Summer Goals

Preschool is officially over for both kids, the splash pads are open, and we have very little on the calendar (during the week at least) for the foreseeable future. That must mean one thing...summer is here! :) 

This year absolutely FLEW by, and the kids have grown SO much I can hardly believe it. Although Kate physically grew the most, Carter's social development has been IN-SANE this year, as he really made his first true friends in school this year, and for that, I'm SO thankful.

If you know me in real life or have read more than one or two of my blog posts, you know that the days with no agenda are the ones that stress me out the most...so, summer is usually pretty hard for me because there are a LOT of those days. I have gotten much better than I used to be...in college, I had a minute-by-minute schedule in my planner each day that included travel time between classes and snack breaks...no, really. I was so tightly wound and thought that going to two classes a day was SO BUSY that it's amazing to me I had any friends back then. (And if I could go back and shake that girl silly, I'd do it in a minute. You have no idea how easy you have it, college girl!) Nowadays, I generally tend to live somewhere east of Dictator Diana and west of Free Spirit Francis. As the kids get older and I'm realizing how fast this whole preschool age goes by, I'm learning the happy medium.

This summer, I want to be more intentional about spending quality time with my kids. Don't get me wrong...there is a LOT of togetherness around here since I stay home and there are no longer any school days. But, if I'm being honest, I think I am very guilty of thinking that since there is such a large QUANTITY of time together, that it's quality. And that's definitely not the case. I have been very convicted lately that I spend most of the day trying to get the kids involved in doing things without me - I put on a show, set them up with coloring books, dump out the Legos...but then I walk away. I get on my phone, do chores, or try to read while they play. I'm not involved. And I'm missing such good stuff!

So, that's my goal for this summer. Since the fall promises to be absolutely NUTS with starting a new job, MOPS commitments, and just ALL THE REST OF IT, I want to let go some days of the schedules and my incessant need to be on a timetable and just BE PRESENT WITH THEM.  

I want to blow up the inflatable kiddie pool, run through the sprinklers, eat popsicles, picnic at the park, just WHATEVER.

I want to move slower, accomplish less, and ENJOY more.

So, those are my goals for summer. We'll see how long it lasts. ;)