S'more Summer | living out of focus

Summer is in full swing. The days are hot and sunny; the nights are cool and filled with flashing lightning bugs. All the kids are ecstatic to be out of school and parents are scrambling to come up with creative ways to keep them occupied. And I’m sure it goes without saying that teachers everywhere are breathing a sigh of relief and taking a much needed hiatus.

Although fall remains my favorite season, summer has a way of reminding me of my childhood. The warm sun somehow radiates a forgotten feeling of freedom from all cares and worries. When I was young I spent every summer in St. Louis with my family. Sunny days were spent either poolside or on the lake swimming and skiing. Evenings and rainy days were spent playing card games.

It never fails… every year when the weather warms up, I get nipped by the travel bug and long for a road trip to St. Louis. You could say that I get home sick – even though I technically never resided there. I miss my family, the water, and the games… I’m praying Olivia becomes more tolerant of the car so that we can travel that way soon (it’s not a short ride or an easy one to attempt alone with a fussy infant).

I think summer affects us all. When the temperature rises, Kendall gets ocean fever and so does my friend Courtney. I do as well, but more so towards the end of the season since that’s when we typically take our annual beach trip with Courtney and her family. …Possibly another reason why I love fall so much!

It’s funny, because the ocean tugs at my spirit in a totally different way. The memories aren’t as old and I don’t have family there, but for some reason I’m drawn to it like the moon tugs at the waves. I have many special memories by the seashore as well. Kendall and I actually had our wedding on the beach in Kill Devil Hills, NC. Truth be told, if we had our way, Kendall and I would likely live oceanfront if at all possible. Right now that seems a bit unattainable, but perhaps one day…

Soon enough we will take our annual trip to the beach, and hopefully I’ll venture to visit family in St. Louis. In the meantime, I am happy to enjoy summer one day at a time. I especially relish the evenings when Kendall and I like to roast marshmallows and make s’mores on our back deck after Olivia has been tucked in for the night. It’s a sweet way to kick back after a long day. We chat and laugh by citronella candlelight while the monitor buzzes quietly. Life is good.