Before becoming a parent, I thought I understood cabin fever. And, sure, after a few days inside I might get antsy, but I still relished slow days curled up with coffee and binge watching Netflix. As a parent, cabin...
Our family loves eeking every last moment of the summer. And having a few more adventures and experiences to look forward to seems to help the transition for our little one back into the rhythms of school. Many kids can experience the September slump and become more anxious or struggle with behavior as they come to terms with the idea that summer is really over. And, to be honest, as a family of teachers, we sometimes feel the same way!
This was all supposed to be fun. Where did we go wrong? It was a perfect beach day on paper. We planned our beach trip around the coolest time on the hottest day. We scheduled our drive to avert nap disaster and beach traffic. Despite our best efforts, we somehow committed a parenting failure. 
I love summer! I love how the weather is warmer, the traffic is lighter, and everyone just seems happier. I love how many things there are to do and places to see — not just in Boston, but venturing...
No summer is complete without frozen treats. And lots of 'em! I don't expect to hear many arguments on that, so without further ado, here is a roundup of summer recipes for cool treats you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
What are you drinking this summer? Other than half my weight in water, my choice is margaritas. Not sweet, not spicy, no salt. Just a plain margarita. If you've been looking for the perfect summer drink, try my margarita recipe!
Summer is the perfect time to enjoy a picnic lunch or supper at the playground, a town concert, or wherever your day takes you. The last thing I want to do after daycare pickup on a beautiful day is get stuck inside cooking dinner. So I've been on the hunt for easy, portable foods my kids enjoy. Here are a few of our go-to meals, packing tips, and items to keep stocked in the fridge during summer picnic season. 
Sometimes, the idea of reading a whole book can feel overwhelming to a reluctant reader, no matter the length of the book. For some kids, convincing them to read a magazine, or even part of a magazine, will be a much easier sell. Graphic novels can similarly draw in reluctant readers due to the high volume of images per page, often decreasing reading anxiety and increasing interest level.
When I think back on summers as a kid, I remember lazy days by the pool, concerts in the park behind my grandparents' house, jars of fireflies with carefully punctured lids. Time was unstructured and seemed to move slower than the rush of the school year. As a mom, this is how I want my son to experience summer. And yet, lately it seems like every news story or social media post about summer is filled with terrifying warnings about ticks, sun poisoning, dehydration, drowning... the list goes on and on. It is almost enough to make me want to hunker down in our apartment all summer (with the air conditioner on, of course).
We also want to make sure we don’t forget to do the things that are often forgotten about in the midst of big plans and special opportunities. We will go to the public library and check out books. We will lie on the ground and look at the clouds and daydream. We will take morning walks on the beach and throw rocks into the ocean at dusk. Ice cream is for certain, as are walks by the lighthouse and around our neighborhood. We won’t forget about riding bikes, shooting hoops, blowing bubbles, drawing with chalk, and searching for wildflowers. And we will grill and eat outside, play with water balloons, go swimming, play tag, roll around in the grass, search for bugs, catch butterflies, and be lazy and bored.
Every day, my kindergartner reminds me how many days he has left in kindergarten — and how many days until he is officially a first grader. And I nostalgically reminisce about how lightning fast this school year has flown. 
Every year around this time, I start getting antsy. I start to realize the summer I have been waiting for is already halfway over.
21,000FansLike
25,100FollowersFollow
3,928FollowersFollow
1,564FollowersFollow

In Case You Missed It..