There is something magical about the beginning of summer.
The backpacks get tossed into a corner, alarm clocks get turned off, and suddenly life feels a little lighter. The pace changes. The days stretch longer. The pressure of schedules, homework, and rushing from one thing to the next starts to fade.
This summer feels especially meaningful to me because it marks the end of my first school year back at work.
For the past year, I’ve been balancing motherhood, work, my embroidery business, home responsibilities, and all of the little things that come with raising three boys. It has been rewarding, challenging, exhausting, and exciting all at the same time.
There were mornings that started before sunrise and evenings that ended with me collapsing into bed wondering how it was already tomorrow. There were days when I felt like I was thriving and days when I felt like I was barely keeping all the balls in the air.
If you’ve ever tried to juggle work, family, and your own dreams, you know exactly what I mean.
As the school year came to an end, I found myself craving something different.
Not a vacation.
Not a packed schedule of activities.
Not another to-do list.
I wanted simplicity.
I wanted the kind of summer I remembered growing up.
I wanted a 90’s summer.
The Summer I Remember
Maybe it’s nostalgia talking, but I truly believe summers felt different when I was growing up.
We didn’t have smartphones.
There was no endless scrolling.
No notifications.
No pressure to document every moment.
We simply lived it.
I remember spending entire days outside. We’d ride bikes until the streetlights came on. We’d play tag, build forts, catch bugs, and create adventures out of absolutely nothing.
Boredom wasn’t something to avoid.
It was where creativity began.
Some of my favorite childhood memories happened because there was nothing planned.
We made up games.
We built obstacle courses.
We spent hours creating things with whatever we could find around the house.
Summer wasn’t about entertainment.
It was about imagination.
And somewhere along the way, I think many of us lost a little bit of that.
Creating a 90’s Summer for My Boys
This year, I’ve decided that our family is going to intentionally lean into a slower, more nostalgic summer.
Not because technology is bad.
Not because I want to pretend it’s 1995.
But because I want my boys to experience the kind of childhood memories that don’t require a screen.
I want them to remember bike rides.
I want them to remember catching lightning bugs.
I want them to remember neighborhood adventures, homemade popsicles, and sprinkler days.
I want them to know that fun doesn’t have to come from a device.
It can come from imagination.
We’ve been talking about creating an “analog summer.”
An old-fashioned summer filled with simple activities and real-life experiences.
Some of the things on our family summer bucket list include:
- Riding bikes around the neighborhood
- Going on nature walks
- Building forts
- Having backyard campouts
- Reading books outside
- Making homemade ice cream
- Learning new skills
- Playing board games
- Visiting local parks
- Flying kites
- Having water balloon fights
- Creating art projects
- Baking together
- Exploring hiking trails
- Watching sunsets
None of these things are expensive.
Most don’t require much planning.
But I have a feeling they’ll become some of our favorite memories.
Learning to Slow Down
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned this year is that being busy isn’t the same thing as being fulfilled.
Our culture celebrates hustle.
We’re constantly told to do more.
Be more productive.
Stay busy.
Work harder.
But somewhere along the way, I started realizing that the moments I treasure most aren’t the productive ones.
They’re the quiet ones.
The conversations around the dinner table.
The afternoons spent working in the garden.
The evenings sitting on the porch.
The moments spent creating with my hands.
The moments spent fully present with my family.
Summer feels like an invitation to return to those things.
To slow down enough to actually notice the life happening around us.
Finding Joy in Creating
If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that creativity plays a huge role in my life.
Whether I’m embroidering a sweatshirt, designing a new stick-and-stitch pattern, working on a DIY project, or trying a new recipe, creating brings me joy.
One thing I hope to do this summer is make more time for creativity simply for the sake of enjoying it.
Not because it needs to become content.
Not because it needs to become a product.
Not because it needs to be productive.
Just because creating is good for the soul.
I hope my boys see that too.
I hope they learn that hobbies matter.
That making things matters.
That creativity isn’t reserved for artists.
It’s for everyone.
Some of my favorite childhood summers were spent making things, and I hope to pass that love on to them.
The Beauty of Ordinary Days
As I look ahead to the next few months, I don’t have grand plans.
We’re not traveling every week.
We’re not filling every day with activities.
We’re not trying to create a picture-perfect summer.
Instead, we’re focusing on ordinary days.
Because I’ve come to believe that ordinary days are where the magic actually happens.
It’s in the pancake breakfasts.
The muddy shoes by the back door.
The laughter from the backyard.
The library books stacked on the kitchen table.
The impromptu ice cream runs.
The evenings spent watching fireflies.
Those are the moments that become memories.
Not because they’re extraordinary.
But because they’re shared.
My Summer Goals
As I step into this season, I have a few simple goals:
Spend more time outside.
Read more books.
Create more things.
Stress less about perfection.
Say yes to spontaneous adventures.
Put down my phone more often.
Be present with my family.
Enjoy the season instead of rushing through it.
That’s it.
No complicated plans.
No unrealistic expectations.
Just a desire to embrace this season for what it is.
Here’s to Summer
If this past year has taught me anything, it’s that time moves quickly.
The school year felt long at times, but somehow it’s already over.
My boys are growing up faster than I’d like.
The seasons keep changing.
Life keeps moving.
And that’s exactly why I want to soak up every bit of this summer.
The sunshine.
The slow mornings.
The messy adventures.
The simple joys.
The ordinary moments that become lifelong memories.
So here’s to a summer of bike rides, creativity, homemade treats, and screen-free adventures.
Here’s to slowing down.
Here’s to making memories.
And here’s to chasing a little bit of that 90’s summer magic once again.
What are your plans for this summer? I’d love to hear what traditions, adventures, or simple joys you’re looking forward to most.
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