Dialing It Down This Summer

Ever since school began last fall we have been on a dead run.  At least that is how it has felt.  Not only were the girls busy with their activities, but in between I was trying to stuff in some projects and activities of my own.

We decided to take our summer and really dial things back for the time being.  We have all agreed we need a break.  This means fewer outside commitments on our time while we enjoy doing more fun stuff as a family.  My oldest will probably have the hardest time because she hates to tell anyone "No", but she admits she needs it the most of all of us.

We have put off and canceled many a picnic and camp trip in the past and now we want to make up for that.  My youngest wants to hike more and ride bikes together.  My oldest wants to make some gifts and just relax.  I like to take little road trips and go to antique stores.  We all like to read books.  I need to spend time with my kids.  They are growing up so fast.  Now we'll have the time for that.

My oldest is taking two classes this summer at the high school.  She is enrolled in a program that will allow her to finish high school early so she can take college courses her senior year.  When she isn't in class or studying we need to make sure she is having some fun so she doesn’t burn out.

We are going to hug the chickens, love on the kitties, eat more meals outside, spend some time in our neighborhood, check out a few restaurants, go to the our great city parks a lot and take time to just stop and smell the roses.

As I type this I can't tell you how relieved I am to know that our summer is wide open.  The rush of our daily lives has been put on hold.  I feel like I can finally breathe.