Throwback: 40 Ways to Keep Summer from Slipping Away

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In an effort to do some tidying up around here, I'm going to take advantage of Thursdays to pluck some old posts from under the hard-to-find pile and spruce them up for new readers (and people who might want to re-visit with me). I'm editing as necessary, and cleaning up those dead links. 

 

I paused a moment or two this morning to put to paper my intentions for the of the summer. I find that if I'm intentional, I'm better able to fully engage in the moment. I don't want to let a second of summer's goodness slip away unappreciated. So, I resolve to

  1. Make sure it is Mama in prayer that my children see first thing every morning. Much preferred to Mama pounding away furiously at a keyboard. More on that here. I pretty much love Bible journalling. Like for real, love.
  2. Exercise both morning and evening. Evenings, with Mike.
  3. Eat three small meals a day, nothing more.
  4. Keep my kitchen Whole30 compliant.
  5. Sit down and eat together every evening.
  6. Completely refurbish the Homemaking Notebook, update routines, discard the unnecessary. [Actually, I just did that for the Restore Workshop. It's beautiful and functional again.]
  7. Paint the house. [Um, well not the whole house, but there are some spots that could use touch up and some other spots that are calling for Magic Eraser.)
  8. Limit social media to pre-determined times of day, for very small, pre-determined periods of time. For me and for my children. 
  9. Actually shut down the computer when finished instead of merely closing the lid or clicking "sleep."
  10. Sew something for an hour (or more) every day.
  11. Polish up the Alphabet Path and make two week lesson plans for every letter, transferring them to PDF so that I don't have to consult the computer for my lessons. And update that tutorial. [This project really has to happen this summer. The whole things need moving and organizing. I think I have a plan for it, though.]
  12. Make peach jam.
  13. Whittle my Safari reading list down to the top ten most inspiring blogs. Check in with them once a week. Read books the rest of the time. [This summer, I think I'm going to expand my blog list. I've been away from blogs for quite a wile now. I think there are many news ones I should get to know. Suggestions?]
  14. Keep my Instagram circle small. I treasure those snapshots of the lives of intentional women.
  15. Stick to the "more prayer, less coffee" routine and add more hours to my day. [My routine looks different than that one, but the principle still holds.]
  16. Take myself off every junk mail list and unsubscribe from all email blog feeds. [Oh, my gosh! I am the world's worst mail manager and I'm missing some big deal, important things. I've got to get my digital issues under control this summer.]
  17. Keep a Mason jar of fresh flowers on the center island in the kitchen every day.
  18. Visit every playground in my neighborhood at least twice before September 1st.
  19. Make in-real-life play dates once a week--for me (pedicures might be involved). [Pedicures are a total waste, I found. My feet get too banged up. Better to have a couple hours of walking with a buddy...]
  20. Keep the first and last hours of every day free from digital interference.

21. Go to Adoration at least an hour a week.
22. Indulge in unlimited pillow talk. Sleep in if necessary.
23. Make a fresh pitcher of fruit infused water every morning. Drain it by the end of the day.
24. Keep my cell phone completely off in the car.
25. Plan a date night once a week.
26. Help Mike plan a getaway for just the two of us.
27. Watch the sunrise with Nicholas.
28. Kiss them goodbye when they leave the house. Every one of them. Every time.
29. Take Karoline fishing. Let her sing. Sing with her.
30. When someone--anyone, everyone--speaks to me, look him/her in the eye for the entire conversation. (Unless we're sitting and doing handwork together;-)
31. Stand in the pool and let her jump to me. Over and over and over.
32. Confession: I deleted this one from the old post. Couldn't make it work. So here's a brand new one: Just enjoy Lucy Shawn.
33. Finish knitting "Katie's" sweater so Karoline can wear it this fall. [Oh, good grief! Maybe if I finish, Sarah can wear it. I'm scheduling a visit to Ginny right away.]
34. Read five picture books a day to a child on my lap.
35. Pray Divine Office together every night.
36. Tell my kids how much I love to watch them play.
37. Lots of bubble baths, followed by kid massages. 
38. Say "yes" to as many crazy, creative kid ideas as humanly possible.
39.Let Sarah paint my toenails.
40. Help Kristin plan a Christmas wedding. [We did that. No doubt, though, Kristin and I will find other things to plan.]

Bonus round:

  1. Take pictures, lots of them. In manual mode.

  2. Make good on my promise to the girls to have "Summer Swim and Sew" days at my friend Nicole's house.

  3. Get the boys to the gym three times a week.

  4. Teach Stephen to drive.

  5. Work on Nutcracker costumes this summer instead of waiting until November.

  6. Visit Charlottesville. Often.

  7. Listen through all of Anne's minimalist sumer reading guide on Audible. There's nothing that makes my summer hum like a good book and a long walk. 

 

Tell me your summer plans?