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Friday, August 5, 2011

Unstyled Life

This is what my summer has looked like; family size lunch bags always out, ready to be packed and unpacked.  Beach bag, keys and sunglasses ready to go at a moment's notice, dirty picnic blankets and wet towels waiting to be washed.  It's lovely, and happy and good and they're the markings of memories being made.  There are hours spent at the beach and in the pool wrapped up in these items.  But let's be honest for a sec too; for a mom it's a bit tiring and a lot of work.  I think it will always boggle my mind just how long it takes to pack a lunch for a small little family, or to clean out a car after a trip to the beach.  At the end of the day after my heart is filled with love over watching two kids have the time of their lives, there's always this.  It makes me smile and it makes me sigh at the same time.  How is that possible?  

It's the last week before Taylor starts back to school.  She goes to an "off track" school, only receiving 6 weeks off at summer, but 4 weeks off at Christmas break and 3 weeks off at Spring Break.  I wasn't sure we were going to like this schedule, but we're turning out to like it just fine.  It's been a good summer, a great summer really.  We've made it to beach every single week, swam almost every day and spent long days at home just the 3 or 4 of us.  But you know that line in It's Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas where they sing "And mom and dad can hardly wait for school to start again"?  Well, yes, I get that now. 

For the first time I'm participating in Unstyled Life; a series that Jules writes every week.  It's supposed to help you look at the positives in your home surrounding you everyday.  Only me would manage to turn something positive into something negative.  Teacher, I think I missed the point of the lesson.  See guys, I told you I can be negative.  Help!  And of course Jules' post last week talks about slowing summer down, forcing it to stop.  I swear I love my kids :)  Maybe I'll redeem myself with my Thoughts of the Week post tomorrow.

6 comments:

  1. Sounds just like our summer! I will admit that every trip to the beach this summer has been without my 1 year old. Poor thing! I just can't seem to get 4 kids and all their gear there by myself. At least she gets granny time. I don't think you were negative at all! Enjoy your last week of sumner :)

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  2. i think you fulfilled jules' "assignment" perfectly! :) it's about finding beauty in the everyday, and you did that exactly. in fact, this might be one of my favorites of yours. the writing is spot-on. happy friday, friend!

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  3. ha!i agree sometimes it's stressful managing all the details of your household and "managing" the fun! but someone's got to do it! good for you all for enjoying your summer! there are times tho, that I too can't WAIT for school to start back so there isn't that question of 'what will we do fun today?'
    have fun and enjoy this last week before "life" happens again!

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  4. I took my kids to the beach today and I feel the same way. I love going because they enjoy it, but I hate all the packing and mess. Plus I get to chase after a baby that eats fistfuls of sand. Yum! But at the end of the day I remind myself that it's just a few short months out of the year and soon enough they won't even want to go to the beach with me anymore.

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  5. Summer is a lot of work! My son goes to a daily "summer camp" at a local church while I go off to work at the office. Everyday they have an activity...pool day, movie day, spray park day, library day, etc...well I find myself packing his backpack and lunch nearly everyday...and washing towels/swimsuits daily as well...not to mention the "special camp shirts" I had to buy for him to wear. I was just thinking the other day that this was a lot of work!

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  6. I agree with Annie. Looks like an unstyled life post to me. :)

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