Happy happy Thursday!
You guys, it’s time for another edition of TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE.
You know the drill, I’ll name my TOP FIVE favorite things about a topic…and then my BOTTOM FIVE.
Today, the topic is SUMMER…
There is a whole lotta good that comes with the summer season…but maybe a thing or two I don’t love.
I mean, it’s not perfect.
It’s not like it’s fall. 😉
Ready, set, here we go, it’s my TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: THINGS ABOUT SUMMER.
#5: SUMMER TRAVELS
I know not everyone gets to travel over the summer, but as a travel professional, I know that it’s by far the most popular season for people to head out, and I LOVE IT! Whether it’s a big vacation or a staycation, I love learning about peoples’ travels, seeing pics from their travels and of course, traveling myself. I think back to my childhood with such fond memories of our summer vacations. Some were roadtrips, some were big trips…all were memorable trips. Summer vacations just make me HAPPY!
#4: SUMMERTIME FOOD
As much as I love all the cozy food of fall and winter, I also love meals outdoors with fresh oysters, lobster rolls, burgers off the grill, corn on the cob, fresh salads, watermelon, popsicles, recipes with coconut, pineapple, and strawberries. I love hot dogs and chips and dips…just all of that “summer food”. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!
#3: SUNSHINE & OUTDOOR TIME
In January, I want a dark and drizzly day to cozy up with my book…in July, I want full sun and to be outside. I want to read by the ocean. I want to ride my bike. I want to walk the dogs, go places that require a lot of sunscreen and use the outdoor shower. I love that this season gives me all the time in the world to be outside in the sunshine being active.
#2: RELAXED SCHEDULES
It’s really the best part, right? I feel like when summertime rolls around the whole world takes a deep breath and just relaxes. I love that we don’t have to go to bed by a certain time or wake up by a certain time, we don’t have a gazillion activities during the day (most days, we have very little), we don’t have all of the “extras” that the school year gives us. For someone who struggles with “relaxing” a relaxed summer schedule does wonders for my soul.
#1: FAMILY TIME
Yes, yes and YES! Andrew and I try really hard to spend a lot of time with our kiddos all the time, but come summer when their schedules are relaxed, we freaking LOVE all that extra family time. I just don’t believe I will ever look back on my life and think “I should have done less with my kids”. Nope. I only have three more years with all my birds in my nest and then one by one they’re going to fly…and my mama heart just wants to spend as much time with them as possible each and every day while I have them all at home. Summer gives me more time and since that’s something one cannot buy, I’ll take the extra that summer is dishing out.
So, those are my TOP FIVE, but what about my…
#5: THE TOWELS
For the LOVE why do these people who live in my house use 450 towels a day? I’m sorry am I the only one who knows how to re-use a towel? Yes. Yes, I am. Between beach towels and bathroom towels, we’re washing, drying, folding and putting away about 750 towels a day.
#4 MY KIDS NEVER STOP EATING
During the school year, my kids eat three meals a day with one snack thrown in for good measure. During the summer, my kids eat 18 meals a day. I’m not sure how this happens, but there is always someone asking me to make them something to eat, they’re telling me how there’s “nothing to eat” or they’re in the there making something, baking something, eating something…and rarely cleaning up something in the kitchen.
#3: SAND, SAND, AND MORE SAND
To be fair, I have learned to be soooooo much more relaxed about sand than I once was. In fact, I know there are statements here on my blog from years ago when I would flat out refuse to take my kids to sandy destinations. I despise sand. It gets on everything, never goes away, infiltrates every part of your body, your car, your home…even your sheets. Sand is of the devil. That being said, I have relaxed SO MUCH about sand…but I still don’t like it. I’m still pretty particular about how we remove it before going into our house or a hotel room, but I’ve relaxed. (I mean, I haven’t relaxed enough to not make it in my Bottom Five, but it’s #3 and not #1, so that’s something…).
#2: GETTING DRESSED
My least favorite time of the year to get myself dressed each day is summertime. It’s 104 outside, I shall wear shorts and a tank top. It’s 104 outside so every building I enter from the grocery store to my dermatologist’s office to my own home has the air conditioning set at 68 degrees. I’m hot. I’m cold. I’m sweating. I’m freezing. I don’t have enough clothes on. I am wearing way too many clothes. What looks the best covered in sweat? NOTHING. It’s a terrible cycle.
#1: THE HEAT
I’m talking to you, Texas.
I don’t mind warm weather. I’ll take your 95 degrees and enjoy myself. That 102, 103…108 business Texas likes to throw out in August…I don’t like that one bit. It’s so hot that you can’t even go outside and swim! That scorching, never-ending heat makes everyone cranky (seriously!), and it’s alllllllll we talk about no matter if I’m at home, at church, at my kids’ schools or checking out at the grocery store. It’s. All. We. Talk. About. That kind of heat is too hot for me. The only thing that gives me solace as I suffer is knowing that fall is around the corner 🙂 .
Okay, it wouldn’t be a TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE without Andrew weighing in too.
Spoiler alert: We might agree more today than ever before 😉 .
ANDREW’S TOP FIVE:
5: Realizing fall and football is just around the corner!!
4: Summer food. Love the grill!
3: Travel. We travel a ton during the summer and I love it.
2: All the kid time. The extra time we have as a family is incredible.
1: Beach with 75 degree sunny weather and cool water. Oh it’s fabulous on that island of ours.
ANDREW’S BOTTOM FIVE:
5: Always one eye anticipating the end of summer and school starting.
4: Electric bills…..wow this is getting crazy.
3: I can’t watch TV on the patio because it’s too hot. I’m starting to sense a theme here.
2: Getting in a hot car. Wow I hate this. Especially if there is a slight delay before the fan kicks on.
1: Hot weather. I HATE anything over 75. People who say these phrases, “I like it when it’s hot”, or “it’s a dry heat”…..I don’t understand you. Why would I want to sit in my own sweat?!
And those, my friends, are my TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: THINGS ABOUT SUMMER!
Don’t forget to check out these other TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE blog posts:
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: ICE CREAM FLAVORS
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: SPRING CLEANING
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: TRAVELING BY PLANE
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: SKIING WITH YOUR FAMILY
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: CHRISTMAS MOVIES
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: HALLOWEEN CANDY
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: CEREALS
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: HOUSEHOLD CHORES
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: CHRISTMAS SONGS
TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE: THANKSGIVING FOODS
Okay, spill the beans, friends!
I would LOVE to know what your TOP FIVE, BOTTOM FIVE things are about the summer season! Please comment and share!
I hope you have a wonderful, wonderful day! I’ll see you tomorrow! xx
Cheri says
Sand and glitter-they’re related. That is all…😂😂😂
Mix and Match Mama says
Yes and amen!!!! As much as I love me some Hobby Lobby, I cringe when I shop there November 1st through December 24th. Every single cart is covered in glitter that stays on me the rest of the day.
Lisa D says
Oh yeah! I DESPISE glitter! Sand is okay, I grew up near a beach and spent many summer days covered in sand.
Norita D says
ANDREW! I am SOOOOOO with you. WHY would anyone want to sit in their own sweat … repeatedly!!!!! (I, too, live in Texas as I’m sure you can tell!)
Elspeth says
I love all the summer food, time outside and relaxed schedule. I don’t like thinking about kids heading back to school!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Katrina Goodman says
I don’t think today is going to be as controversial as other top 5/bottom 5! I live in Texas too, so I understand the heat situation! It’s been raining so much though that it hasn’t seemed too terrible. Hope you all have nice weather today in Nantucket!
Jennibell says
This was a fun one! My number one top thing about summer is the sunshine in the heat – so I guess we can’t be besties??
YES to all the food, for sure too. And I agree with Andrew’s bottom five when he says “one eye always on it being over” – I’m really, really trying to live in the moment and not “dread” that – it definitely takes away from the JOY of the heat, sunshine, and sweat 😉
Erin says
Getting in a hot car is pretty terrible. Get you a Tesla, people, and turn on the AC in the car from your phone while you are in the checkout. 😜 Game changing. Lol
Allison says
Our chevy tahoe does the exact same thing….. lol
Laurie says
My Ford does that too with the app tee hee. I work for them so I felt the need to “represent” LOL. Happy Summer!
Liz Lind says
Our Fords all have that. Game changer for Texas. My daughter walked out of high school to a cool car.
Erika Slaughter says
Apparently June 2024 Texas is giving us rain and being kind on the heat. 🤣🤣🤣
Paula says
Unless you are in West Texas where the high on Tuesday was 111 degrees! ouch
Mix and Match Mama says
Stop it! That’s terrible!
Susan Fitzpatrick says
#1 on the bottom 5 list is the heat combined with humidity in South Texas. I prefer running and walking outdoors vs indoors on a treadmill but I look like I just took a swim when I’m done! If we at least got some rain from it, that would be nice!
Lyssy says
The awful smells of NYC in the summer and all the humidity, especially the subway platforms! My hair doesn’t stand a chance haha
Mix and Match Mama says
The heat does NOTHING for smells. I agree!
Laci L Murray says
I think I agree with every statement!!
SS says
My bottom… Bugs, caterpillars (we have spongy moths used to be called gypsy moths) they eat the tree leaves and are every where, plus their hairs make me welt up if they get on me, humidity, Bugs, super hot with humidity.
My top… Longer nights, fresh fruits and veggies, sun kissed skin, pool time (time here is short) so we swim…luckily we have family with pools and jeep rides with the top down looong into the nigh!!!
Stacie says
Oh the heat and how I despise it. I live in southern Texas near San Antonio and we’ve already been over 100…August will be brutal. One thing I have learned is I drive a Ford and I use the scheduled start to start my vehicle 10 minutes before I leave the office. Let’s face it 5 pm is the heat of the day, but I always get into a “cooler” vehicle….let’s face it that it’s never going really cool when you leave on the face of the sun 😉
Addy J Robinson says
Mosquito bites!!!
Sheaffer says
The relaxed schedules and family time make me soooo happy!
Erin says
The bugs are definitely in my Bottom Five. The mosquitos and gnats make being outside miserable.
Natasha says
Yes to summer travel (whooo hooo!!!) and relaxed schedules. With three out of four of us on summer break from school, we don’t have to do anything and I LOVE it.
And yes, yes, yes to getting dressed (do I dress for outside or inside?!?!?) and getting into a hot car. I literally cannot breathe in the car when I first get in in summer and then the AC blows hot for the first minute or two. WHY!?!?!?!?
Jami says
We went on our first ever cruise for Spring Break and it made me realize I am not a beach person, I am on ocean person. Therefore I am a cruise person. I hate the sand!! Give me a cruise deck overlooking the ocean any day.
Mix and Match Mama says
SUCH A BRILLIANT STATEMENT! I will be using that from now on! I love it!
Allison says
LOL’ing that your paragraph went from 450 towels a day to 750 towels a day!
Mix and Match Mama says
It’s crazy math, but I swear it happens. bahaha!
Jamie S says
It’s not girl math, it’s MOM MATH!!! Totally makes sense hahaha.
Mix and Match Mama says
YES!!!!!!!
April Fritz says
The TOWELS!!
Robyn Beers says
Eighteen years go by in a flash – spend every minute you can with your kiddos (you’ll never regret it) and then spend every minute you can with them as adults (you’ll never regret it). Just sayin’. 🙂
Number 1 dislike of summer….the HEAT! I do love the relaxed schedule, the extra sunlight and all the time spent with loved ones.
sandi says
My list is similar:
Bottom Five:
5/ College kids with summer jobs make it more difficult to plan trips.
4/ Summer homework – the caboose of the family is the only one left with summer homework, it is hard to do when your siblings are doing something more fun.
3/ Cups on the counter – I love that the kids are staying hydrated, just don’t leave 17 cups on the kitchen island.
2/ Sand – we live on the bay/beach and there is sand everywhere
1/ Sand in the towels – please shake them outside
Top Five:
5/ College kids with jobs are closer to being off our payroll 🙂
4/ There is always a reason to eat ice cream.
3/ Farmer’s market food
2/ Extra family time
1/ Water – there is something calming about water, any type of water, lake/bay/ocean it is all calming to me.
I missed yesterday’s post and wanted to chime in about kids/teens flying. With the exception of one, all of ours have flown by themselves. There is something about learning to get somewhere on your own and navigating an airport that gives a teen a sense of independence. Especially since they cannot use google maps to get there. I did not enjoy the evening one of my daughters spent sleeping in the Chicago airport due to a canceled flight, but she survived and we did too.
Mix and Match Mama says
CUPS ON THE COUNTER! Yes and yes! So many cups. Thank you, thank you for your list and your extra “chime in”. Always so grateful for you, Sandi! xx
lee ann vicary says
As a much older reader – the extra time I get to spend with my 7 year old granddaughter will always be a top 5. I know how fast kids grow up and I am trying to spend every minute I can with her. I started taking my daughter and a friend to Gulf Shores or Orange Beach when she was in 8th or 9th grade for a week every summer. Now it’s son in law, daughter and granddaughter and I. Sometimes my sister and parents come too. Even though I work all summer long, and even the pool gets so HOT it doesn’t help, I love summer.
Susie says
My favorite thing about summer are our flowers blooming! Day Lillies, coneflowers, daisies, they make me so happy!!
Stephanie Snyder says
Top 5:
5. Being outside in sunshine
4. Summer fruit/food
3. Listening to 80s, yacht rock, or reggae on the beach
2. slowing down and enjoying each day
1. family time
Bottom 5:
5. the temp changing from indoor to outdoor in such extremes
4. the countdown to back to school
3. packing up the car to go anywhere – becasue it is so hot
2. 100 + temps in Central California
1. mosquitos
Mix and Match Mama says
Yes to the 80s, yacht rock and reggae!!!! That’s what we listen to as well!! I love me some Billy Joel all year long…but I especially love him during the summer!
Jana says
Summer activities fall into my top AND bottom. It’s NOT relaxing around here till about mid-July. Till then, there’s swim team five days a week (two separate drop off/pick up times), 2-3 nights of ball games, and 10394810934 camps! I joke that at least during school session, I know my kids are in ONE place for several hours. Ha-ha!
Another summer TOP is longer days. I love the sun not going down till 8ish.
Mosquitos and gnats are definitely my summer time BOTTOM. Whew! They are beasts in my area.
Mix and Match Mama says
Mosquitos certainly get an honorable mention in my bottom five!
Julia says
I’m in Texas too and my #1 favorite is the heat. I love it and could do it year round. I love not even having to check the weather and knowing I won’t need a jacket or layers for months! And getting dressed is the best – cute rompers, sun dresses, sandals, sun hats! I love being able to swim everyday and grill outdoors. Yes to the relaxed schedules too. Everyone gets along better when we get enough sleep.
Nichole says
Getting in a hot car might be the worst and even more so when you have littles to buckle in their car seats! 🥵
Colleen T says
I absolutely love your top and bottom 5 and agree completely!!!!
For the towel situation, I’m trying an idea I heard where each kid gets 2 striped towels in a certain color and it has helped IMMENSELY! Now I know which kid is leaving a towel on the floor etc and the kids are only using their own towel. I’d highly recommend it, it should help gain some sanity back.
Mix and Match Mama says
Well this is pure genius!
Cecilia Canning says
How did you survive Bali if you don’t like the heat? We were there for two weeks at the end of March and loved it, but couldn’t wait to leave because of the heat and humidity!
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh it was warm there for sure! It was worth it though!!
Lisa says
Midwest girl here and Fall is my favorite. Bottom-the heat and humidity-HATE. My son is grown and on his own so being an empty nester, I have to say I also don’t enjoy how much more crowded things are during the day along with more traffic since everyone is out of school.
I do enjoy a nice, sunny, 75-degree day and watching sailboats sailing on our lake and the way the water sparkles with the sun shining down on it.
WhittyWife (Lindsay) says
This post is proof that you and Andrew are New Englanders at heart and are summering in the right place! ☀️❤️ I hate humidity, and we do have a decent amount of it here and on the East Coast in general… but nothing like Texas. Ha! I love that you found your happy place for Summer. It’s so beautiful here in New England this time of year!
Alison says
The dishes would definitely be in my bottom five. While I love having everyone home during the summer, the sheer amount of dishes we go through and the increased use of the dishwasher and handwashing is out of control. You used a small bowl for some crackers. Use it again for your apple slices. Or your popcorn. I don’t care. Just use it again. For the love! 😂
Robin says
😂😂
Kacy M says
As a born and raised (and current) Houstonian, I hate mosquitoes, humidity, and constant shaving. Heat is fine but humidity is the killer.
Sarah Schutte says
I totally agree about the heat – and I would add in sunscreen! But seriously, be glad you live in the “dry heat.” I’m in SC and come July/August, the humidity is so bad that the minute you walk outside, it takes your breath away bc the heat is so heavy and oppressive!! 🥵
Ana says
Say, how do you remove sand before going inside the house or hotel room? Do you have any tips, or do you mean you make sure most of it is removed before entering those spaces? I hate sand, too, it drives me insane!
Mix and Match Mama says
That’s what I mean! I’m pretty hardcore about either showering outside beforehand/using the hotel outdoor shower/when they were little, I would strip them completely and wrap them in a towel before they came inside…I do a full inspection of my family as they enter, ha!
Carissa says
Fun! Mine would be:
Bottom 5:
5. it goes by so fast
4. weeds
3. kids’ sports continue into the summer
2. humidity
1. BUGS!
Top 5:
5. The Beach Boys music 🙂
4. summer sunshine
3. vacations
2. the beach
1. kids are out of school