Fill up your bubble wands and tighten those scooter wheels, it's summer again!
Without a doubt, summers are hard for me! I need time away from my kids to relax, and summer doesn't leave me much time for it! Add onto that, I've got three books to edit, with no dedicated time to do it, and it doesn't leave me much of anything!
But I'm setting aside that dread, because now that I've written it down, I don't need to leave it in my head.
One of my favorite things about the summer is going to the pool. The boys have fun, and they tend to not fight as much! (They'll scream about fresh bathwater dripping onto their face, but they'll cannonball right into the pool without hesitation. Oh, children.)
For me, being at the pool is time for me to live up to one of my credos: Create fearlessly.
I bring paper and pencil, and sit poolside, watching my kids, and just let my pencil go around. Maybe I'll sketch, maybe I'll think up story ideas, but what's important is that at any moment, whatever I've jotted down could have a big splash of water across it from my boys jumping around. I tend to think of things permanently. Every picture I take is saved online, virtually for forever. Every note I type up is the same way. But with the constant water droplets, I tend to take things less seriously, and that's honestly, really important in art! Playing it safe? Overthinking your ideas, not willing to entertain them unless you're okay with them being set in stone? I think it keeps our ideas in our heads too much.
I also like being able to tell my kids to just go outside. They're getting more adventurous, hopping over the fence to look for frogs in the green space, and more creative, starting little short-lived clubs with the cousins.
And even thought I am a very indoor cat myself, I like to have the windows open in the morning. I like to hear the frogs, I like to watch the birds, and I like to smell the wildflowers growing past the fence. I appreciate the outdoors, even if my idea of a good time involves couches, books, and not putting on sunscreen.
One piece of good advice I got, back when I was struggling to enjoy college, was to "Look forward to everything." I'm naturally an optimist, so this advice resonates with me. So, as I work my way through the summer, I'm keeping my attitude up. What else am I looking forward to in the summer?
Sleeping in. Just a bit. Naps might be few and far between, but I'm hoping that with the kids no longer needing to go to school, I can at least start my morning more slowly, without any pressure from time.
Oooh, watermelons. My favorite fruit. I've been going through two a week, and it's been just wonderful!
Not going to the gym! As much as I can say that I've enjoyed the results of lifting weights, I would much rather sit and not do anything! I won't exactly just be sitting all day (unfortunately), but it was a lot to keep up with!
Well, I am enjoying my last few days alone, so I will end it here!
There is a lot to look forward to in the summer! (And I will say it as many times as I need to!)
Wish me luck!
