^I took this photo a few weeks ago. Lilacs smell heavenly. Ahh.
"All in all, it was a never to be forgotten summer- one of those summers which come seldom into any life, but leave a rich heritage of beautiful memories in their going- one of those summers which, in a fortunate combination of delightful weather, delightful friends and delightful doing, come as near to perfection as anything can in this world."
-L. M. Montgomery, Anne's House of Dreams
Hello my dears!
Welp, I’m officially abolishing my unsaid rule about posting once per week on a specific day… So far I’m kind of failing. Oops. XD But hey, my blog, my schedule, right?
I mentioned last week that I was working on a post about how to get the most out of your summer, here it is! We all like to try and pack as many awesome activities into our summers, and the fun events and memories are definitely some of the best parts of summer. But if all we’re doing in our time off school is flying constantly from sports practice to sleepovers to Bible study to camp, we’re inevitably going to feel burned-out and exhausted by the middle of August- not a super great way to start the school year, ya know? Furthermore, it's easy to have a great time when you're with other people or you're doing an organized activity, but it's harder when your friends can't hang out and the pool is closed! Only boring people get bored. Don't be boring. *wink* So instead of making lists of dreamy destinations, packing hacks, or must-see movies, I’m going to share just a few ideas of how to refresh yourself between activities, keep from being bored on at-home days, and to overall just learn to enjoy the quiet moments as much as the exciting ones.
Be outside.
If you take away one thing from this post, I’d want it to be this point. Please, go outside. I’ll beg if I have to. XD You miss so much by sitting inside when you could be outdoors- Hold on, this reminds me that I’m sitting on the couch at the moment. I’ll be right back, gonna go relocate to the deck… okay there, that’s better. XD Now instead of only staring at a computer screen, I’m staring at a computer screen while listening to the trees and the birds and feeling the sun and breeze on my bare toes. Reading a book or scrolling on your phone? Go sit outside! Listening to music or a podcast? Take a walk around your block! I love just wandering around our property, collecting bouquets of wildflowers or watching a caterpillar methodically take bites of a leaf. See what you can find! Take pictures- but not just aesthetic ones of your shoes, although that’s fun too. ;D Here are a few other ideas to keep you busy outside if you need inspiration:
Watch the clouds
Make a flower crown (there are plenty of easy diagrams on Pinterest)
Hunt for toads
Plant some flowers
Climb a tree
Make mudpies (no, I’m not even kidding)
Sketch a plant
Try taking at least a few minutes out of each day to just be outside. You might feel a little silly and childish at first, that’s okay. Children are full of wonder at God’s creation and we should be too!
Make something.
Now before you self-declared “unartistic” people protest, let me elaborate. XD What you make doesn’t have to be Pinterest or Instagram-worthy. You don’t even have to show it to your friends. The point is to just have fun and get your “creative juices” flowing! Experiment with different mediums and types of creating. Maybe you don’t like painting, how about baking? Decorate a sign for your room. Arrange some flowers. Experiment with slime recipes. Write a story or a poem. Try something you’ve never done before. When we create and make beautiful things, we’re reflecting the image of our Creator. I bet He smiles when you glue your fingers together or accidentally stick your elbow in the cup of blue paint. :) Pinterest is an excellent place to find ideas, here are a few of my personal favorite things to make if you don’t know what to search for:
Lettered quotes
Loose watercolor florals
Collages
Origami
Frosted cupcakes
Bookmarks
Embroidery
Woven rugs
Bullet journal doodles
Flash fiction
Tie dyed clothes
Read.
Whether you inherently like to read or not, it’s a good idea to get in the habit of doing. ;) Find the right book to start with, and you just might become an avid reader! Reading puts us in the shoes of someone else, transports us to new places, and strengthens our imaginations. Also, don’t forget about the Bible. Try to get in the habit of spending daily time in the Word- summer is a great time to form new habits before the busyness of school begins again! Proverbs, Psalms, Matthew, or Ephesians are all good places to start, although there’s really no such thing as a bad starting point- just starting somewhere is the biggest thing! I’ve got plenty of recommendations for just-for-fun reads as well. ;D
The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis, fantasy, adventure
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, romance (kind of)
The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Petersen, fantasy, adventure
The Tripods Trilogy by John Christopher, sci-fi
The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, adventure, history
Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery (not really sure how to explain it… maybe read my thoughts on the other books in the series in this post? XD)
The Green Ember series by S. D. Smith, fantasy, adventure
Show love.
Sometimes when I don’t feel very motivated to do anything, deciding to do something nice for another person is what gets me off the couch. (Which is why I haven’t added anything to my art gallery here yet… I usually end up sending my best pieces to my pen pals *facepalm* XD) It’s kind of addicting to look for ways to spread love! Leave a note for your mail carrier in the mailbox. Surprise your friend with cookies the next time she invites you over. Send a letter to your grandma. Or spend more than 10 seconds thinking of an idea, unlike me, and do something super fun and creative. XD
That’s about all for now! I hope you all have a refreshing, productive, and super memorable summer. :D I’m trying to teach myself these things too, and what I’ve learned already has made a huge difference in how I use my time and even my mental state. If this is at all helpful to you, I’d love to know! It’s both helpful and encouraging when people give me feedback on my writing. :) Plus feel free to chat in the comments or privately! What are you most looking forward to this summer? What’s on your bucket list?
Thanks for reading, my dears, my ramble readers!
-Alayna