Summer is one of my favorite times of the year.
We get to put away the pencils and backpacks and trade them in for swimsuits and sunscreen.
Good-bye alarm clocks and car pool!
Hello swimming pool!
At our house, we like to swim until our hands and feet turn in to prunes.
It is the only way to beat the Texas heat!
We are in the season of our life here at Lilacs & Longhorns, where life is busy. At times, it’s too busy.
We have schedules and calenders full of activities.
We are busy driving to and from music lessons, soccer practice, birthday parties, sleepovers, sporting events, etc.
As a result, our summers at home are something to be treasured, delighted in and cherished.
It can be easy to forget to take a moment to treasure the present moment.
Especially when squabbling between brother and sister is at an all-time high or the same song played on the piano over and over again gets on your last nerve.
Someday, we won’t have our summers at home together. The kids will get older, they’ll be spending more time with their friends, they’ll get summer jobs and then – before I know it – they’ll be out on their own. I know it will go by quickly. After all, weren’t they just babies a short time ago?
So, when the fighting and the summer doldrums set in, I try to remember what summer is all about — what it was always all about for me as a kid.
It’s a time to relax and enjoy the outdoors. It’s a time to rejuvenate from a busy school year. It’s a time to spend with family and friends. It’s a time to just “be.”
Spending time in our back yard with my kids helps bring me to the present moment. I start to relax and enjoy the fullness of life.
We can be silly, lazy, sleepy, active and playful right here. We can eat popsicles and ice cream while dangling our feet in the pool. Or we can see who can make the biggest splash or the highest waves. Sometimes we make up silly games or have water wars. And, sometimes, we just chill and read a book or take a short nap on the porch.
It’s a great spot to soak it all in.
As I reflect on all that I have and how blessed I am with my little family, I am certain there is no place I’d rather be than right here, right now.
I am so happy to be spending my summer at home.
To read more stories of summers at home, I hope you’ll visit the other blogs on the Summer at Home tour this week.
Here’s a complete list:
Wednesday, June 18th
On Sutton Place
Stone Gable
My Soulful Home
Thursday, June 19th
Country Design Style
Cedar Hill Farmhouse
Friday, June 20th
Thistlewood Farms
At The Picket Fence
Jennifer Rizzo
Saturday, June 21st
Our Southern Home
Southern Hospitality
Debbie Doos
Veronica Roth
Finding Home
I love this Julie! Yes definitely take the time to savor these next few summers…they really are the best. I loved seeing your outdoor space too. Pretty amazing!
Julie, you are so right. Live in this moment because it is so fleeting. Mike and I are now learning to enjoy summers not only in Arizona but with our children grown and living in other states. It’s so wonderful to be on the tour with you. ~Jeanette
Julie, I’m older & have grandchildren now. The eldest turns 20 next month; no longer is he a teenager. The youngest is almost 18 months & is the first to be growing up in the same town as Gramma & Grampa. Oh, the joy! We have three children & seven grandchildren & I am oh so grateful we always focused on them as” real people”, listening to them when they talk & providing fun play activities. Our children are now grown of course but how wonderful to hear them reminisce about things they (we) did when they were growing up. I commend you for your great attitude toward your children and about their summers. May God bless you & continue to give you creative ways to spend time together.–Carolyn.
Julie, your priorities are so spot on! Someday these will be such treasured memories… even sweeter than they are now.! You kiddos must love the pool! I would have a hard time dragging myself from there! Your beautiful post brought back all those wonderful memories for me! All my kids ( all in their 20’s) are coming home today for a little vacation. I just might have to get out the old slip and slide!!! Thanks for putting such a warm smile on my face today!
Julie, the pool looks like the place to be. My youngest just informed me she isn’t into the pool like she used to be. Well she’s 18…
I’m trying to enjoy the summer, but I have so many deadlines, and I took 2 weeks off for our vacation. My nose is to the grindstone for awhile. Enjoy your summer!!
Hello Julie, gosh, that sounds so familiar! My oldest two used to squabble like that too. Thank goodness they eventually grow out of it. It sounds like you have a wonderful attitude and enjoy your summers to the max. Children do grow up so fast, don’t they? Sometimes we have to bottle those perfect moments and preserve them the best we can. 🙂
Happy at home is a great way to be in the summer …. and anytime! Love your post Julie. Almost felt like I was dangling my feet in too! xx
I miss when my boys were younger and we had similar days. Time really does fly and the days with your kids are the best. Enjoy your summer.
LOL! Welcome to summer squabbling. They get over it. You totally made me miss our pool in Florida. Looks like so much fun around your home Julie.
By all means, before you know it they’re too grown up to want to spend time with parents. Lucky you having that wonderful pool, I was sitting here looking at that water in your pool, boy do I wish I was there. I’ve always been a water lover, pool, lake, beach, river if I can swim in it, I’m gonna be there. When we lived in KY we got an above ground pool we languished in, felt so good in that humidity and high heat. We moved to KY from MT where we lived on a big lake. Was hard to leave that.
Our kids are all grown up with their own families now and two live in San Diego area. Two live close but don’t see them any more.The two oldest grandkids are 24 and almost 21 so they have their own lives, too busy for us. Our youngest daughter/child lives in town about 7 miles east of us so we talk to them, see them more often. When her girls were younger &Iworked in that town I’d go get them after work so we could go to state park lake just 7 1/2 miles from our house for rest of day many days, practically lived at that lake, was so much fun and wonderful to spend time with our grand daughters. Many times their parents and my hubs came to lake after work and we’d have supper there and swim which was heaven to me.
When our kids were younger, we lived in San Diego area,I’d take several of kids friends to beach with us for day, had great times with them. Our oldest son that lives in s.d has those same friends grown up with their own kids. Son told me many of them talk about those days at beach when I took them along. I’m so glad I did. We lived inland a few miles but I still went to beach every chance I could. We moved to San Diego from Tucson when youngest just 17 months old,she remembers learning to do many things from early age at the beach. She took her girls when they were babies to beach, her husband was a surfer. Now here we are inland again.
Enjoy your kids for as long as you can. With the pool your kids might want to invite their friends over longer. That’s usually a big draw for even older teenagers. Your yard looks so nice and your seating area. Happy summer days to you and yours.
Julie,
Your entire outdoor space is just breathtaking! I am sure so many memories are had by the pool! So happy to be touring with your this week. Can’t wait to meet at Haven! ~Christy
Oh I’m so with you Julie!! Sounds like we are trying to take the same approach to enjoying summer knowing how quickly time is passing and that these days will soon be over. As hard as this season can be sometimes it’s still precious and I don’t want to take it for granted. Thanks for sharing your heart with us!
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hey guess what…fighting is at an all time high here too! Great post, great reflection and reminder for us mom’s to enjoy the summers as well. Happy summer!
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Your yard looks great, as always. This is the first summer that neither of my girls are home. Pretty lonely around here but I’m learning my new normal. Enjoy every minute of your summer!
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Julie,
You have such a beautiful blog. Your pictures of swimming with the family made me wish I was there.
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Hi Julie!
Your pool is so inviting! I know you are making some fond memories! Enjoy the children now because they are grown in the blink of an eye! I love your blog!
Shelia
http://www.houseofhighlands.com
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