Savoring Summer

And just like that, it's August.

I told myself I would start preparing for the Fall term today.  All the classes I'm scheduled for need retooling or are using a new book, so there's going to be plenty of unpaid work for this adjunct.  My plan is to work on classes only if they seem like they're going to "go."  Just one class has a decent enrollment so far.  Fingers crossed.

Instead of working, though, I want to begin procrastinating straight away by looking back at all the fun we've been having this summer.  After the extreme winter we had, I wanted to make the most out of this time of year.  Some Chicagoans have been complaining that the temps have been too cool, lingering in the mid-70's, but I like it.  It's been a windows-open kind of season, sunny and pleasant.

This summer's been all about the play dates.  Having a toddler is cool; you can go out on adventures and see the joy sparkling in your child's eyes.  Everything new they discover is like discovering it for yourself all over again.  My mom constantly took us on day-excursions as children, and that sense of exploration lives on in me.  I hope I can pass it on to my kids, too.

Since May, we have:

Emmie sloshes through the water at Crown Fountain in Millennium Park

• Sung along to Frozen with a hundred other little girls during Movies in the Park night.
• Walked around the neighborhood and various parks, sometimes in the stroller and sometimes on foot.  Sometimes in a wagon.
• Played on numerous playgrounds in the area.  At the beginning of the year, I thought Emmie was still too little for the big playgrounds.  I stood nervously by as she climbed up ladders to go down slides.  Now, she's scaling jungle gyms like a regular monkey.
• Meandered around little town festivals and sat on the grass, eating food from a cart and listening to live music.
• Visited the Chicago Children's Museum at Navy Pier, the Brookfield Zoo, the Cosley Zoo in Wheaton, Blackberry Farm in Aurora, Millennium Park in Chicago, and Primrose Farm in St. Charles.  In that order!
• Attended numerous children's birthday parties.  Almost all of them had some fun water feature - either a kiddie pool, sprinkler, or even a splash pad.  Emmie is a winter baby, so it's a treat to celebrate with other kids in the summer.
• Acquired a sandbox and a water table for the backyard, both of which were the best thing ever at first and now only briefly hold Emmie's attention.
• Taken an outdoor toddler class on insects with the Forest Preserve.
• Gone swimming in friends' pools, park district swim classes, and at Splash Country in Aurora, despite the mild temperatures.

I tried to maximize the fun while minimizing the cost.  The parks are free and have free activities.  Many museums have free days, discounted times, or sales on sites like Groupon.  The sandbox was a hand-me-down.  Sure, you have to buy presents for kids' birthday parties, but I found that it's a small price to pay for the opportunity to interact with other children and learn important lessons like giving and sharing.

This summer has been all about family, friends, good times, eating fruit, being physical, and living in the moment.  I'm not ready to let go quite yet.  Let's see what we can do with these last glorious days!