inbetween

The Weird Little In-Between: When Summer Isn’t Over, But You Can Feel Fall Coming

There’s something weird about this part of August.

Summer isn’t over… but you can feel it changing.

The days are still warm. The kids are still sleeping later than they should. Bedtimes have basically become a suggestion, and there’s probably at least one popsicle wrapper, wet towel, or random pair of flip-flops somewhere in the house that shouldn’t be there. 😂

But underneath all of that summer chaos, there’s this little feeling that routine is coming.

And honestly?

I have mixed feelings about it.

Part of me is craving it.

I miss having a schedule. I miss knowing what day it is. I miss getting everyone where they need to be without having to answer, “What are we doing today?” approximately 47 times before lunch.

But another part of me wants to hold onto summer for as long as possible.

Because these lazy mornings won’t last forever.

The kids won’t always wander out of the bedroom looking for breakfast at 10 a.m. They won’t always spend their days outside, playing, arguing, laughing, getting dirty, and coming inside asking for snacks five minutes after they just ate.

The house won’t always be this loud.

And as exhausting as it can be, I know I’ll miss it.

That strange feeling of being caught between two seasons

Late August always feels like we’re living somewhere between summer and real life.

The calendar starts filling up again.

Sports are creeping back in.

Appointments need to be booked.

Clothes need to be sorted.

There are things to buy, things to organize, and approximately one million things that somehow need to happen before everyone settles back into a routine.

And meanwhile, the kids are still like:

“Can we go outside?”

Yes.

Absolutely.

Go enjoy it.

Because I’m not ready to rush them either.

Maybe we don’t have to be ready yet

I’ve been reminding myself lately that I don’t need to suddenly become the perfectly organized mom just because the season is changing.

I don’t need to have everything figured out.

I don’t need a perfectly organized house, a colour-coded calendar, a freezer full of meals, and everyone’s entire life planned out.

Maybe I can just take these last few weeks for what they are.

A little messy.

A little chaotic.

A little bittersweet.

And very, very normal.

There will be plenty of time for routines.

There will be plenty of mornings when we’re rushing around looking for missing shoes.

There will be plenty of packed schedules, early mornings, activities, practices, lunches, homework, and everything else that comes with another busy year.

For now, I’m trying to enjoy the slow.

Even when the slow is loud.

Even when someone is fighting with their sibling.

Even when the kitchen somehow looks like a tornado passed through it.

Even when I haven’t had a quiet 5 minutes all day.

Because one day, I’ll look back at these ridiculous, messy summer days and realize they were the days I wanted to remember.

So if you’re in that weird little in-between too, maybe you don’t have to rush it.

Enjoy the late mornings.

Stay outside a little longer.

Say yes to the spontaneous plans.

Let bedtime slide occasionally.

Take the pictures.

Make the memories.

And don’t worry if you aren’t completely ready for what’s next.

Neither am I. ❤️

Are you ready for routine to return, or are you hanging onto summer with both hands?

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