I know what you’re thinking: It feels like summer is almost over! However, fall doesn’t officially start until late September. While may of us are back to work or school, we can still savor the gorgeous summer weather (especially here in California) for quite some time.
This summer, my husband and I decided to create our own summer bucket list. Actually, this was really his idea. He’s a teacher and wanted to make sure he took full advantage of his summer vacation. It turned out to be a really great idea for the whole family. Because I work full-time pretty much year-round and our daughter is in school often, we can sometimes forget to schedule fun things to do as a family. We forget to savor the summer. So, this summer, we made a very simple list of things that we wanted to do. I think it’s been especially important to us to make time to do fun things because our newest addition is due in early September!
Here are five ways we’re savoring summer:
1. Plan Weekend Getaways: Because we didn’t really have the time to plan out a big family vacation this summer, we decided to make sure to schedule mini-getaways. Many times, two-to-three nights away is all we need. We planned some with our daughter and some as a couple. So far, we’ve headed to Ojai, Lake Tahoe, and Paso Robles, California. We also make spontaneous trips to Santa Cruz and San Francisco on the weekends. Even though they are super quick outings, it makes it really feel like we’re taking advantage of summer.
2. Get Outside: OK, this seems obvious, but you would be surprised at how easily I can get caught up working from my home office in my pajamas. I will look at the clock and realize it’s 4 p.m. and I have yet to step foot outside. So, I have been working hard to make sure I get outside a minimum of twice a day. Sometimes it’s a simple walk with our dog, Lucca. Other times we play with bubbles out in the the backyard while my husband grills. They seem like simple, not-very-exciting things, but they are often the summer memories I cherish most. On days where I know I am going to be super busy and may forget to make it a priority, I schedule it into my Google calendar.
3. Plan Picnics: My husband and I love having simple outdoor picnics as much as we can during the summer. We usually keep it light with fresh fruit, crackers and cheese, and sandwiches. A picnic is so quintessentially summer, and it makes us feel like we are really slowing down from our crazy, blurry lives. One of the things we’ve been eager to do is get bikes to cruise around town. Thankfully, Linus Bike sent us a family set that we are majorly loving. We love taking them out to picnics or the farmers’ market.
4. Pamper Yourself: Like I mentioned before, I am quite the workaholic and I can easily get so immersed in work that I never take the time to pamper myself or just do something that feels good for my soul. This is something I am trying to do year-round. However, during the summer, it’s even more fun because the weather is so amazing.
Last month, I scheduled a self-care day during the week (a perk of making my own schedule) with two of my girlfriends who also run their own businesses. We went to a spa and got massages and then laid by the pool for a few hours. It was total luxury, but so needed. It made me realize that a day off can often help invigorate me even more to get things done once I am back. If I don’t have the time or luxury for something that extravagant, I will carve out a few hours before bed to give myself a little spa facial at home or read a book.
5. Plant a Garden: This one is still on our list for the summer, but I am eager to get started. I want to create a little veggie garden in our backyard for our daughter (and soon-to-be son) to enjoy and learn from. I’ve never had a green thumb, but I know it’s something I want to get better at. It also is a great way to get our family outside and slow down a bit.
Thank you to Linus Bike for gifting us this set of bikes.
