A Few Thoughts on Summer, Plans and Blogging

It’s morning.  Late morning, because I slept in.  I’m sitting on my deck with a hot cup of coffee and my Bible. I hear a thousand birds in the trees and the gentle hum of distant lawn mowers.  I’m surrounded by beach towels and bathing suits hung hastily over chairs from last evening’s visit to the neighborhood pool.  Kids, still in pajamas, are lying on the couch watching Snow White.

It’s summer.

One of the primary principles of living a well-balanced life is recognizing its natural ebbs and flows.  Every summer I consider what to do with my writing.  Since the kids are sleeping in, conceivably, I have a good two or three hours each morning to hammer out some material before anyone asks me for anything.  Just think of all the wonderful summer fun posts I could publish!  Maybe even attend a conference or submit to some on-line publications!  WRITE A BOOK!

Or I could just slow down and enjoy the summer with my family.  Easy mornings.  Sunny days at the pool.  Dinners on the grill.  Evening walks.

I’m opting for the latter.

That means you will see much less of me until school starts up again.

I may pop in from time to time–I don’t want to get all structured about my lack of structure.  But if I don’t, don’t worry about me.  Here are some things that will keep me plenty busy in the next few months:

1.  Currently, my oldest child is in Honduras for a 10-day medical mission trip.  Today she is visiting an orphanage.  I’m bracing myself for the impending request for a little brother or sister upon her return.  I gave her extra money to bring me back coffee. In the interim, I’m glued to the private Facebook group until I get my daily update assuring me she is still alive.

2.  We have several short trips planned, including seeing all three sets of grandparents in two different states.

3.  I’m getting my wisdom teeth removed.  I will also have my annual skin cancer check up and an orthodontist appointment for my almost 13-year-old.(SUMMER FUN!)

4.  We bought a five-acre lot a few months ago and just finished designing our new home.  We will begin building soon.  (See how I snuck that one in there? I haven’t had permission to share this yet.I’m not sure I do even now, so don’t tell Jon that you know, K?)

5.  We are taking our first ever two week vacation to Naples, Florida and The Keys.  We usually take one or two beach vacations every year, but we’ve never taken two full weeks in a row, and I’ve never been to Naples–I’m beyond excited.

6.  I have approximately 10 new books on my nightstand begging to be read.  I have assessed the current swim skills of the Cooper children and have determined that 2014 is The Summer I Get To Read A Book At The Pool While My Kids Swim.

7.  I’m thinking about chopping my hair off.  (Jen, if you are reading this, please find me a super cute summer cut.)

While I’m absent, I encourage you to read books instead of my blog.  But if you want to read my blog, here are some of my favorite/most popular posts from the archives:

Bring Balance Back to Your Life (and Joy to Everyone Else)

What to Do When Someone is Mean to Your Child (this is the viral post, seen by nearly 750k people as of this date)

More on Mean Kids (the follow up to the Mean Kids post)

Parenting in the Age of Internet, Social Media and Cell Phones (there will be an update to this one soon–the kids are having an internet-free summer–and it’s been WONDERFUL so far.)

Fitness Friday:  13 Questions I ask Myself When I’m in a Funk

Be an Extravagant Giver (one of our principles of debt-free living)

Fitness Friday:  The Essential Elements of a Home Gym

Wanna See My New Office?

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope you have a joyful and restful summer.  Eat lots of summer veggies.  This is the first gem from our  harvest.

We’ll talk again soon.