glorious summer

All my life I have been a humongous fall/winter advocate. I think that if in the correct region, it is the absolute GREATEST time of year. The way the winds changes and the temperature turns crisp to match the freshness of the season’s apples harvest. And the school supplies, oh, the school supplies. I love the smell of a freshly sharpen pencil. As Tom Hanks would say, “I would send you a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils.” When fall comes upon us a tee-shirt will no longer do, and instead you have to max out your outfit with cute sweaters and scarfs. I love the way my kids get to crunch through the leaves as we knock on door to door on Halloween.  What can I say about fall other than, “Who loves you baby??” Me, me, me!

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With all this being said, however, as the hot months that I usually kick and scream against in rebellion are fast approaching I find myself massively craving a good old fashion American summer— And even though it’s kinda hot where we are right now and we can do certain things—it’s just not the same.

One of my favorite things to kick of the summer is to watching the Kentucky Derby. I’m not what one would call a southern belle, hick, or redneck, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE watching the Kentucky Derby. It’s the kickoff of my summer sports season. And this year I’m going to miss it.  Then worst of all I’m going to miss all the summer Olympics. They happen once every 4 years and of course it falls on the summer on gone.  Uber sadness here folks!

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I am missing taking our kids to the ballpark and watch as our team plays the American favorite pastime. I miss having our hand placed over our hearts as we sing the National Anthem in the glorious heat of summertime. I miss the days that are so hot that nothing can cure them, but the hose and a sprinkle you pick up Home Depot for less than 5 bucks that provides hours of fabulous play. I miss when the days are long and the nights are short and I have to drag my kids in with bribes of Rita’s Cherry water ice.

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 Summer is when we get to celebrate our nation’s birthday on the 4^th of July. We do this with the gathering of friends and family, the BBQing of the best hot dogs the world {Nathans} accompanied by big fat juicy cheese burgers. And at night we anxiously await seeing the splendid boom of fireworks that retells the story of our countries birth. That “we will not go silently into the night.”

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  Then there’s the daily things that get you through the days, awaiting Dave Matthews summer tour schedule, swimming classes for the kids with their friends, free family night concerts in the park, bowling on those “just to hot” days, and midnight summer blockbuster movies with Royal. You know, just the ordinary daytime fillers. {lol}

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 Don’t get me wrong here I am over the moon with all the new things I’m getting to experience these days. I am, really. I know that these memories I’m making are once in a lifetime and extraordinary. It’s just that before now I’ve always strongly disliked summer. It’s been my least favorite of the seasons. Just so dang hot! Now, that for the first time in my life I don’t have it lurking off in the distance and I am realizing how much I truly do love it. I guess the moral of the story is to be happy with every blazing ray of sun, crack of bat at the baseball game, boom of every firework, and lick of every ice cream because even though it’s not know as “the most wonderful time of the year”  it really is.

What are you looking forward to most this summer? Do you have any special plans or trips coming up? I won’t pretend that I didn’t try to convince Royal to go home and complete one of my bucket list items over the summer {attend a baseball game at every US stadium} No such luck so far, but I won’t give up.

xO- Etheline