So Long, Summer!

So Long, Summer!

Let’s get this out there: It’s been crickets all summer at the Wine and Lavender blog. I know. It’s been eating at me all summer long! But this is not to say that nothing has been going on over here… In fact, it’s quite the opposite. It’s been a difficult summer for Mom. Let me explain…

Enemy #1: The Heat

While it’s fun most of the time, summer can be torturous for me. I’m not a heat lover, so since the first day of summer (which begins sometime in the “spring” here in Texas), I’ve had to endure the blazing Texas sun and heat- both of which are at the top of my “weaknesses” list. Pair that up with incessant sweating, countless bug bites, and a few burns (courtesy of the leather seats in my car) and it makes for one cranky and tired Mom… who wanted nothing more than to rest at night.

Summer Throws Everything Off

While the temperatures had me roasting, the summer seemed to shake up almost every aspect of my life and every area in my home. We had a slew of house guests, day trips, and dinners. My grocery bill just about doubled and our healthy eating went right out the window in the second week. I lost weight, and gained it right back. 🙁

We somehow managed to bring enough sand back from the beach to construct a small sandcastle, which will likely stick around until February because my Dyson gave up on me. (Broom, you’re up!) The number of outdoor injuries increased significantly and we blew through 4 containers of sunscreen and 1 bottle of insect repellent in about a month. The number of baths we had to give and showers we had to take also increased three-fold, along with the never-ending piles of laundry.

Instead of relaxing in my backyard, lawn care and poop-scooping consumed most of my time and a few of my lawn care tools ended up siding with the Dyson. What a mess (literally).

The Kids Were Home… ALL DAY

My wonderful children were home with me all summer, keeping me as busy as possible. This summer, I took on the roles of Judge, Entertainer Extraordinaire, and also served as Warden to the cranky, impatient, “sun kissed” kids.

Between the constant (and pointless) arguments, summer camps, arts and crafts, tons of snacks, invasion of water bottles, and the house being in a constant state of disarray, I tried my hardest to keep it all together- but my defenses were weak. Our sleeping schedules changed, along with our eating habits. TV was watched (much more than I care to admit to) and tablets became an addiction.

We did however, make good use of our canopy and blow up pool- both of which also became casualties as a result of all the “summer love” they received. At the end of each “glorious” summer day, this Mom just needed to recharge for the next day. Between the heat, chaos and kids, I was just worn out.

Maybe It’s Not So Bad

So long summer

Yes. This was my summer vacation. It wasn’t all bad, though. In the midst of all the summer chaos, we got to see and have fun with our friends and family. We got to go places that we don’t usually go and see things we don’t usually see. We picked up on the Pokemon Go phenomenon (briefly) and there was lots of laughs, wine and love to be had. We made new friends, reconnected with some old ones, and overall, just had a good time. So maybe summer isn’t so bad?

What makes #summer crazy for Moms... #momlife Click To Tweet

Happy New Year! 

Summer vacation has ended. I’ve learned so much from it this year and now know what to do (or what not to do) for next year. (You can expect a post on that next Spring.)  Fall is around the corner and as my favorite season, it always marks a “New Year” for me.

We’re getting back into the swing of things, cooler weather is on the horizon, and the holidays are on their way. (Yes, yes, and YES!) It’s time to turn the focus onto my other baby, Wine and Lavender. My heart has missed it so terribly!

I have so much great material to share with you and I’m so excited to get it out! There will be no more crickets here. Instead, this year will be the year of growth for Wine and Lavender and I hope you’ll stick around to watch.

So au revoir, summer! Sorry, not sorry to see you go!

UPDATE: I learned a lot since this post was written… For some tips and tricks on how to keep the kids busy, check out Winter Break, Spring Break, and Keeping Kids Busy WITHOUT Using the TV.

What was your summer like? Do you have any tips on getting things done with the kids at home? I’d love to hear them in the comments!

Pamela is a Freelance Writer, Blogger, WAHM of 3, and Veteran Military Wife living in Southwest Texas. Raised in the Northeast and having lived a few years in the Pacific Northwest, she likes to write about mom life, parenting, frugal living, experiences, and WINE. (Lots of wine!) When she’s not busy chasing toddlers around, you can find her on the blog or on social media. Check her out on Instagram: instagram.com/wineandlavender



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