Happy happy Thursday, friends!
I hope you’re all having a great morning!
We arrived home on Monday to FALL at our house.
Kensington and my mom had been to Anthropologie and bought me two pumpkin candles. They had been to Bath and Body Works and stocked our house up on Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin body wash and lotion, AND Kensington had put her Halloween sheets on her bed.
Needless to say, the apple…er pumpkin…doesn’t fall far from the tree around here 😉 .
BUT…before we get all pumpkin crazy around here (and you know we will), I have to wrap up summer.
Over the last four years, I’ve done a little “look bACK” on our summers. It’s just a really sweet time, and I don’t want to forget the bits of random goodness that stand out each year.
Thank YOU for being with me this summer. It’s always so much fun to share our family time and Nantucket time with YOU.
Okay, here’s a look bACK on the SUMMER OF 2026…
#1: IT WAS THE SUMMER OF JUGGLING!
Listen, when Smith Shull puts his mind to something, he excels. He has always been a Renaissance Man. He can play multiple musical instruments, a variety of sports, he can surf and snowboard and crush a golf ball. This kid is an academic at heart, can do one of those really loud whistles that can be heard a hundred yards away, win at darts, plus…he hunts, he fishes…and now, he juggles.
He doesn’t just “normal” juggle. Oh no, no. This summer, not only did he learn how to do a basic juggle with three balls, he learned how to do a very wide variety of “non-traditional” juggles. The waterfall, the shower, columns, mills mess…the list goes on. I will forever and ever think back to this summer as the summer of my kid juggling anything and everything all.day.long. Ha!
#2: GOLF, GOLF, AND MORE GOLF
My boys started playing nine holes several days a week. They realized 18 took too much time out of their day, but an early morning round of nine holes was perfect.
#3: BARBIE, BABY!
Mades got in to watching the animated Barbie shows on TV this summer and somehow, the whole family started watching. There was one afternoon when I walked in the living room and some teens were watching. I asked where Mades went and they said she left but they wanted to finish the episode. Bahahaha!
#4: CROSS COUNTRY TRAINING
Ashby runs cross country and wanted me to train with her this summer. You guys, I am a runner and let me tell you, this summer, I RAN. At one point, I wasn’t sure if Ashby and I were training for a two mile cross country meet or a full marathon because we were running so much each day. I absolutely love, love, LOVED running with my girl. We had so many great little conversations (in between breathing hard!) and a lot of laughs. It was really sweet.
#5: BOAT LIFE
The highlight of Smith’s summer was his little boat. He just beamed every single time he went aboard that nine foot inflatable dinghy. Maybe next summer, he’ll master juggling on it? 😉
#6: COLLEGES & CAMPS
And all of a sudden, our summers started involving college things! Smith went to five different universities’ football camps this summer, and Kensington went to visit several too as she’s starting to narrow in on where she wants to go. One minute they’re little and the next, they’re hoping to play college football and thinking about where they’ll be living this time next year. College and football camp talk was a big part of our summer.
#7: SAT & ESSAYS
And speaking of college things, this was the summer of SAT tutoring and essay writing too. Both of my bigs put in a ton of time this summer getting “college ready”.
#8: TENZI
This little dice game was a big hit this summer at the Shull’s house! We played so many rounds together.
#9: BPM
Do you guys know what BPM is? It stands for “beats per minute” and there is a Sirius station called BPM that only plays that one genre…and I swear to you my family only played it just because they knew it beat me down. Bahahaha! Every time we got in the car together (which was many times a day!), that darn station would be on. All of a sudden, mom was the only one not “cool enough” to “get” these songs. Call me crazy, but they all sound the same!
#10: TUCKERNUCK
Well, I wore both the brand all summer long AND visited the little island. 😉
#11: ALL THAT DRIVE TIME
Even with BPM on the radio, driving around all summer with all my people is a memory I will have forever. As convenient as it is for my kids to drive themselves everywhere during the school year, I certainly miss driving around with them. Over the summer, I spent countless hours in the car with my kiddos…and loved it.
#12: THREE SQUARES A DAY
Almost every day, Andrew would say how much he loved eating three meals a day with his family. I loved it too.
#13: WISDOM
The first Shull kid got her wisdom teeth removed this summer and it went surprisingly so well! I still have PTSD from when I got mine removed a million years ago, but gosh, things have changed because this summer’s extraction was a breeze.
#14: IMPOSTER
This was the summer of Imposter! It was Ashby’s idea to download the app on my phone and often at dinner, we would play as a family. If you want a quick, fun little game to play with your family, this is a great one!
#15: WATER GUN SEASON
One day, I was in ACKcetera (a little drug store) with all four kiddos and Smith asked if he could buy this tiny little water gun. Stupid me, I agreed. For the remainder of the summer, the five of us were sitting ducks. His favorite thing to do was sneak up on you and spray you with that silly gun and/or wait behind a door/wall for you to turn a corner. The water gun was only about two inches long but man, it caught me off guard every time I turned a corner and got sprayed. Smith would say it was the best $3 I ever spent.
#16: TRADER JOE’S
This was the summer we finally made our way over to the Trader Joe’s in Hyannis! It was such a fun little morning adventure. We enjoyed our Trader Joe’s snacks and condiments all summer long.
#17: SHORTEST AND SWEETEST
This was our shortest and yet sweetest summer on Nantucket. We crammed as much as we could into the time we were there, but we all feel like we left a lot on the table too. The older our kiddos get, the more just spending time together means to Andrew and me. It was short but really really sweet.
Goodness, I love my people.
The kids and I left on Sunday, and on Tuesday, Andrew closed up our house for the very last time because next year, we will open up a new one 🙂 .
Y’all, we are absolutely GIDDY.
There is one particular house in our neighborhood that I have walked by, run by, and biked by for years. I love this house. I even texted Andrew and our realtor a picture of it on March 31st last year and reminded them both how much I loved it (and they reminded me that it would never go on the market because the family had owned it about 30 years). But I don’t know…just standing on the street in front of it, it just felt like home to me.
Well in a nutshell, this spring, a friend texted us one day and said the house I loved was going to be put on the market 🙂 .
We have spent the summer enjoying every minute of our current house knowing it would be our last while simultaneously working with our builder and architect on the new one. We packed everything up over the weekend, the movers came on Monday to store all of our things, Andrew closed it up on Tuesday, and the new owners move in tomorrow. We are going to spend the next 9-ish months renovating the new house before next summer arrives.
I cannot wait to share it with you. Sea Shulls is getting a new address on Nantucket in 2027 🙂 .
And that, my friends, is a little look bACK on summer: 2026!
Don’t forget, you can also take…
a look bACK on summer: 2025 EDITION
a look bACK on summer: 2024 EDITION
a look bACK on summer: 2023 EDITION
Plus, as a reminder, you can see all the posts on our now former NANTUCKET HOME HERE.
And if you still want a little bit more Nantucket in your life, here are some of my most popular Nantucket blog posts you might want to check out too…
HOW TO GET TO NANTUCKET
FIRST TIMER’S GUIDE
A DAY TRIPPER’S GUIDE
A PERFECT DAY ON ACK {WITH ASHBY & MADES}
NANTUCKET RESTURANTS
NANTUCKET LUNCH SPOTS
NANTUCKET BEACHES
HOW WE “OPEN” THE NANTUCKET HOUSE
HOW WE “CLOSE UP” THE NANTUCKET HOUSE
Whew!
We are clearly still in summermode, so don’t worry, I’m not sharing a pumpkin spice recipe tomorrow…BUT now that we’re back (and school starts next week!), the Shull fam is certainly starting to transition into that next season. We LOVE fall around here and with four kiddos, it keeps us really really busy. Andrew and I do our best to do all the things/be all the places/savor all the experiences, but it’s more complicated with the schoolyear schedules…which is one big reason we really savor summertime.
Alrighty, I hope you all have the best day!
I will see you back here tomorrow! xx
Diane Moore says
You packed a lot in this summer!
Best wishes with the new house. That is very exciting for you all. Maybe your grandchildren will visit you there one day, too.
Elspeth Mizner says
What a year and summer for the Shulls family!
thanks so much for sharing
Welcome home!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Laura says
How EXCITING! There will be a new ‘Sea Shulls’ next Summer. I just know you all are so excited.
Alysa says
Sounds like an amazing summer! So many exciting things on the horizon. Congratulations on the new home!! Can’t wait to see where Kensington & Smith end up 😊
Debbie Hibbert says
What a fun recap of your ACK summer. And, oh my goodness, such exciting news about a new house! I can’t wait until you can share all about it.
It’s definitely still summer in Oregon … the kids here still have another 4 weeks before school starts.
Mix and Match Mama says
Enjoy every minute! I am so jealous. I wish we went back after Labor Day.
Emilee says
Awww, congratulations! You renovated your other home so beautifully, I’ll be so excited to see what you do with the next one!
Kim says
Congratulations!!! Can’t wait to see the new home =-) I’m glad it was another sweet summer!
Amanda Wilson says
Wow what a perfect little summer. Thanks for sharing all the little things. I can’t wait to see where the kids go to school. Congrats on the new house as well.
Bridget Wright says
What a fun recap of your summer! I have four similarly aged kids and am always inspired by your positivity and the mindset of soaking up every moment with them. Thank you. Congrats on your new house!
Kelly Sites says
Girl, you sure know how to cram stuff in a summer. WOW I was blown away. And then the cliff hanger at the end- you even packed up your house and got ready to move, and planned a new renovation/house. WOW. Great job. So special to have all that time as a family. Blessings on your new journey and for the kids as they start a new school year soon.
Grace says
Shay! I too was blown away reading everything you all were doing this summer. Then just sliding in at the end the part about a new home and getting the current ready for movers tomorrow! I had to read it twice! Seriously, the way you plan and organize you got to write a book about it or something. Cheers to the new home and another school year!
Jami Romano says
Amazing update & recap. Congrats Shulls!
Sally Rose says
Is Smith considering the Naval Academy?
Mix and Match Mama says
He would absolutely consider the Naval Academy!
Beth Knecht says
So excited for you for your new place!
Such a bittersweet fun adventure I’m sure!
Paula Hobbs says
OMG!!!!!!!!!!! I’m SOOO excited for you guys and your new home!!! It’s going to be the longest wait between now and next summer!! I hope you will share sneak peeks of the reno like you did with your first sweet home. Enjoy the last few days of summer. I know your McKinney tribe is happy to have you bACK!!!!!!!
Libby says
Congratulations on the new property! I’m sure it will be just as special as the Sea Shull was.
Buckle up for senior year. It’s a wild ride at lightening speed.
Sarah M. says
Every year I find this post so jarring because our summer is only half over. Pumpkin spice and Halloween sheets!?!? I can’t even.
What a to remember those little things like the water gun and the imposter game. Fun memories that might otherwise be forgotten.
Mix and Match Mama says
I find it jarring too! Why oh why oh why do we go back to school so early?! I promise you that I won’t go fall crazy until September 😉 .
Natasha says
It’s because we only got out of school at the end of June! A lot of the southern US is enjoying summer in June and we’re slogging through the last month of school still… There are drawbacks either way.
But thank you for (mostly!) holding off on the fall content for those of us who are still soaking up the last of summer break!
Mix and Match Mama says
We should all stop at Memorial Day and start again at Labor Day 😉 .
Ryane says
100 hundred percent!!!!
jennibell says
YES!!!!
Laci Murray says
I wish we started school after Labor Day! We were never ready either and we are on the same school calendar as you!
SS says
Shay,
What a fun summer!! I laughed at the squirt gun thing…boys will be boys, right? We have an age gap between our olders and youngest….I would make playdough and who would be ready to play the oldest! We had a neighbor who loved squirt guns, so we would make a safe place…one foot off and you were done for. 😆
We will have to check out that game. We play games every night soaking in the summer evenings. We play sleeping queens, 31 and newly added Rummy (I am trying to introduce Rummicube and Phase 10)I told youngest you can’t graduate until you learn to shuffle cards! 😆
Have a great time getting settled back in and a year of firsts and lasts…Have a great Sr yr Miss K.
Desiree Leone says
Exciting Shay! Best wishes on your new home! XO, Desiree
Sarah DeWald says
What an exciting and fun summer! Thanks for taking us along!
Lori says
Sounds like a great summer and I can’t wait to see the new “Sea Shulls” for 2027! Spending time with your kids is the best. My kids are adults with families of their own and I adore every minute I get to spend with them.
Tracy Hoard says
Can you give more information about the Imposter App? There were several different versions listed. It sounds like something my granddaughters would love! Thank you!
Mix and Match Mama says
I just checked my phone and the app is called Imposter and the logo is black with the outline of a person in purple. It’s cute and can be played with at least 3 people.
Tracy Hoard says
Thank you so much! Eager to play with my grands!
Debbie says
Thanks for sharing! Congrats on the new house! Can’t wait to see it.
Rachel Kinneberg says
What a summer. Congrats on the new home. Looking forward to seeing all the renovation pictures as you guys do such an amazing job. Hopefully it will give me some inspiration for our MN lake home that we started building in 2024. Its a slow process but hoping its fully finished inside within the next few years.
Lori S H says
What a fantastic sounding summer! I can’t wait to hear more about your new Nantucket Home!
Enjoy this special time with your family before school starts back!
Laura Holmes says
So exciting! I can’t wait to see your new home.
Heather S says
Congratulations!! Cannot wait to see the new Sea Shull homestead. Will you be sharing the updates through the year?
And bring on alllllll the pumpkin and leafy goodness! They don’t call it Augtober for nothing🎃🍂🍁
Mix and Match Mama says
I think we will! Thank YOU for wanting to follow along!
Monica Stoleson says
What a blessing this post was to me!! Makes my mama heart so happy you were able to enjoy and have such sweet moments with your family this summer. As a mom who is also in this season of life, I laughed, cried and rejoiced with you. Congratulations on everything! Hugs and love ❤️
Sheaffer says
A very sweet summer and such exciting things ahead!!!!!! Can’t wait to see the new digs!
Paige M. says
Congrats on the new Nantucket house. Can’t wait to see pics.
Amber says
What a fun fill summer! I’ve enjoyed “our” time on Nantucket. Haha!! Congrats on the new house. I can’t wait to see it. K’s senior year is going to FLY by so enjoy it. We are moving our oldest to college next Saturday! eeekkk!!
Blake says
Congratulations on the new home! I am (irrationally?) giddy to follow along- I love content related to all things home!
Eliza Baer says
I just purchased the football season candle from bath and body works – a new favorite!!
Linda Oesterle says
I love your summers on the island! And I can’t believe Kensington is looking at colleges ~ time is a thief! I am wondering if you could tell me the size of your anchor charm on the pearl choker ~ I am obsessed with it! Thank you so much!
Mix and Match Mama says
Time is a thief! It certainly is. The anchor charm is their small size. They have “minis” in some of them, but this one is the small.
Cynthia Wheless says
Just precious and adorable!
Alyssa says
What a summer! As always, thank you SO much for bringing us a long! Excited for the new Sea Shulls house! Do you have any favorite or creative “house names” that you’ve seen around Nantucket?
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh I could do an entire post on this! There are SO many really creative names. Maybe I can take pics of my favorites next year and share?
Alyssa says
Yes!! That would be so fun!
Karah Stracener says
It looks like yall had another fun summer on Nantucket. Thank you for sharing your summers with us. I always love summers and all the slow family time. But, I will see I am looking forward to routine and back to school. I am so excited for your new chapter and house. I cannot wait to see the sneak peeks. We had a similar situation when we bought our house. My husband and I would drive down our street and I would always stare at one particular house. I loved it and all the character. One night at 11pm I saw it went on the market and immediately woke my husband up to tell him we had to go look at it. There were 5 offers on the house but since ours was the very first one we were moving in 1 month later. I like to think of it as a God wink.
Mix and Match Mama says
I love to think that too!!
Cindy Davis says
Wow ! CONGRATULATIONS on the new Nantucket house ! Can’t wait to see it and the renovations. So glad you guys had such a wonderful summer. You do so much and pack it all in a few months, it gives me out ! lol Enjoy the time with your family, because time flies and they’ll be grown and gone before you know it. Thanks for sharing !
Jennifer C. says
Eeeek!!! I can’t wait to follow along with your new house adventures! It sounds like it was truly meant to be. I love that.
My son is also a high school football player and there are a lot of offseason commitments. I’d complain to the coach, but I’m married to him. 😆 Truly, I love football and everything that comes with it. We have plans of someday doing a TX football weekend…hitting a high school, college, and Cowboys game in one trip. Turns out, your travel agency is really missing a corner of the market. 🤣🤣
Have the best day!
Mix and Match Mama says
bahahahaha! You are cracking me up! Come on down and enjoy a bit of the Lone Star State! We’d love to have you!
Lauren Palmer says
Okay, so I know it may not seem like it considering you had to call me from my front porch this morning to WAKE ME UP FOR OUR WALK!, but I am soooo glad you are back in McKinney. That being said, reading posts like this make so happy that the Sea Shulls love their life on Nantucket too. It sounds like y’all had such a fun summer! ❤️
Mix and Match Mama says
Bahahahaha! I’m so happy that my persistent calling and texting woke you up. It was SO NICE SEEING YOU AGAIN!!
Jackie says
I coached cross country for years and we always said “summer miles bring fall smiles!” Go, Ashby!
Mix and Match Mama says
Well this is so sweet!!
Gracie says
Love seeing your Nantucket life and living an island summer life vicariously through you!! ☺️ Cannot WAIT to see the new house! So excited for you!!!!
Kerri says
Wow! Been following you since the kiddos were little! I loved how you were a Red Sox Fan (look at them now 😊) since I live in Boston! Also we love our Cape Cod Summers ans ACK of course! My one and only daughter leaves for her first year of college in 3 weeks! Time flies! Enjoy Senior year it goes so fast! I feel like we were just doing the essays and applications! Now my house is filled with target and Amazon dorm stuff! Congrats on the new house cannot wait to see!
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh wow! What a bittersweet season for your family. I hope she has the BEST freshman year!!
Nikki says
How exciting! Congratulations on the new house…can’t wait to follow along!
Holly C says
So excited to follow along with your new ACK house adventure!! We too learned to play Tenzi this past weekend, such a fun little dice game… 🙂
Jessica Shobe says
Congrats on the new house! Can’t wait to see it. Looks like you had a wonderful summer. Excited to see where Kensington and Smith end up.
Kristen Sass says
What a summer! I am always amazed at how much you all pack in! My kids go back to school 3 weeks from today. We are one of the earliest to go back here in MA. I’m not ready for summer to end just yet….but fall here we come!!
Josie says
Sounds like a full summer! Curious- How did smith have time to work with everything else he had going on?
Mix and Match Mama says
He worked two to three 8 hour shifts each week, so there was time on all those other days 🙂 .
Lindi says
You mentioned “countless hours” driving your kids around this summer? I thought you guys don’t drive much on Nantucket?
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh we do! We certainly get to bike and walk a lot of places, but we drive to the beach almost daily, into town for dinner, Bartlett’s Farm, Something Natural, to go fishing or boating…we drive and always together which is extra special with my big kids who typically drive themselves 🙂 .
Debra says
Congrats on the new house! So excited for you! Cant wait to see pictures!
MICHELLE OKERLUND says
Wow!! Lots of Congratulations are in order! You guys don’t mess around! Hahaha! Looking forward to seeing all of the adventures coming up for you and the fam! I’m also looking forward to all the pumpkins and Fall decor and weather. Looks like Kensington is taking after her Momma with all of the Fall feels and smells! Enjoy the rest of the summer.
Kristin S says
Whoa, you buried the lede! That’s exciting.
Becky Carl says
Ah, this post made my day. I’m not sure who is more blessed, your family or all of us. I have followed you every post since 2011 and have absolutely loved every moment of watching your sweet family grow and the love and faith you all have. You have been an inspiration to all of us in one way or another. I have spent a lot more money following you and all your great finds. But at 71 in a couple more weeks, I would love to see more clothing for us senior gals! As much as I would love to dress like you, I’ve figured out it won’t happen at my age! Maybe idea for a post?? Anyway, everything else you do for us is so appreciated and I love to see your babies grow. You are right, babies don’t wait! I miss all my babies!! But love the adult versions too! Very blessed to have a beautiful family myself. Thank you for sharing your life with us. You are a role model for so many young mothers. Love you and yours, Shay!
Mix and Match Mama says
Becky, thank YOU so much for being here with me. I am so so grateful for you. Thank you for your sweet comment today. xx
Sarah Shaneyfelt says
What a sweet summer with your family and congratulations on the new house! I hope you do share updates with us because I love the renovation process (for other people….not myself LOL)
I started back to school this past Tuesday and the kids start next Tuesday–yuck! I still wish we were out of school until late August at least! But I did see candy corn out in stores and that put me in a fall mood!!
Mix and Match Mama says
I saw candy corn too! I resisted the urge to start buying it, but it gave me great joy just to see it in the store!
jennibell says
What a fun summer wrap-up! I just finished my July wrap-up today and feel like “I can’t believe I lived all of that’ – you feel the same way??? Congrats on the new house (isn’t that awesome when a dream becomes a reality?) and look forward to hearing where your bigs end up in the coming years – I’m sure they’ll thrive wherever planted. Happy back-to-school – but you can still grill out and enjoy the pool 😉
Beverly says
Mazel tov on your new home! I ca’t imagine any home nicer than the current one you put so much creativity and love into making it perfect for your family. The new family is so lucky to but this amazing home. Can’t wait to see what the new home will bring. You must really love the renovation process. Not. me. We waited 26 years to do some renovations on our over 100 year old home. Getting ready seems daunting and not sure we will survive the construction. Can’t agree on anything and how to fix this old, falling apart home so we can age in it without falling, I’m 73 and he’s 76 and he wants to keep the tub and I want it gone!
Can you come to Pa and take over?
All the best in your new home.
Mix and Match Mama says
Thank you for your sweet words, Beverly!
Joanna says
Congratulations on the new home…so exciting!!
Lisa says
That’s so special that you and Ashby are running together. I ran the Boston Marathon last year (for charity, and slowly 😉 ) but my dad did some of my training with me, including one day when we ran opposite directions in a loop in the woods so we would keep passing each other to high five. It was so special to me and one of my favorite parts of training, especially then having him at the finish line on Boylston Street!!
Mix and Match Mama says
Well this is SO SPECIAL! Good for YOU!
Bren says
Hello, Shay! Catching up late as I love to be intentional with my time reading here and the week was busy and got away from me. Oh how exciting! I cannot wait to follow along as you share about your new home! You did such a lovely job renovating your home in ACK and I am so looking forward to seeing what you have planned for this one.
It’s such an unusual place to be where I, a total stranger, feel so sentimental reading about your two bigs entering this stage of life. What an honor, and especially joy, it has been to follow along and watch your family grow and grow up. As always, thank you so very much for sharing. Happy back-to-school-can-we-say-it-is-fall-already season!
Mix and Match Mama says
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Bren!