10 on the 10th

Hello and happy Wednesday! Why do the days seem to fly by in the summer? I know it’s only my first week of break, but time already needs to slow down a bit.

Today I’m linking up with Marsha for…

This month’s topic is…

Well, it’s summertime, and I’m here for it! I will say that I hate being hot, so I love pool days, a beach day with a breeze, or being inside! That being said, here are some favorites…

1. More reading time:

I always look forward to a summer reading list in the summer as I love a theme, and I have more time to read. I don’t tend to read all the books on the list, and I will read other ones, but I still like going into June and July with a plan. Of course, August is still summer, and I usually get a couple books read, but by early August, I’m having to unfortunately think about school. I even have a “summer reading” shelf on Goodreads where I keep book ideas for summer reading.

One of my favorite places to read is on the front porch. Just this weekend, I sat out there for an hour and read; I typically find thirty minutes a day to read outside if possible.

2. Not setting an alarm and 3. Slow mornings

There’s nothing better than just waking up on my own. I will say I don’t go to bed too much later in the summer, but during the school year, I try to go to bed by 10, and that tends to be 11:00 in the summer. I don’t sleep in a ton, but even just sleeping until 7-8 is so nice!

Then, I like to have at least an hour to sip coffee, start laundry, read, watch TV, read blogs, etc.

I even love the occasional rainy day. I always say rainy days are “permission to be lazy.” While I would have loved to have some pool time to start the week, both Monday and Tuesday were really rainy. I spent a lot of time inside, doing some things around the house, reading, and watching shows that I’ve fallen behind in watching.

4. Pool time!

Pool time is certainly different as a mom with older kids. We used to start our mornings early with swim team practice and then stay a couple of hours most days. I’d pack snacks and lunches, make sure we had goggles and swim toys, wrestle them with sunscreen, and then mostly have to bribe them out of the pool when it was time to go.

Now, we all kind of come and go as we please to the pool. Just today, I was there for a couple of hours, and Hadley was arriving as I was leaving. I enjoyed a couple of hours of reading, and thankfully it wasn’t too hot. (This new swimsuit is a 10/10 on price, cuteness and quality)

Sometimes, we go to my sister-in-law’s mom’s house, and that’s an extra special treat because it’s easier to float in the pool to beat the heat!

5. Being tan

I know this sounds superficial, but I’m happier when I’m tan! haha!

Don’t fret…I do wear sunscreen, I always have a hat on, and many times I have a swim cover up on unless it’s really hot. It’s just nice to have some color on my legs which makes wearing shorts easier for me. I go to the dermatologist once a year for a skin check, and so far, so good. The only issue I’ve had removed was from my college tanning bed years. Never again!

6. Fresh fruit

I love all the fresh fruit options summer brings from Cuties to cantaloupe to watermelon and more. It’s just nice to have so many options. Plus, fruit becomes an automatic side dish for dinner. I just bought my first watermelon of the season yesterday.

7. Vacation!

We usually take some type of vacation every summer. In recent years, we’ve been to Mexico, the Pacific northwest, Florida, and Michigan. It’s nice to take some time as a family and go somewhere for a few days.

8. Sandals (and pedicures!)

I love sandal season. Usually from spring break until fall break, you’ll find my feet in sandals unless I’m working out or going for a walk. Even when we do road trips in the colder months, I tend to wear sandals. I hate having hot feet! These Cushionaire sandals are my absolute fave. I’ve shared them time and time again. (I size up one full size from a 9 to a 10). I try and get monthly pedicures April to October…it’s such a treat!

9. Variety of time/more time for workouts

Just like not setting an alarm, slow mornings, and having more time to read, it’s nice having a bit more time and variety for working out. Obviously, I do some of these things throughout the year, but just going to walks in the evening, going to the gym to use the elliptical or taking a Pilates class when I can. I still love my Bodi workouts in the basement, but in the summer, having some variety is nice too.

10. 4th of July and fireworks

The 4th of July has always been my favorite holiday. I really truly enjoyed dressing the kids in their red, white, and blue when they were little. Like most things, this holiday looks a bit different since sometimes Hadley is at camp or the kids have their own plans, but I do still tend to make the red, white and blue waffles and we go watch fireworks to end our day.