As the summer days get shorter and fall starts to settle in, I can’t help but already feel a little nostalgic about the past few months.
It was HOT this summer, and Ryan and I really tried to keep our calendar as empty as possible. But between two toddlers, getting ready for a new baby, farm life, work, family, and everything else that somehow finds its way onto the schedule, it still ended up feeling just as full as every other summer.
And looking back, we wouldn’t really have it any other way.
We started June getting the garden ready and tackling projects around the farm. Somewhere in there, Ryan decided it would be a good idea to relocate the chickens, which quickly turned into one of his bigger projects of the summer: the “Baj Bahal.”
From there, we hauled our old boat, Tina, up north and spent some time with Ryan’s family. The kids absolutely love that old 1980s boat and somehow enjoy every second we spend on it, which makes it even more fun for us.
July came in even hotter, with temperatures climbing past 95 degrees. Ryan built me a gazebo for my birthday, and we managed to sneak away for a special date night to celebrate both our anniversary and my birthday.
Not going to lie, it was nice to put the “mom and dad” hats away for a little while and remember where our family originated… just the two of us.
The Fourth of July brought another trip up north, time with friends and family, and plenty of our favorite summer traditions. One of the simple highlights was our nightly side-by-side rides to TJ’s for ice cream in North Branch. With little kids, sometimes those ordinary moments end up being the ones you remember most.
August brought more of the same, mixed in with harvest season. We picked a LOT of corn, celebrated a friend’s wedding, and took Tina back out, this time with ym parents and the kids on Holloway Reservoir near Columbiaville.
For whatever reason, I had never really given Holloway much of a chance before, but it completely surprised me. It’s huge, and we had such a good time out there. I even got to pull Ryan around on water skis, which was definitely one of the more entertaining moments of the summer.
August was also the month where it really started to hit us that baby could be here very soon.
Now it’s September, and we’re officially in crunch time: finishing projects, getting things ready around the house and farm, and waiting for him or her to make an appearance.
Looking back, I think the biggest highlight of summer wasn’t really one trip, project, or outing.
It was getting to experience all of it with our two oldest.
Ryan and I try our best to stay present and soak up these seasons while we’re in them because we know how quickly they change. The boat rides, ice cream stops, garden days, farm chores, hot afternoons, and even the chaotic moments all feel a little more special knowing our kids are getting bigger every day.
We’re incredibly grateful for the summer we had and the memories we got to make as a family of four before becoming a family of five.
We hope you had a great summer too, and we’re wishing you and your family a wonderful start to fall.