Dreaming of summer

A photo popped up on Time Hop today of our holiday in France 3 years ago. 3 years? How did that happen? It is a gorgeous shot of our little blondie, before the ties of school and school holidays, when he was still properly little, he didn’t know about football (!!) and we were free to roam at any point of the year. We were in gorgeous Brittany and it was a holiday full of exploration and really good food. The best kind of holiday in my mind?!

It got me dreaming…dreaming of the Summer.

I love Summer. Summer born baby, always beyond excited as a child about a Summer Birthday with a party in the garden, BBQs and water fights (it mainly rained). In fact I remember turning, I guess it must have been, 5 or 6. I am dressed in my pretty blue bridesmaid dress on my Birthday, with a party looming and it is raining. In August.

Anyway, doesn’t stop me loving summer and daydreaming of long drawn out days of being outside, smelling of suncream and free to do as we wish. Growing up by the seaside with a little sister in tow made for a pretty wonderful, Summer themed childhood really. I don’t remember winters but I do remember summers. That’s funny isn’t it?

Probably a bit of rose tinted glasses. But I don’t care. I stand by it. I love Summer.

I also love holidays. It is the thing I get most excited about and as a bit of a planner I cannot help but spend the months leading up to said holiday planning, researching and putting piles of ‘holiday things’ away so they are ready for the time (Christ I hope I am not the only weirdo who does this?!)

So here is to dreaming of the Summer. No doubt there will also be days of rain, days where the children drive me insane, days when I can’t park because it is so busy, days when I spend a million pounds on a pier to get a toy that would actually cost £1, and days where seagulls steal ice cream. But it will still be wonderful . And this is why…

Summer means outside. Mostly. That is a big high five up top for me and the Adventure Boys. Beaches, woods, National Trust, gardens, sports, swimming, picnicking… We can be outside lots – especially once those Summer holidays get here. And even with work, hopefully with some long sunny days we can still do all of those lovely things later in the day. A late afternoon and early evening at the beach is actually one of my favourite things in the world. It is quieter, it feels like you are on holiday and the children think you are amazing because they get to stay up a little bit late. Plus usually it means Fish and Chips for tea. Am I right? I mean, it would be too late to cook once you get home…

Summer means ice cream. I bloody love ice cream. H would eat it all year round, but I reserve it for Summer – it reminds me of being little and getting ice creams the size of your head and your parents shouting at you to ‘lick it from the bottom’ and ‘keep turning it’ and me ignoring them and being covered in the stuff. Delicious.

Don’t mess with ice cream time
Happiness

Summer means friends. One thing I find particularly sucky about winter and school and work is the lack of time we seem to spend with friends. Now obviously work doesn’t go away – but we do all usually get some time off in the summer and it means we can actually spend lovely long days together and the children can really play, and we can really talk. No rushing to get anywhere, just summer fun. Obviously there will be demands for snacks, arguments about suncream and hats, too much noise and lots of falling over. But it will be together and I love it.

Summer fun
Say cheese

Summer means family. H will get time away from school to relax with family, be more himself without the rush and the stress, days with grandparents (he used to do this lots, it is harder now with school and sport clubs) and frankly he adores them. It is so lovely to see their adventures together. I also love family BBQs and picnics in the Summer. Those days where you get together with too much food, the kids roll around in the grass, or mud, or water, you all play football, or cricket or running races (my least favourite it has to be said), and generally just mess about. Like kids. Summer dream right there.

Summer means holiday. Be it abroad or not, the Summer means some TIME. Time together as a family unit. No school, no work, no pressure. No needing to get back, needing to go to bed, needing to get in the car, needing to do the shop. Just much more relaxed, ‘do things when we want to’ time. Just being at home together with the freedom to just ‘be’ is soooo lovely. And sometimes it is a holiday abroad. Awoohoo. This year we are off to the South of France and I cannot wait. I may or may not change my mind slightly on this once we begin the long journey from Devon to South France. In a car, With children. I will let you know…