13 Reasons I Don't Want Summer to End

My oldest son's camp likes to say, "We spend 10 months waiting for two." I totally get it. I spend most of the year planning out my family's July and August so we can have the best Summer ever. So while many parents are pulling their hair out and counting down the days until their kids are back in school (and I get it, weeks of unstructured activity can drive even the most relaxed mom insane), I'm currently hiding from my calendar, shielding my eyes from the back-to-school sales, and trying to ignore the Fall paperwork that my sons' school just sent out. "Why?" you may ask? Here, 13 reasons I really don't want to see Summer end (and they don't all have to do with the warm weather after this dreadful Winter). Source: Flickr user Riza Nugraha

01
Corn!

Corn!

And zucchini, and tomatoes! Roadside farm stands may be one of my favorite things about Summer. My kids love picking their ears of corn and bringing them home to shuck and eat. And I love that I don't have to fight with them to do so! Source: Facebook user Norman's Farm Market

02
Sunsets

Sunsets

We've been blessed with some downright beautiful sunsets this year. And with the sun setting around 8 p.m., we can all watch it together. Source: Flickr user Global Jet

03
Weekends at the Beach

Weekends at the Beach

We're lucky enough to live less than an hour from some of the most beautiful beaches in the country, so we tend to spend most of our weekends there. Memorial Day to Labor Day we are total beach bums each year — boogie boarding, body surfing, playing football in the waves, building sand castles, and just enjoying time with our Summer friends. Source: Flickr user Riza Nugraha

04
Swimming

Swimming

This is the Summer that my boys became fish. I can't get them out of the water! Their swim instructors have instilled a love of swimming in them that I hope will last them a lifetime (mine certainly has). I actually enjoy arguing with them about getting out of the water because I love how confident they've become in it. Source: Flickr user northcharleston

05
Relaxing

Relaxing

Despite carefully laid-out Summer plans, we have plenty of time to just relax, and that's something that we've all enjoyed. Source: Flickr user The Next Web Photos

06
Fresh Seafood

Fresh Seafood

This one may be a bit selfish, but I've always loved eating fresh-off-the-boat seafood. This Summer, for the first time, I've instilled that love in one of my sons too. After introducing him to the lobster roll, he was hooked — he's my lobster-shack buddy, and we're truly enjoying this bonding experience! Source: Flickr user neilconway

07
The Camp Bus

The Camp Bus

Our commute to school simply involves walking four blocks. But somehow, we only manage to get there on time by the skin of our teeth. For camp, my kids take buses that pick them up right in front of our building, meaning it's not only convenient, but I also get to work at least a half hour earlier than before — something we both appreciate! Source: Flickr user statefarm

08
Reading

Reading

Without mountains of homework, there's finally time to do some real leisure reading. I introduced my son to Harry Potter this Summer, and he hasn't put it down since! Just last week I caught him using the light from my husband's phone to read when he was supposed to be sleeping. Photo: Rebecca Gruber

09
Ice Cream

Ice Cream

The average American eats 48 pints of ice cream each year. I think we might eat that in the Summer alone. Something about long Summer days calls for an ice cream cone at night — a tradition we love to indulge in a little too often. Source: Flickr user suzettesuzette

10
Argument-Free Daily Showers

Argument-Free Daily Showers

Shower time is always one rife with arguments in our home, but come Summer, when the kids are sweaty, dirty, and covered in chlorine, they actually fight over who goes into the shower first. Source: Flickr user emilyhigginson

11
Camp Exhausts Them

Camp Exhausts Them

I mean it drains them of every last ounce of energy every day! We're talking fall asleep while they're eating dinner tiredness. The beauty of this is twofold: 1) I know they are having a great time at camp. 2) Bedtime is a breeze! Source: Flickr user brian-fitzgerald

12
No Lunches to Pack

No Lunches to Pack

One of the biggest benefits of my kids' camps is that they serve a hot lunch every day — meaning Mom doesn't have to race around packing lunch boxes each morning. I'm seriously dreading the return of school for just this reason. Source: Flickr user qwrrty

13
Calendars That Look Like This

Calendars That Look Like This

I'm already having heart palpitations over figuring out my kids' schedules for the Fall, and we're still a month away from the first day. The after-school activity lists, birthday parties, weekend sporting events, back-to-school nights, and more mean that my almost empty calendar may soon become a color-coordinated nightmare that requires a detective to figure out! Source: Flickr user yandle