One of the ways I keep track of my everyday life as a busy mom and blogger- is to handwrite a to-do list. This summer has been a super-busy one, and its not over yet! Here is a transcription of what I plan to accomplish in my corner of the world as we approach the end of the long hot Dog Days of Summer...
(1) Schedule an appointment for a haircut for myself at the end of August- this will be the chance to try a different style before the holidays arrive. It will also allow the chance for it to grow out before Christmas!
(2) Find a pair of Converse high-tops for Nate.
(3) Plan a trip to the beach- Nate's very first Gulfcoast adventure.
(4) Plan a return trip to Longue Vue Gardens- they have a summer program for the little folks called "Kinder Garden" and its a great opportunity to make new friends and get back in touch with nature.
(5) Pick up our family portraits from Penney's; share with family & friends.
(6) Plan an autumn garden- marigolds, autumn herbs.
(7) Go to Storyland and ride the carousel horses.
(8) Plan a photo shoot of everyday scenes during the summer- bare feet, wanderings, Beau drinking from the hose, the sunset after a storm.
(9) Visit the dogs during the next animal rescue event.
(10) Indulge in shallow novels- make this summer's reading list a travesty in the lighthearted.
(11) Plan a camping trip. For now, while on a time and money budget, practice camping in our own backyard- put up old sheet tents and listen to the crickets and frogs calling to one another.
(12) Fill the kiddie pool up and lay out with a magazine and a cold glass of ice tea.
(13) Teach Nate how to run through the sprinkler. Giggles guaranteed.
Summertime is a difficult time of year here in the south, due to the high humidity (steam room, anyone?), the soaring temps, and the short tempers that result from both. Part of me longs to be outdoors enjoying this season and embracing that "fun in the sun" mentality; and the other part wants to run back indoors into the heavenly cool of the a/c, before the weather affects my hair AND attitude! The thing I try to keep in mind during these summer months is that they are fleeting, just like the rest of our lives, and as long as you don't mind getting your feet dirty, your hair frizzy and your mind open to adventures, it can be a lot of fun (albeit sweaty fun!). Sometimes its good to get on eye-level with a child and open the door to the way things used to be before we grew up and the world handed us its expectations of perfection and politeness. The biggest worry should be deciding what color to paint our nails since our bare toes will be making a 24/7 appearance. Summer demands that we use our senses- the taste of snowballs and ice cream, the feel of mud beneath our bare feet, the way a storm breaks out and the smell of cool rain on hot pavement. Maybe we need to suspend our own self-imposed demands long enough to be young and carefree, like the young children that still reside in our hearts. We should visit that adventurous place in our minds, and focus on living from one moment, one day to the next. Maybe its time to unplug from technology and get back to the days that didn't involve being "checked in" 24/7" with Facebook and Twitter and all the rest. Mindfulness begins when you live in the Here and Now. What better time to begin than these long hot summer months?
Here's hoping that each of you takes the time to channel your Inner Child and throw stress and adult obligations to the wind, even for a brief time. Happy Summer!
xoxo,
Zen Photographer
No comments:
Post a Comment