The question I hate the most...

The beauty of having nothing on our calendar this summer? It means we can wake up and decide to drive to the farm to spend a day with G'ma and G'pa at their farm and at the county fair. So worth it.

It's not even a question to get offended or upset about. It's simple, straightforward, non-threatening. But it seems to be one I get a lot lately from kind friends and family who are just tryin' to catch up on life with me...

"So, Mollie, what's new with you? What are you up to this summer?"

Blank stare. Silence. A small wave of panic.


Can I just be honest here? I'm up to nothing. Nothing is new. Nothing is that exciting.

AND I LOVE IT.


This summer has been slow and relaxing and spent sitting on our deck watching Maverick play while I read and drink coffee. Summer is speeding by this year (like it always seems to) and for the first time in my whole life I feel like I'm enjoying every single day of it to the fullest. Even when it's one million degrees. We run one errand a day, go on walks, hit the Farmer's Market every weekend followed by church on Sunday and in between it's pool, mom-dates, house chores, deck-time, work for Josh, repeat (that was not in priority-order, btw).

We are doing summer the right way this year. I was so tired of getting too excited for fall too early; wishing the summer temperatures away; anxiously awaiting the November days when Josh wouldn't be so stressed with work....and I realized I consistently wished the past seven summers away without even meaning to.

Heck, usually by this time I'm planning to decorate for fall; composed our Christmas Letter; and have watched at least three Christmas movies. I will not live through January and February next year regretting that I didn't spend more of our time outside in the wonderful heat...when I have a toddler going stir-crazy inside all winter.

Popsicles on the deck, Lunchables at the pool, BLT's, sweet corn, and steak on rotation for supper...I haven't turned my oven on in over a month, I'm pretty sure. Because who has time for planning and cooking supper when you can be outside after naptime?! Skinned knees from learning to jump in the pool. Backyard play dates with friends. A trip to Manson to watch a parade. THIS is what summer is supposed to be like and it's the kind of summer I want to give to my kiddos for as long as humanly possible. Before the inevitable days when I'm running kids to practices and games and VBS and sleepovers. NOW is the time for lazy summer days to make the kind of precious family memories I remember so fondly from my own childhood.

Josh has done an AMAZING job at being home by suppertime most evenings and participating in family walks (even though he spent the whole day walking already!). It's was so. good. for me to stare down the summer season that was ahead of us in early March, accept that there will be some crazy (because we're a family that owns a lawn care company, duh)...and then commit myself to intentionally slowing down in every other area of life. I've cleared the calendar down to one 'big thing' PER MONTH  and I'm just enjoying the one-toddler-summer I have in front of me. All commitments are flexible. Nothing in my weeks are set in stone which leaves plenty of time for cool, lazy, easy mornings at home on the deck with Mav.

I'm not stressed about projects, big plans, or trying to keep up with what all the other fun momma's are running around doing. All this slowing down has helped me prioritize what Josh needs from me better than ever before, and the stress of weekly invoicing and deposits has all but melted away. I've re-discovered my love for reading, spent daily time in the Bible, attempted to get working out back on my weekly To Do List, and it's been LIFE GIVING.

To answer the original question...there's still nothing new with me. Nothing exciting (unless the fact that there are currently no dishes in the sink AND no laundry to be folded exciting). I'm just a wife and mom trying to manage the crazy. And I'm doing that by setting a real nice, slow summer pace for our little fam. In this season that means no trips, no plans, no big projects, nothing extra that doesn't immediately fit in my recipe for a relaxed summer...nothing is new with me and that is exactly the way I like it.

So as you enjoy what's left of your summer...may your Moscow Mules be cold, your deck be sunny, and your house be sufficiently air conditioned. AND FOR THE LOVE, IGNORE the Christmas aisles at Hobby Lobby and the back-to-school section at Target. It's JULY TWENTY-FIFTH. That's insanity.

MmB