The Signs of Summer in Our House
Flip flops near the front door, all of them, amazingly, belonging to just one girl.
Beds rarely ever made.
Lots of laundry, but all of it smaller. Shorts and t-shirts just don’t take up that much room. Yet it seems to pile up faster than in fall and winter.
Dinner at odd hours, with spotty attendance. Teens seem to find every excuse to dine out with their friends.
Remnants of late-night snacking left on the kitchen counters. Is there enough popcorn and ice cream in the world to feed a group of teenagers?
Pieces of clothing left behind by friends of friends.
Footsteps pounding up and down the basement stairs to grab sodas and more food while the sound of an action-adventure film blasts through the floor.
The sounds of relaxation – Reading a book on the deck while listening to soft music. Eating breakfast while watching Comedy Central. Showering late in the day to the soundtrack of “Wicked.”
Watching my kids slam in and out the front door. Wishing I could keep them home, but knowing that they’re reveling in their warm weather freedom. Perhaps I can lure them home with food. Hmm......
Nothing gets done...by anyone...but that’s OK. I try my best to let it all slide.
What does Summer look and sound like in your house?
posted by Karen @ 8:57 AM
16 Comments:
Hi. Michele sent me.
Honestly, I wasn't paying attention and I thought that was a drawing of butterflies instead of flip flops. Yes, I didn't get much sleep last night.
Loved the soundtrack to Wicked. I thought I wouldn't like the show but I actually enjoyed it.
When I was a kid my grandmother got us in the house by luring us with the smells of homemade meals.
If I were I'd also enjoy the reprieve a bit and soak up some 'me' time.
Summertime in my neighborhood is kids running through sprinklers, creaky swings and the low whir of window air conditioners in our building.
Summer looks like hibiscus blossoms and long humid days with the tantalizing promise of gelato.
It looks like flower baskets and people on bicycles and colorfully dressed folk that might freak some people out but who are mostly very nice.
It looks like polished toenails and barbecue and sounds like wind chimes over the busy city.
It looks like happy dogs walking with their people, and sounds like music wafting from apartment windows.
Here from Michele's today.
Me screaming at the kids. I set a time for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My kids get totally out of control. We do tend to stay up late watching movies. I'm sure it will resemble your home more when these guys turn into teens, but for now, we need to follow some structure or I end up in the nut house.
Thanks for stopping by my blog--accually that picture does look like my house, and all of those flip flops would belong to me :)
Gotta love the flip flops--as long as there is no socks involved!
Right now at my house summer looks and sounds like my daughter's new pool-it is one of those blow up ones, and she loves it. Many hours have and will be spent with her playing in it this summer.
Hi there! Michele sent me!
Summer looks like tank tops, short shorts, flip-flops and lots of mineral water bottles scattered around the house!
P.S. I love those pink and green flip-flops!
Hi Karen. Niuce post about summer and the change of pace. One girl left all thise flip flops? I remember those days. It's much quieter here now.Michele sent me today.
Hello again! :) Thanks for visiting me today.
Karen, that picture just says it all!
As for summer sounds in my house, think apartment windows open and drunken neighbors who wake me to sounds of their puking in their bathrooms.
Ahhhhh.
Good Morning. Here from Michele's toady. As the sun rises so much earlier in the summer, it means I must as well - Not really by my own choice, but because my cat is conditioned to thinking that sunrise=breakfast and he will whine until he gets it.
Otherwise, my house sounds much like yours - except right now. I'm apparently the only family member who seems to be woken by the cat, and now that he's fed everything is quiet, still, and peacful. Heavenly, at least for another 20 minutes or so.
Nice flip flops! summer in our house takes extremes: it is either absolutely quiet because the teenager is gone or else it is as loud as you can imagine with music and a bunch of teenagers in the pool... Life can be so colorful! have a happy day!
Since the children grew up - it sure doesn't look like that anymore - but I miss it, actually. When they all come to visit in the summer, it is full of pool towels, left-behind shoes and hair ties, deflated beach balls and floats, way too many dirty glasses and crumbs on the floors!
Hi Karen! And thank you for stopping by today!
You sound like a great mom - I smiled at all the flip flops.... How great that you allow your children to "revel in their freedom" right now. We all have soooo many more opportunitites to learn to become plenty responsible.
Just teach her how to pack responsibly, OK? =)
(By the way, my husband is from the East Troy/ Mukwonago area.)
Higher Electric Bilkls because if Air Conditioning! Oh My!
Love that picture of the flip flops....!
OOOOOOOOOH, I get to come back here again today! Hi - Michele sent me! =)
that is such a great artistic picture!!!! and yet, i think i have a collection of 'chinese safety boots' just like that myself!!!
Apart from the basement movie boomers, *we dont exactly have basements here - hahaah!* your description - both for your kids and you - describes my summer just nicely...
Fantastic blog..!
Michele sent me - from Australia!
Ah, Karen. You once again hit the writer's nail on the head. Your words are rich with meaning as many of us go through the annual transition to summer.
In my house, summer heralds the arrival of outside sights and smells into the house. The hermetically sealed home of winter and spring gives way to open windows and doors, and breezes blowing through screens throughout the house.
Our kids effortlessly flit between the front lawn and the vestibule, hanging out on the front porch, playing games quietly. Our youngest sings to himself as he reads his Cars book. Our daughter walks slowly, deliberately through the grass in her bare feet. Our son sits on the couch in the living room, listening to music and writing a letter to his grandparents.
Somewhere in the distance, the wind brings the poetic sounds of a wind chime into our home.
I wish this season could be longer, because I love spending this time with all of them.
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