Summertime Sunshine

Does anyone else feel like this year is flying by? Like before we know it, fall will be here and we’ll be carving pumpkins and hanging Christmas lights.

This summer truly hasn’t been what I imagined it to be. Well, in all honesty, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect either. I’ve been working remotely for over a year, and have gotten into a nice rhythm and a schedule in my day-to-day. And I suppose, I just didn’t have a ton of high expectations for this summer. With last summer being about the exact opposite of a summer vacation as anyone can imagine due to COVID restrictions, I wasn’t sure what to expect this year. Would it be safe to travel? Could we go anywhere? Would places be open? Was it safe/smart?

So, to get our adventure and excitement juices flowing, around Memorial Day, Abby and I made a “Summer Idea List” of things we wanted to try to do. We started dreaming pretty big to start and then narrowed it down to what was actually realistic since we didn’t know what was going to happen this summer. We thought about going on hikes, trying new restaurants, taking little day trips, going to the farmers market, and more. All those ideas are hanging up right above our calendar, so when we start making plans for each month, we can check and see what kind of other fun we can plan.

Oddly enough, here we are in August and we haven’t checked off as many as we’d have liked, oops! There’s just something about this summer that isn’t only flying by, just doesn’t seem to really feel like one.

Rainbows after a major storm outside a delicious new restaurant! Also, a rainbow right at the start of June, just a little bright light for Pride Month

When I was younger, I used to love summer vacation. It was the best time of the year. I would oftentimes be in summer school as I got older, but when I was studying, I was always outdoors soaking up the sun. One year, after my freshman year in college, I was working three jobs that summer to save money for a semester in Washington, DC. One job was watering flowers at a local nursery and I would get up so early to go there and water all the plants, then I would hop over to the cafe and serve coffee and breakfast for a few hours, then I would hope down the road to a resale clothing store and sort through clothes for a few more hours and then, finally, I would end up back the nursery to water the flowers before nightfall.

Even then, I still got to see my friends and my family and go on little adventures. I suppose it had something to do with my 18-year-old energy compared to my 27-year-old energy!

I oftentimes get hung up on the idea of “What’s so different this year?” and “Why is it not the same?” And to be honest, those answers are quite simple, I’m an adult compared to a teenager. I have less energy and more responsibility some days. I have other interests like learning new skills than checking out a new trail. I have different priorities than I did when I was 18.

And yet, while this summer has been so different than those in the past, it’s still been absolutely wonderful and has filled my loved bucket.

Kittens at Nine Lives Cat Cafe in Fountain Square!

I’ve gotten to go to the farmers market a few times and enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee while walking around and seeing all the many booths, which I swear have multiple by the tens since last year! There are so many more options. I’ve been able to rest more, read, work on my French and learn more about Salesforce. I’ve been able to see my nieces and play with these epic new toys like water balloons that fill up from the hose and close themselves! I’ve been able to learn and enjoy playing new games like scrabble. I’ve been able to just be. which is exactly what I think my heart and soul need.

Truly loving quiet days at the pool reading and listening.

Just a few weeks ago, I went on an actual vacation. One that I haven’t had in a very long time, I even made an “Out Of Office” email response! That’s the kind of vacation I got to have and boy was it glorious. The first few days I worked remotely and then I was officially on holiday!

I slept in a little bit each day, I journaled, I walked to the beach just a few minutes away from our Airbnb and laid in the hot sand for hours reading The Guest List trying to figure out what was going to happen. I walked into the water to cool off and walked down the beach to stretch my legs and see some of the larger houses. I even made a friend with a pup! Each time I would walk by, he would come racing out of the waves with his tennis ball to say hello!

It was adorable.

That whole week, even while I was working, I felt so much peace. Loads of tension in my shoulders seemed to dissipate. More and more as each wave crashed on the shore and receded. It was as if the water was fully taking it away.

Now, that vacation didn’t end on the happiest note or the most relaxing, but that’s for another day. While we were there though, it was.

I don’t know when we’ll get to take a vacation like that again, or maybe one that’s full to the brim of adventures and seeing new places and landmarks. Or even when we’ll get to just take a long weekend away to see a new city we’ve never been to.

I have no idea what the rest of the year holds. I do know, that I’m going to continue to enjoy my days full of sunshine and warmth because it’ll be winter before we know it. I’m going to try and make a new memory each month, doing something fun that I’ve put on an Idea List and see where it takes me.

If you want to check out a full recap of our vacation, click the photo!