It happens every year: as soon as the fireworks end on the Fourth of July, everyone hops into “what’s next?” mode. Suddenly it’s pumpkin this, fall that. Stores bring out their Halloween merch, TikTok is full of back-to-school hauls, and somehow summer gets kicked to the curb before we even flip the calendar to August.
But this year, I’m holding on a little tighter. I’m taking the “only get 18 summers with your kids” memes to heart. I AM ready for some back to school routine, if I’m being honest, but I don’t want to let that get in the way of enjoying what is essentially one THIRD of our summer vacation. (My kids don’t go back until August 20th, so we still have almost a full month left of break!)
SO – difficult though it may be during this epic heat wave we’re having right now when all I want is for some cooler temps, I’m reminding myself that summer isn’t over. That maybe we don’t need another holiday to make things special. I want to try to make August count wherever I can.
If you’d like to join me and try to squeeze every last juicy drop out of summer, here are a few ideas (and things we’re doing) to really luxuriate in August before the school supplies and soccer practices take over.
Revisit Your Summer Bucket List
Did you make a summer bucket list in June? Pull it back out. What haven’t you crossed off yet?
We’re trying to squeeze in these things from ours:
- Mini Golf (easy peasy)
- The Zoo (MUST cool down first!)
- A Charlotte Knights Game (looking at tickets right now!)
- A Charlotte FC Game (unfortunately, unlikely to happen because there aren’t a HUGE amount of home games and the timing is tough for scheduling)
- Carrigan Farms (amazing natural quarry for swimming, rope swing jumping and more)
Is there something you meant to do all summer and haven’t gotten to? Tell me what’s on your bucket list!!!
Create a Pre–Back-to-School Ritual
I know lots of families that do these and I think it’s such a fun idea. Last year, I came up with a “Book It”-style book club for my kids (Millennials will remember this beloved childhood staple from Pizza Hut, hopefully). It’s easy. They read a certain number books over the summer, alongside a group of friends doing the same, and we all meet up at one of our favorite local pizza joints the weekend before school starts to celebrate a summer full of reading. It’s a fun reward for doing a bit of work over the summer AND reconnect with friends all at once for a couple of hours before they’re all thrown back into homework and projects.
Other ideas:
- A “last hurrah” beach day OR boat day with friends (Charlotte has so many amazing lake-based parks where we could do this)
- An end-of-summer camping trip (we don’t have time to plan this this year AND we haven’t gone camping at all this summer, but it’s on my radar for next year, possibly)
- A “goodbye summer” get together – rent a water slide, fill up water balloons and just enjoy the weather in your backyard with some burgers and dogs on the Blackstone
Plan a Few Last Hurrahs
Though these didn’t all officially make the bucket list above, there are a few things we’re still hoping to squeeze in before the school schedule takes over:
- Try the pickle menu at Sonic (yes, really – I’m very intrigued and DEFINITELY want to try some pickle tots!)
- Go-karting (Linus’s pick!)
- A full week at the beach (we save ours for August so we’ve always got something to look forward to)
- As many pool days at my parents’ house as possible
- Outdoor movie night (some great summery suggestions below!)
- Grilling ALL the things (tonight’s dinner: burgers with ALL the toppings + homemade French fries in the deep fryer)
- Making peach or cherry pie one last time before pumpkin everything takes over
Lean Into the Luxuries of Summer
There’s something about August that just begs to be romanticized. Here’s what I’m savoring (and suggesting you do, too):
- Letting your hair air dry and skipping all the heat styling
- Just enjoying “athletic shorts and tank tops” season for a while longer
- Inventing new iced beverages to make at home (pickle lemonade? Swig-inspired soda mocktails?)
- Living in flip flops or barefoot all day long
- Turning on fans all over the house (that noise just SCREAMS summer to me since I grew up without AC)
- Dinner outside on the screened-in porch every night
- Sleeping in (even just 15 minutes counts!)
- Having an entire day — or two — where you don’t have to get in the car
- Speaking of which? Zero school drop-offs. Zero pickups. FOR ANOTHER MONTH!
- Sitting in the sun (Average UV 11) just because it feels good
Watch Some Summery Movies
We just booked tickets to see Jaws (both my favorite summer movie but also perhaps my favorite movie of all time!) on the big IMAX screen for its 50th anniversary, but here are a few other favorites that are filled with summer vibes to watch and indulge in before the seasons change and it’s all When Harry Met Sally and scary thrillers:
- The Sandlot
- Dirty Dancing
- The Parent Trap (either version!)
- Grease
- Casablanca (okay, not summer-themed but still romantic and nostalgic and just feels like summer to me)
- The Music Man
- Summer documentaries (ie: SHARK WEEK! Yes, technically this took place back in July, but for this cable cord cutting family, we are making THIS Sunday our honorary Shark Week documentary with a choice from Disney+ OR Curiosity)
Summer Reading — Just for Fun
Speaking of seasonally-themed media … summer books are all the rage on #booktok right now and with good reason. These authors are lighting it UP lately for summer enjoyment.
Here are a few VERY SUMMER books on my TBR list for these last few weeks:
- Summer House by James Patterson
- Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman
- Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum
- The Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe
- Seven Summers by Paige Toon
- Beach Read by Emily Henry
- One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune
And a few I’ve already loved:
- The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews
- Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
(Check out our monthly Page Turners series for more information about the books Sarah and I are reading!)
Don’t Forget to Look Back
Sometimes we (I!) get so caught up in the “what’s next” that we forget to appreciate what we’ve (I’ve!) already done.
I’ve been trying to take a moment at dinner this week to ask my family:
“What’s been your favorite part of summer so far?”
We’ve been flipping through photos from swim team meets, farm camps, Fourth of July celebrations. They aren’t so far in the past, but I think it helps us all be grateful for what summer has already given us and make room for more summer memories on our plate.
You don’t have to chase something new to appreciate what already happened.
Final Thought: Romanticize What’s Left
The last weeks of summer don’t have to be rushed. Let’s slow down. Let’s linger. Let’s romanticize the stuff we usually gloss over. Who is with me!?
It’s not just about squeezing things in. It’s about appreciating what’s already around you.
Flip flops. Peach pie. Pool days. Porch dinners. Lazy mornings. Loud fans. Ice cream cones. Good books.
August is the next big thing. Let’s not let it pass us by!
Less & More: The WFH Mom Edit 
Leave a comment