always on the list.

So are good times with good friends!

Snow Cones!!



















































And we have many, many more items on our list.  Included are - 

Catching lightning bugs.  Camping.  Homemade bubbles.  Glow-in-the-dark homemade t-shirts.  Making at least three kinds of homemade ice-cream.  Picnics.  Exploring, a treasure hunt.
No, these activities are not just for the kids.
They are also for a very stressed mom who needs time to unwind and enjoy life.
A summer to remember.
Until next year, when we top it with another 'Summer List' ....