Summer Isn’t Over Yet
The last of my children may have started school today, but TECHNICALLY, according to the calendar, summer isn’t over until September 22! Schedules look a little different- bed time earlier and alarm clocks are set, but there is still fun to be had. My husband just told me, “you always try to squeeze the last drop out of everything- vacation, summer, one last night to stay up late…” What’s wrong with that!??
So much of us revolves around the August to May calendar and it seems like our mindset totally shifts once the school supplies have been purchased. The laid-back summer days are replaced with carefully timed routines, carpools, homework, and wearing shoes and socks on a daily basis. I am going on strike to say, “Summer Isn’t Over Yet!” Just because we have a different schedule doesn’t mean we can’t still connect as a family. In fact, now we must be more intentional than even in the summer. Schedule time to be together, to have that laid-back summer feeling among the hustle and bustle of the school year.
Here are some things that I am not ready to give up just yet.
I’m not ready to give up being outside. I love anything outside. We like to hike, to find new places, kayaking, and tubing. Trust me, in Georgia, it is plenty HOT enough to keep tubing! If you live in North Georgia, a $5-10 tube ride down the river in Helen or Dahlonega is a great way to slow the pace and have some fun together. Google hiking trails near you. It’s fun to find new hikes and waterfalls you have never found before. Cleveland, GA opened great new trails called the Yonah Preserve Trails. They are great for walking or trail running or mountain biking. If you are ambitious, climb Mount Yonah or part of the Appalachian Trail. It wasn’t easy, but I was not about to admit defeat to my son! We found a “cool” sliding rock in Rabun County….freezing actually….but fun! Research places nearby and go outside!
Tubing in Helen, GA 
Wildcat Creek Sliding Rock 
The Summit of Mt. Yonah
I’m not ready to give up being together. Summer lends itself to trips, movie nights, back porch sitting, and hanging out with other families. I can feel the rush already creeping in after just a few days of school. There is the temptation to “get through” the day just to wake up and do it all over again. In the stage that we are in now, we could all six do our things- work, school, sports- and never all be in the same room for days on end. I’m not ok with that. We must make time to connect as a family. This means pushing dinner a little later until Garrison gets off work or waiting for everyone to be in the room to pray before bed. It would be much easier to take care of them individually and miss being together. I’m not ready to give that up. It may mean scheduling something for the family on the google calendars to get us all in the same place, and if so, that’s what we will do. I know that if we don’t MAKE it happen, it won’t. Be together.
I’m not ready to give up on summer friendships. I have a friend that calls me her “summer friend” because the only time we get to see each other is in the summer. (and she lives super close to me) As much as I like being able to spend time with her and her kids in the summer, it’s kind of sad that we only do it then. There are people we hang out with , exercise with , do Bible study with, go on trips with that we really only see during the summer. I don’t want to give that up either! It may be harder to find that time, but we will all benefit from keeping those ties strong. Here is the word again…intentional….be intentional about inviting families over, scheduling a ladies night out occasionally, or calling to texting to check in. This is the pot calling the kettle black here! I get easily overwhelmed at command central for the Skipper house and don’t do these things, but I know that being around these friends energizes me. I want to make that happen.
Join my strike against summer ending and squeeze it! Make summer mindset and intentionality part of the DNA of your family. Let’s slow it down in the midst of the crazy busy! And don’t forget….peaches are still in season! 🙂 https://christaskipper.com/peach-cobbler-yes-please/
Here are the links to some fun things we like to do around Northeast Georgia:
https://www.coolrivertubing.com/
https://gastateparks.org/SmithgallWoods
