Summa summa summa time, summa time.
That's the first thing that pops into my head on the first 80 degree day we have here in Ohio. I love summer, I live for summer. My kids are spoiled rotten with activities from about May-September and I make no apologies for that. I want them outside all the time. I want all the vitamin D. I love the warm sun on my face. I love the early mornings and the late nights. Summer is my favorite.
Last summer we were flooded with things to do and while it was exhausting at times, I wouldn't change it for the world. We made so many fun memories last year and I can only hope this summer can measure up. We camped, we boated, we vacationed with friends, we hit up the beach, we ate too many s'mores but most of all we had fun.
One thing I want to do differently this summer is to have more backyard fun. Going to the zoo and pool and splash pads {oh my!} are fun but so is playing right in our backyard. The best part of backyard fun is it's far less stress. Need to go to the potty? Go right inside. Need a snack? Let me grab one from the kitchen. Ready for a nap? Your room is right down the hall. There's no packing a bag and snacks and change of clothes and enough water, we have everything right at our fingertips at home. Plus, we have a pretty amazing yard.
Yesterday we had our first 80 degree, blue skies, sun shinning day so I told the kids we could finally set up the water slide they've been eye-balling since it arrived in the mail last week. Day one of backyard fun commenced. It was amazing. They played on that thing from lunch until bedtime yesterday only to break for snacks, potty and nap {for James}. They loved jumping on the "pillow". Bear puppy was so confused, he thought the sprayers were a drinking fountain for him.
Last night, once we settled down for the night, Kendall said to me, "Mom, we have the best house. We have the water slide, a sand table, a swing set, the bounce house, soccer balls, bubbles, chalk, jump ropes. We have everything!". And she's right, we do. We have it all right here in our backyard {here's a snap from our yard last night}.
Gorgeous right? I mean we need a whole team of landscapers to come out and maintain it BUT it's so pretty in the summer. It's shaded but gets sun in all the right spots {like right where I was standing/laying out yesterday}. We have one acre but lucky for us it's all farmland behind/to the side of us so it seems like it's much bigger.
We live in the country, if you couldn't tell, so we spend a lot of time driving places. Anything "fun" takes us at least 20-30 minutes to get to and while it's worth it some days other days it would be nice to just stick around here. As Kendall mentions, we have more than enough to keep us busy here. I am notorious for thinking the grass is greener when it comes to doing things outside of the home. I always think everyone else has a better house, the kids have more fun here/there, and I have no real reason for thinking that way. So this year I am determined to have an amazing summer right here in our very own backyard. Who knows, maybe I'll even get crazy and host a weekly family dinner under the string lights like The Bravermans.
Does this sound like a tradition you'd like to adopt too? H2OGO! wants to help! One lucky reader will be chosen to win the three person water slide that's pictured above. To be entered to win leave me a comment telling me what YOUR favorite outdoor summer activity is. Good luck!
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