An Ode to Summer

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Meme’s always ask it. Psychological profilers want to know. It’s included in personality quizzes in magazines.

“What is your favorite season?”

I generally have a really hard time answering this one. I love love love Halloween. And Thanksgiving. I love dressing up. I love eating sweet potatoes. I love going to the pumpkin patch and carving a masterpiece and roasting the seeds. I love cooking 10 times the amount of food one family needs. I love the cooling temps, the Black Friday sales, the gearing up for the holidays. I love the fall.

I love Christmas. I love Valentine’s day and my birthday. Growing up in South Florida, I loved that the weather was just cool enough that you didn’t get all sweaty as soon as you stepped outside (still wearing your tank top and shorts, of course. Show of hands for all of you who still think Christmas should mean a new red sundress! Anyone?) Once I left, I loved the novelty of cold weather. My first winter in England I think I bought four or five coats. And hats. And scarves. And boots, sweaters, jeans, gloves…. there was an entire new wardrobe out there that I had an EXCUSE to go get! Awesome! I love hot chocolate and bundling up at night. I love kids in footie pajamas. I love winter.

Spring? Eh. Spring can be pretty magical when you live somewhere with actual winter. Seeing everything turn green, that first day you can go to the park in long sleeves but no coat, picking wildflowers with your kids – all good things. But as someone with allergies and asthma, Spring really isn’t my favorite time of year.

Which gets us all the way back to Summer. Summer in South Florida is unbearably hot. There are no big holidays to look forward to (ok, there’s the Fourth, but that never really was a big deal for me.) The days are long, and my Mom refused to use the air conditioner (Yeah! That’s right! I told the entire internet! That was practically child abuse, woman!) But now? Is it because it reminds me of home? The scorching heat. The long, long days. Sundresses and sunglasses. Popsicles by the pool. I don’t know, but I just love it. I love getting ice cream with the kids and trying to eat it before it melts. I love going to the pool every day and watching my little Twink become a faster and stronger swimmer each time. I love slushies at the park, bathing suits hanging out on the balcony, and grapes, nectarines, and watermelon for lunch (Ok, they had turkey and cheese, too. But that didn’t’ sound as summery. )

I love that moment when you walk in the house or the store and the a/c hits you and it’s like “Aaaaahhhh.” I love it being light out so late that after dinner we can decide to just skip the bath and go for a walk instead (usually the sprinklers are on around that time, so they get clean enough.) (Kidding – we shower in the morning. Geez.) I love saying “Sure!” all 47 times a day the kids ask for a “hopsicle” (Why the H instead of P? We also eat “hopcorn” at the movie theater. Cute.) I love that I spent two bucks on a couple of little misters/squirt bottles (like for hair, or houseplants, or attempting to train your cats not to go on the counters) and they are the best.. toys… EVER.

I love Summer.

And now – some pics so you can learn to love it, too.

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Please. Go get a frozen lemonade. Walk to the park. Wearing pink flip flops are, of course, optional.

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The End.