Well folks, it’s pretty safe to say that summer is here.
Kids are officially out of school! It’s hard to believe.
We have one kiddo going into a brand-new school this fall. Middle school. Then our bigger kid will be a junior in high school. The older they get, the faster time goes, I swear. How my oldest is 18 next year and my youngest will be an official teenager in six months is just wild to me. I am really cherishing these summers. I saw a reel on Instagram the other night about how you only get:
1 summer of a baby
3 of a toddler
9 of a child
5 of a teen
Man, did that hit hard.
Turn on those sprinklers this summer. Go swim in a pool. Take a family vacation or long weekend somewhere. Because the summers of sticky hands and sun-tired kids don’t last forever.
I’ve been truly blessed with the path I chose that I am able to be with my kids throughout the summer. I didn’t want to be with them just as babies and toddlers, but I want to live out these summers because we only get so many. Watching Ty and his buddies ride dirt bikes around our property, having picnics with Kenzy, hot days spent in the river and rainy days cuddled on the couch and cooking in the kitchen. Picking bouquets of wildflowers and teaching Kenzy how to garden. Seeing my son riding up the river in his dingy boat with his mullet and an American flag blowing in the wind. These are what summer days are all about. Well, Ty officially cut the mullet a few days ago, but this year brings a new year of his newly painted dingy and short hair. I’m here for it all!
Guys, I feel like we no sooner blink, and the leaves start changing into fall. We need to just soak up these summer days. As much as I hate the heat, I do enjoy summer. I can do without the humidity and dealing with my blasted upper- lip sweat from the torture of high heat, but it’s the time with my kids and family I really enjoy. These days move too quickly. I want to slow down this summer:
Slower mornings on our patio enjoying the sun coming up through our woods. Watching the wildlife come in for their breakfast. Long afternoons on the water. Summer evenings taking care of my garden, making flower bouquets, and gathering around the campfire with family and friends. Food cooked over an open fire or our Blackstone, night rides on our motorcycles, and extra-long weekends at the river camping. This is what summer is all about, and I am ready to do all the things! Are you? Don’t let that summer list get away from you. Take the time and do it. One thing we can’t get in this life is time back. So go enjoy it.
Happy summer everyone!!
Breakfast Bars
Ingredients:
• Cooking spray
• 3 cups frozen Southern-style hash browns
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 lb. cooked loose sausage or 2 cups of cooked ham
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350.
Grease an 8×11-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
Mix hash browns, eggs, meat, cheese, onion powder, salt, and pepper together. Pour mixture into the prepared dish. Spread evenly.
Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until the top starts to brown, about 40 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.
