Every season has its feeling.  For me, summertime is the definition of relaxation.  Warm nights spent barbequing, and lazy mornings sleeping in, waking up to the whirring of the fan.  I know many moms count the days until school begins and the weather cools, but this week I’m completely caught up in the notion of savoring what’s left of summer.  No schedules, no official bedtimes, no busy or hurried pace, just days that melt into one another.

Last weekend we went out touring some wineries along Olivet Road in the Russian River Valley, me with my Nikon, my hub with his palate, tasting, sampling and photographing for our new venture, a regional book on living in wine country.  We stopped at DeLoach Vineyards and while my mister sipped Pinot Noirs, I snapped pictures of the grounds and the kids played in the little brook out among the gardens. 

I watched them engaging with nature, sending their flip flops downstream like little boats tripping along the rocks only to repeat it over and over again.  I observed their fascination with the cool water as it ran over their feet, and their ability to completely live in the moment with no thoughts of the past or worries about the future.

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School starts in less than three weeks for us, and I’m in no way ready for fall. 

When summer began I had the same feeling I think many moms do, dreading wondering how I was going to fill all those summer days.  But I forgot just how wonderful summer really is.  Sleeping in every morning past eight, lounging around the house in our pajamas, with the only commitment being a daily swim lesson.   There’s no rushing, no homework, and no real bedtime.  We’ve all settled quite nicely into a daily routine of very little. 

There’s been some motorcycle racing between Blue Guy and Yellow Guy.

Plenty of free playtime, bedhead and messes . . .

wild pony rides . . .

. . . and a little mutiny.  

I’m loving this summer spent with my munchkins.

And ever since I discovered this, we’ve stayed plenty busy making a lot of this. 

Time does what it does well, it flies incredibly fast.  It is hard to accept the kids are back to school in less than three weeks.   I look forward to a real schedule and more time for all those projects that have been placed on the back burner, but I am determined to enjoy what’s left of this break. 

You’ll forgive me if the pace around here is a little slower during the next two weeks.  You see, we’re incredibly busy savoring summer ~ there are only 19 days left.   

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