It’s officially summertime here in the south! If the calendar didn’t tell us so, the heat wave this week coupled with the growing humidity certainly would be evidence. The garden is exploding. The chicks are growing real feathers. The kids are waterlogged with pool and lake water. And I’m buckled in and enjoying the ride.

I saw someone recently share about effective summer rhythms/routines and it made me smile because that was 100% me when my kids were younger. We loved our morning pool time then home for lunch and naps routine. I’d have an hour or two of quiet time in the afternoon to get things done, then we’d take to the driveway for chalk, books, popsicles, and yard exploration before coming in, turning on an episode of Jake and the Neverland Pirates while I prepped dinner, winding down the day. It was a super sweet phase.

Now summer seems shorter and faster; I am simultaneously being pulled in more directions while also having a stronger desire to just be at home. I’m grateful to have so many good things filling our time from family and friends to new hobbies and responsibilities. Gone are the predictable days of a regular laundry schedule, and here are the days of letting our whims pull us where they may, from hosting friends to spending evenings at the pool to deciding to can 12 jars of pickles in a frenzy in fear of a single homegrown veggie going to waste.

I made a couple different varieties, blending my Nannie’s pickle technique with a few tweaks from other methods and a variety of spice combinations. I can’t wait to taste each one, decide on a favorite and pickle even more. The idea of having homemade pickles to enjoy and gift thrills me. This is 41. All my canning supply recommendations can be found here.

This past weekend David stayed home to work on the coop (it’s so close to done; I can’t wait to show you!) and care for Finley and the chicks while the girls and I headed to Georgia. Our first stop was my aunt and uncle’s house to celebrate my cousin’s baby on the way! We are so excited for Andrew and Natalia and had the best time helping celebrate this exciting time in their lives. I may be a sentimental sap, but showers and holidays feel more and more meaningful as years go by. These occasions to join others in commemorating some of life’s biggest blessings are truly special and should be celebrated well.

It was a family shower, so kids were welcome and my uncle delighted all of them by showing them how to feed his koi fish watermelon by sticking it between their toes. It was hilarious! Many shrieks and giggles ensued.

Afterwards we headed to mom’s house where we squeezed in a ton of summer lake fun into a mere 24 hours. The kids jumped off the dock, went tubing, rode on the jet ski, and devoured a fancy ice cream dessert Nana had prepared.

I did my best to stay our of the sun (and unfortunately the lake, too, as my face stitches from my recent mole removal are still healing). My wide brim sun hat (similar) and skirted swimsuit kept me comfortable enough to enjoy the lake fun without getting to be in the lake.

That brings us to this morning. David and I got up at 5:30 (look at us sticking to our new routine!). We did leg day (though slightly modified since technically I’m supposed to working out with my stitches). Then I gave the chicks‘ pen a thorough scrub down. We are needing to clean it every other day at this point and since we had been gone 72 hours, it was in need.

David took Finley on a morning run beside the golf cart while I poked into the garden to pick off a couple squash bugs and evaluate my tomato plants that are so top-heavy that they are falling all over the place despite tomato cages and tying supports to the trellis. I’ll have to figure out something better for next year but this year I’m just hoping I get a few before the plants break at the base and topple over.

Then I got the girls up and moving so we could be out of the house by 8:30 for musical theater camp. It’s the only camp the girls are doing this summer, and it’s just a half day. I’m eager to here what they think, as they were both looking forward to it: K for more practice doing what she loves most, and H because she’s had a growing interest in plays and singing.

I’m using my couple hours to say hi here and see how summer is going for you. Do you have a good routine going? Are you flying by the seat of your pants? I definitely am, but despite my love for routine, I’m really enjoying it. I know routine will return when our fall schedule does, so for now it’s all footloose and fancy free (even though I’ve also been researching curriculum and book lists…). Now I’m off to knock out a few emails, make a brain dump to do list, then pick up the kids. I hope this Monday is treating you well! <3