Summer: From FOMO and Comparison to Joy and Core Memories

Here’s how to make this season matter.

If you’re maxed out, carrying the emotional and logistical weight of your family’s calendar and well-being, while navigating a demanding job, this is for you. If a dreamy summer abroad feels like a luxury or a guilt trip, even if you secretly want it, you need to hear this.

Every summer, we make a bucket list.

Some years it’s more detailed. Some years, it’s more about the vibes. But the idea is always the same:

Let’s make this season ours.

This summer, our list included Europe — a dream trip. But also pool playdates, bowling with friends, and kids’ activities like golf, gymnastics, and jiu-jitsu. We checked off four Colorado staycations and enjoyed Pikes Peak, the Brown Palace, the Titanic Exhibit, the Celestial Seasonings tour, and more.

We spent time with our grandparents. We had lazy mornings and lazy rivers. We summered.

And now, here’s what’s still left:

• Make a pie
• One (ok maybe two) more sleepovers, a handful of lateovers
• The farmers market and county fair
• A bike ride around the lake and a mountain hike