Summertime, And The Livin' Is Easy....

Sometimes I miss living in a place that actually has seasons, you know, like spring and fall. Watching everything change is something I’ve always enjoyed.  But now that I’m up north, there’s a saying that our four seasons are “winter, winter, mud and construction.”  It’s only partially a joke!  Our very long, cold winters are pretty rough. 

But it’s all worth it when summer rolls around.  Everyone seems happier, despite the increased traffic of tourism and road renovation projects everywhere you turn.  People relax on their decks with drinks and have barbeques and backyard fires and visit the many gorgeous beaches and lakes here. There’s an abundance of delicious seafood and canoeing and camping and other fun outdoor options for kids.

All of this makes me realize that I had a nice, but very different kind of childhood. While I loved the beach and enjoyed baseball and playing in the backyard, I never hung out with friends around a fire – I’m sure I would have thought that wasn’t exactly safe. I never camped or canoed or even ate s’mores. Kelsey had to teach me how to make one last night when we had a fire in our fire pit.  I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve camped. Heidi took me canoeing for the first time....when I was 31 years old. People look at me like I have two heads when I tell them this.

Thankfully, I get a chance to do it over by having these experiences with Anna.  It was so much fun to make s’mores with her last night while our friends visited, and she loved cuddling with me by the fire.  We also had an awesome day at the lake yesterday as a family – our chances to relax together this way are far too few, and we really loved it.

Anna enjoys the lake, July 2011

Swimming with her yesterday, when she wore “water wings” for the first time and floated a little on her own, was another of those moments where I was really able to see the world through her eyes.  She was incredibly excited at being able to float by herself and “swim” a very short distance from Heidi to me and back again. 

I enjoyed her sense of triumph and glee as she splashed and squealed with delight.  Again, I took a moment to drink it in, to see this small step as a huge milestone for her, and to feel that sense of joy a child feels in those moments.  I thanked God for blessing me with this beautiful child with the beautiful soul and joyous spirit, and was flooded with gratitude to be able to watch her enjoy these simple pleasures, and to enjoy them with a new perspective myself. I hope you all get to have these amazing experiences with your kids this summer.

Isn’t that what it’s all about?

What are YOUR favorite summer activities to enjoy with your family?

Cheeese!