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Seven Things I Hate About Summer (and Some I Love)

seven things I hate about summer (and some I love)I love the idea of summer more than I love summer days.

Yes, summer is walking in the light at 9:00 pm, sleeping late, and the beauty of unstructured days.

Summer is the vibrant hum of kids laughing and splashing, porch-sitting, and barbecues with friends.

The beach during the summer months is probably why scrapbooking was invented.  

Summer is promise of a new school year that feels forever away.

It’s pressing a wrapped sandwich from a cooler to your cheek, and reaching down into the depths, with faith that your hand will find a cold drink.

Summer is slower; easier somehow.

June is sweaty adventures in fresh-cut grass, fireflies, and the birth of fairies.

July and August have magic, too. My son’s birthday is in July. Mine, in August.

So yes, I love summer.

But.

But there are some things about summer that are less than magical. 

Seven Things I Hate About Summer (and Some I Love About Summer)

  1. Mosquitoes. I grew up in Colorado, and sure, there are mosquitoes there, but holy mother of horror, the mosquitoes here in Northern Virginia make the ones in Colorado look like couch potatoes.
  2. Ticks. Ticks in Colorado? Maaaaybe during the month of June, if you’re in the mountains. My brother got one after a camping trip when we were kids. The one my dad pulled from the back of his neck is the only tick I ever saw in Colorado.
    Here in Virginia? In April (APRIL!), when I first moved here, I took my
    dog Chief for a hike. We weren’t out for more than a couple of hours and came home with almost 20 ticks between us. Seriously, WTF?
    That was not a solitary incident. Here, people get ticks sitting in their yards, or on Cub Scout trips. This past weekend, we took my son to a rocket launch and saw two within minutes of one another. *SHUDDER*
  3. Bugs.
    See above and don’t even get me started on cicadas, one of whom is responsible for blowing up my light fixture after flying into it one night.
     

    3.5 Cicadas. I *know* they’re harmless, but they’re loud, creepy, and sneak up on you. You can be having a pleasant night outside, hanging on the porch after having some grilled chicken and a beer and BOOM! One’s squacking near your hair. Maybe aiming for your ear, to lay a million baby eggs there. Also, they are ugly.

    (and he so is beyond fucking ugly)

  4. Humidity. I remember the morning I was confused as to why my living room door was fogged up, like a bathroom mirror. Had I left the door to the bathroom open while showering? Nope. The fog was on the outside of the door, and that’s just wrong.
  5. Unstructured days. Yeah, yeah, I know I said up there in the intro that they’re awesome, and they can be, when mama doesn’t need to work, go anywhere, or happens to enjoy some time on the porch without the constant ask for “more water balloons,” or hearing “I’m bored” for the 1,001 time.
  6. It’s. Freaking. Hot. I don’t like being hot. I don’t love being cold, either, but at least when you’re cold, you can snuggle up in a bunch of blankets and warm up. When you’re hot, and middle-aged, it’s not like you or anybody else wants you peeling off more clothes than you wore to the playground.
  7. Shopping for swimsuits. Enough said. Ok fine, I’ll say more. Even when I was young and fit, I hated shopping for swimsuits. It’s just so much pressure, or something.

Those are the seven things I hate about summer.

Still, I’m in love with walking in the light at 9:00 pm, sleeping late, sandwiches from a cooler, birthdays, and the promise of river adventures and fireworks seen from the cooling sand of a beach.

Also? This boy’s hair, that has grown from my words of “your hair, your choice.” There are days I’ve hoped he’d decide to cut it. Tonight, after swim practice, I looked over and was like “OH. THIS.” This is why we do this.

If there’s a such thing as summer hair, my not-so-little-little boy has it, I think.

seven things I hate about summer (and some I love) and this is why we do long hair for a boy

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This has been a Finish the Sentence Friday post. This week’s sentence is “The things I love and hate about summer…”

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  • Robin - As always, you say what is in my heart.June 8, 2017 – 10:13 pmReplyCancel

  • Lisa @ The Meaning of Me - I think you’re going to see some very similar thoughts on my page – I’m just searching for photos. You’ve said what’s on my mind (again) and this time, what will also be on my post. 😀 Let’s talk about #6 – I say that so often! So true.
    Can’t believe how grown-up that not-so-little boy is looking. They are not supposed to be this big.June 8, 2017 – 10:39 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Great minds, right? And I know…they’re so not supposed to be this big. Sigh. Also, yuck to being hot and again, great minds! 😉June 9, 2017 – 6:32 pmReplyCancel

  • Dana - Hazel eats cicadas, so that’s disgusting. I’m with you on so many of these things, Kristi – the heat and humidity, the bugs, the awesome summer hair (wow!). You know what would make this summer even better? Seeing you!June 9, 2017 – 7:18 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Ew to Hazel eating cicadas. One of my neighbors told me that her daughter (8) heard that they taste like shrimp, so she’s been begging her mom to grill them. UM NO. And yes, let’s make a lunch date!June 9, 2017 – 6:52 pmReplyCancel

  • Debi - I hate mosquitos more than anything. My daughter and I once spent a blissful summer evening reading in our rope-based hammock only to discover that both of us had mosquito bites ON OUR BEHINDS EVEN THOUGH WE WERE WEARING JEANS. JEANS. Yes, all-caps because MOSQUITOS CAN APPARENTLY BITE THROUGH JEANS. Mosquitos are jerks. I’m with you – summer without the nasty bugs would be way better!June 9, 2017 – 11:00 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Through your jeans?!?!!? That’s just wrong! OMG. I hate them. I hate ticks more because they scare me that they could be living on me and I wouldn’t know it but mosquitos suck. (literally hehe)June 9, 2017 – 6:53 pmReplyCancel

  • Lisa @TheGoldenSpoons - Girl, I’m with you!! I love the lazy days, not packing lunches, etc. but I despise the bugs, the heat, and the bathing suits!June 9, 2017 – 4:15 pmReplyCancel

  • Kerry - Love this list Kristi.

    I was just in the Yukon last week and it is light there, all day and night. The sun sets but it remains perpetual twilight until sunrise a few short hours later. Being back since and experiencing that starts my summer off in a weird way.

    We just hit the start of mosquito season there too and I hardly remember being bothered by them at all. Their black fly season is August. I remember the black flys and the difference between them and mosquitos we have here.

    I actually like the sound of cicadas in the trees or grass, but not right in front of me. It’s the June bugs that make me cringe. They buzz on my porch or I hear one at the screen when I am inside, thankfully on the other side from the actual bug.

    The bathing suit thing really can be awful. I know we all want that not to be the case. How come it always is?

    Both my nephews have birthdays in August, just ten days apart. It makes gift giving a big thing right around then, as I am forever trying to be the awesome aunt who buys them the exact thing they’ve been wanting.

    My grandmas died in June/July and that is hard, but both my transplant (June 97) and my brother’s (July, 2013) make this time of year special and a season I celebrate, even though I hate humidity and spend most of my time in an air conditioned place.

    I hope you and Tucker have a great summer though. I do remember how exciting it was, when I was in school. That feeling is the best.June 12, 2017 – 8:43 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Kerry,
      I just googled June bugs because I wasn’t sure what they were and realized we have them too – gross! For some reason, cicadas bother me more (maybe because they’re bigger, and louder??). I’m ok with them in the trees too but they have flown into my house twice, into a light and the noise and trying to get them out while they sizzle… ugh. Stuff of scary dreams! My husband actually broke a light that he was trying to get one out of!
      For the bathing suits, I wish we all just accepted that bodies are beautiful no matter what. But, we don’t. Sigh. I’ll bet your the best auntie ever for your nephews – that you care so much about getting them just what they want is so special and they’ll remember that forever.
      Sorry about your grandmas – remembering any deaths are hard for sure. I’m glad you and your brother’s transplants are able to bring a month of celebration to the months they both died.
      I hope you have a great summer too! Only 8 more days of school for Tucker!June 13, 2017 – 7:25 pmReplyCancel

  • Katia - I know I’m repeating myself, but I love it so much when you illustrate your posts! It’s actually one of my favourite things. Bugs are terrible and ruin everything. I 100% agree with you on everything. And Tucker’s hair is to die for. I may take it to the salon with me because that wouldn’t be creepy at all. Love you!June 12, 2017 – 4:55 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Aw thanks, Katia! Bugs suck! LOL to taking Tuck’s hair to the salon with you!!! ;D LOVE YOU!June 13, 2017 – 7:28 pmReplyCancel

  • Echo - Oh my god, the bugs! Burn them all. Give me fuel and fire, man! Also, unstructured days, yes, I feel you. My son has NO CLUE what to do with himself and I mean that literally. I’ll be in the sanitarium, with my jar of whiskey by July!June 12, 2017 – 11:51 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Echo! I know! Fuel and fire and burn them all!! LOL to unstructured days and sanitarium with a jar of whiskey by July!! (Same here OMG)
      I’ll be right there with you. We’ll get through without the bell tolling (I hope). Look to the sky just before…June 13, 2017 – 7:31 pmReplyCancel

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