8 Ways to Sloooooow Summer Down

Of course it’s almost August. And of course we’re all in bit of a tizzy about it because ya, that totally sucks.  Yep, I say sucks. And it does…it’s like the three months of the year that are supposed to be the most laid back are the fastest to go….because JuneJulyAugust are little brats like that.  Here’s the deal though…I don’t like that panic feeling that time is passing too fast.  My palms get kinda sweaty, my pits get a little moist (isn’t moist the grossest word?!)…it’s bad… that anxious feeling about time.  I started to feel it last week, but then I decided to mystify time and do my own thang. (opposed to ‘moist,’ isn’t ‘mystify’ the best word…very mystical and mysterious.)

So…everybody breeeeathe in through your nose and ooouuut through your mouth real slow-like.

In….out.

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In….out….

Ok. Ready for this?? I sat down yesterday and made a list of all the things I myself can do to slow the time train down. Get your pens and take notes…this is deep stuff right here.

1. Wake up early.  I tell ya, this is my answer to everything. But really…if you wake up early…or at least earlier than your hoodlums, you can have some serious down time before the day even starts! It’s perfect! Genius, I tell you! Take your coffee outside with your Bible and read a little before there’s too much distraction. Go for a walk.  The best way to slow time down is to make your day longer…get up.

2. Go slow on the slow days. If your calendar looks like mine, it’s blocked off into camp week/swim lesson week/camping weekend/etc. But if you squint and tilt  your head to the left you’ll see there are a few days in there with nothing on them…those days are sacred. DON’T you dare plan a play date on that day.  DO NOT decide to fill it up with some nonsense thing that’s going to stress you out later. Just leave your slow days to be slow…don’t do anything. Except maybe make Popsicles, do a craft, or have a backyard picnic. Don’t even get in your car…because if you’re like me, two errands turn into 2 hours that turn into a broken up slow day and a crabby me. Boo. K.I.S.S. Keep It Super Slow. I just thought of that right now. Wow…mystical.

4. Forget about your summer list.  Ya, I reminded you to make one way back in May, but now let’s just be honest. Now, they’re stressing us out because we’ve only got a few weeks til school and we still have to have a lemonade stand, dig for gold, and build a go-kart.  Holy Hannah! Wait till the kids are in bed and erase all the things with no check marks and when your kids wake up they will think they’ve accomplished every wonderful thing summer has to offer. It’ll be great for everyone…trust me.

5. Go to bed earlier.  I like staying up like just like the next night owl, but really is it worth the hangover feeling the next day.  Nothing says “why the h did I do that to myself” like a 8am headache caused from my late-night blog stalking. Not cool.  Go to bed and feel refreshed.

6. Read a book as a family.  Too kum-ba-ya-ish for you?  Maybe, but its a great (and soothingly slow) end to a summer day. Right now we’re reading “The Mouse and the Motorcycle.” Next up is “War Horse.”  Ya, really changing things up there huh?  Sweet little mouse to bullet-dodging horse.  Hey, it works.  Reading is a great way to make a minute seem like five and it’s even better to do it as a family.

7. Make iced coffee.  Please just do this one thing.  It’s essential summer blissdom in a glass…with ice.  Make one for yourself on your busiest days.  Take 20 minutes with a magazine and sip on one of these blessings…makes your day feel complete.  I blogged about this last summer here.

8. Add fun to the mix of busy.  I know there’s a lot going on, but still, it’s summer and summer is fleeting.  So when you go to the 11th swim lesson of the season, grab a milkshake on your way home…or stop off at the library.  Even though it’s busy, do your best to add in fun…everyday.  It’s the little things your kids remember.

Take it in. 
Take it slow. 
Don’t look at your calendar and the few days that are left. 

Chillax. 

Enjoy.

xo,
{alicia}

21 Comments

  1. Favorite post this morning – just what I need right now: encouragement to savor amidst the crazy. I will try to take your advice about the late owl/early bird stuff…just pulled a midnighter, but I do really know you're right. And agreed family reads are so great. Hubs reads being reading Roald Dahl in the evening and I take a blanket out on the grass or porch and read little house before nap. It's just the loveliest. hope to finish the catch-up later.
    love you, friend!
    Cailan

  2. i'm in love with this post. after i read this yesterday i worked all day long!! it was so inspiring to me; thinking that if i didn't just get moving that summer was going to fly by. especially since we've been sleeping in until 8:30.

    and i'm dying to get something from your shop….i've got to convince the hubs!

  3. I love this list I don't have little ones anymore but I do still get up earlier then Bruce on the weekends have my coffee and just sit for awhile look out over the deck it is heaven for an hour for yourself.
    Have a great day!

  4. I'm so with you on this list. I love getting up earlier then my crew, my problem is I can't seem to get up early enough….they have a radar i think that says "WAKE UP, Mom's UP!" Don't sweat school starting soon, the beauty of home school is if you end an extra week, then take it!

  5. Love this!! My kiddos have two more weeks until school starts and my baby is staring school this year so I REALLY do not want summer to end this year. We always make a summer fun list and then do not finish it so this year we tried to do one thing a week from it. I find that yes it makes me sad when I look at it because we made it two months ago and the time has gone by so fast. I realized that I only have 5 more summers with my older daughter and that really made me sad so this summer I am trying to slow down and really enjoy my kids.
    Thanks for the great post.

  6. awesome pictures, girl!

    i'm glad i never made a summer list, because i sure would be stressing over it! ha. ; )

    i have to take life mostly day by day… somehow it makes it all manageable and keeps me less crazy. but i don't have a whole entire school year to plan for. you are the BOMB. you really amaze me!!!

  7. I'm with Becky! Your lists are awesome and you are hilarious! I am kinda wishin I would have never made a summer list too. Self-imposed pressure..not a good thing ๐Ÿ˜‰
    I so wish I had someone like you to hang out with around here! You get it! xo

  8. Oh my gosh, I totally understand what you're saying. We're only on day two of the summer hols in England and I am already in panic mode. I gotta get a whole load of things done this week because then it's sitting in front of the TV to watch the Olympics because I can't miss a second!! (We're a big bit excited!!). I am determined to do the waking up early thing though and exercise because that always gives me more energy thus feeling like I have more time. Oh and I meant to say the other day, I really love the smell of books too, going into Waterstones and breathing in the smell of new books is bliss. Enjoy your slowing down time ๐Ÿ™‚

  9. Waking up early = A happier day for me! Things just seem to go smoother. I'm ready for a slower summer… definitely.

  10. you're so cool and smart. i love your #4 suggestion! thankfully our kids are still young enough to believe anything! haha! happy rest of your summer.
    oh and i have a #9 : avoid any school supply section for at least another week!

  11. LOVE this!!! In fact, I just posted it to my facebook page for all my like-minded friends to read. ๐Ÿ™‚

  12. I have to say that on the rare mornings when I wake before Bitsy I do enjoy the quiet time. Even if it's only 15 minutes….it's a world of difference. It's hard for me to always beat her up though because she wakes anywhere from 6-7 and quite frankly I do not want to get up before 6!

    I will say though, we had plans to try to go do something inexpensive each weekend, but we have found ourselves chilling at home, cuddling and watching movies more than adventuring out and I don't even feel guilty about it. Who would have thought that quiet time in our home would be more thrilling than trying to find a new adventure within a decent proximity!

    I look forward to summers with little ones who will sit still for family reading. I look forward to just having a little one who wants to be read to. Right now the closest we get is attempts at eating the books ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Enjoy the rest of your summer….slow down. ๐Ÿ™‚

  13. I have decided to let my Summer List go. I figure if it was really important to do and we REALLY wanted to do it, we would have done it already. I hate how quickly summer goes. Yesterday my son said that school should be June to August and that the rest of the time should be vacation ๐Ÿ™‚ He's sure he could learn everything in 3 months.

  14. I never made a summer list. Kinda glad I didn't because we moved and it's taking forever to get things put into place and settled. Plus, I found out that we're prego with #3. So things haven't gone quite as planned with the exhaustion and nausea. My son started back to school last week, he only gets 5 1/2 weeks of summer vacation (year round school). We definitely didn't get to do everything that I wanted. But we did manage to get in some fun time with friends, camping, and 2 beach trips. We were also going to go camping in Asheville, but that didn't work out with the unexpected move. Definitely saving that for the fall. He had a great summer, but I'm glad I didn't make more than a mental list of what I wanted him to do this summer or I'm sure he'd feel disappointed. Oh and we read together every night. It's a very special time. Currently reading Charlie and the chocolate factory! We just finished the 2 original winnie the pooh books. Very cute and silly.

  15. Oh my friend, this is EXACTLY what I needed to hear today … this was my status on FB yesterday …

    "34 more days till my girlies go to school … boohoo … this summer is going WAY too fast. I feel like we need to squeeze a thousand more fun memories into those 34 days!!"

    I feel overwhelmed with wanting to make the most fun summer ever and wanting to squeeze in so much before the girls go to school this fall but what I really need to do is just slooooow down and enjoy the ride! =)

    Blessings to you my friend!

  16. Girl…..I am so totally crazy about you. You read my mind on a regular basis! I swear! While I don't have littles to entertain every minute of the day, I still feel the stress of fitting "everything" in. I have 2 weeks before I start my new job and I'm totally going to enjoy them and take time for me. I love all your ways to slow down summer. Count me in!

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