What This Teacher Loves Most About Summer

Teachers LOVE our summer vacations! It's a chance to regroup, have some fun and get caught up on things that we just don't have time for during the school year. I always have big plans for my vacation time to make the most of every day. How about you? I'm linking up with my sweet friend Aimee at Primarily Speaking to tell you what I love most about summer!

There are so many reasons why I love summer vacation time. 
 I've narrowed it down to my top 5.

Summertime: I'm a sunshine gal for sure.  A sunny warm day just makes my heart happy.  I feel way more energetic in the summer than during the gray winter months.  I love to hang out at the pool, water park or the beach.  Don't you love this graphic from Life is Good?  It sums it up perfectly!

I love to look out of the window and see flowers.  This mandarin lights azalea is so pretty when it blooms! 

Me time: Me time = a summer full of hair, doctor, vision and dental appointments.  It's just too hard to take a day off of teaching for those things.

It is nice to be able to just slow down the pace enough to leisurely sip a cup of coffee and check emails, read Facebook posts and blogs.  It's a time to reconnect with the world in general!

Mom time: Both of us are so busy during the school year (my son with homework and myself with school work) that we need this bonding time together.  Now that he's going to be a senior, our focus has shifted from a field trip experience a day to independent living 101 and college/career exploration!  We always take a vacation of some sort too.  Last year we visited the Smokey Mountains.  This year, we are headed to an out of town wedding and then it's off to climb the beautiful Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes and splash at the Michigan's Adventure water park.

Project time: I'm not talking about crafts here.  I only wish.  My summers as a homeowner are devoted to things like window replacements, landscaping, contractors, organizing closets, fixing drippy faucets, cleaning the garage and all of that.  Teachers really have two homes to maintain. During the school year, I am focused on keeping my classroom clean and organized and then certain things at home get pushed to the back burner.  This is how I have spent my first few weeks off.  I'm moving and building a new place to call home! :) 

Treat time: Summer is a great time to go out to eat, swing by Dairy Queen, stop at Orange Leaf, grab a frappuccino, go to barbecues and do a whole lot of EATING!  I don't know what it is about summer and food...

I try to get outside for a daily power walk and burn some of those extra calories! 

This to die for crispy honey chicken is from PF Changs at our outdoor mall. The mall (dangerously close to home) is really happening in the summer with live music and all sorts of action.  I LOVE to shop there.  I am watching my spending this year, but I often save up all of the moolah I can during the winter so I can give myself permission to do some shopping in the summer!

See the winter coat and boots on the little one in the photo?  The bare trees?  Much of the year in Michigan is cold and down right bone-chilling frigid, so I LOVE SUMMER and appreciate every day! 

What do you love most about summer?