Jun 17, 2023

Savoring Summer: Why Summer is My Favorite

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by Katie Rapp

Summertime is one of my favorite times of the year. I’m not crazy about the heat but I have other reasons for wanting to savor this time of year. 

 

As the wife of a teacher, our school years are hectic and sometimes I feel like I’m doing everything myself. With five kids in tow who have needs, activities, and places to be on time, it can feel overwhelming. 

 

But when that sweet summertime gets here that ends. We get more time together as a family and I am able to have a little bit more time to myself. But really my favorite times are when we are together. 

 

In order to successfully savor summer, it is important to be intentional. Here are some of my favorite ways to make the most of this season. 

 

Road Trips

We are a road trip family and it is one of the areas in which we shine. While it may seem counterintuitive to think that a family of seven would enjoy road trips, just stay with me. This is a time when we plan for the plot twist. 

 

Things will go wrong on a road trip. 100%. Every time. 

 

We know that so nothing rattles us when we are on the road. We are prepared and ready for the worst. 

 

Typically our road trips are to see family so we plan to be gone for two weeks and make the rounds. We load down the van, pack snacks, activities, and movies. It is the best!

Swimming With Friends

We love swimming but it is even better with friends. Since we don’t have a pool we use this as an opportunity to hang out with some friends who moved to Dallas a few years ago. They have a pool and since we love to see them anyway, we plan a few swimming trips a summer. 

 

We pack up, leave early, bring a lunch, and spend the day visiting and playing. We also have local friends who invite us to swim as well. 

 

Our family swims a ton during the summer!

Spontaneous Trips

While being intentional does help me make sure we do all of the things we want to do during the summer season, we also take a number of spontaneous day trips and outings. We might wake up one day and decide to go to the zoo or The Discovery Science Place.

 

We also might randomly decide to see a movie or go to the splash park near our house. I just always make sure I have plenty of travel-ready foods and snacks. 

 

I also usually have a bag packed with towels and sunscreen for the random swimming or splash pad days. 

Popsicles

I keep popsicles stocked all summer. There is no better way to have a cool moment or calm an overtired child than a freezer pop. It isn’t summer without popsicles! 

 

You can even make your own. Kids love this and it gives them something to do and a lesson is waiting for the end result. Patience can be taught through fun activities such as popsicle making. So find a great recipe and get started. 

 

Or just buy in bulk at Sam’s Club!

Restful Days

We don’t always need to be on the go. Our kids, and us, appreciate days when we go nowhere and do nothing. 

 

This might be a day full of hunkering down with a movie or video games. We also incorporate board games into that as well. 

 

It is okay to rest and not do anything. That is part of savoring the slowness of summer. 

 

These are just some simple yet intentional things that our family does to make the most of summer together. I would love to hear some of the ways your family savors summer in the comments!

Looking for a community or someone to grab coffee with who is in a similar life season? We’d love to connect with you and get to know you better! Below you will find a few people that can’t wait to meet you, shoot us an email so we can make a plan!

Tyler OJ Campus

Teresa Ator: teresaa@gcc.org

Bethanie Tayler: bethaniet@gcc.org

Tyler UB Campus

Max Heller: maxh@gcc.org

Chrisleigh Heller: chrisleighh@gcc.org

Lindale Campus

Molly Pontius: mollyp@gcc.org

Debra Kirby: debra@gcc.org