Summer

Here's a completely non-original statement: I have a love/hate relationship with summer.

I'll happily admit that having kids who are now mostly independent means I often let them play videogames or watch TV so I can grab an extra hour of sleep. I put in endless hours of sleepless nights so I've earned this.

Having three children who are total homebodies just like their mom makes me happy enough to throw them a party as a way of saying thank you for not making me go out in public every day. We've worked so hard to make our home a place of happiness, love, and relaxation so honestly why would we ever leave anyway? I mean, there's also the fact that the heat index all week is gonna be above 100 degrees (Dear Oklahoma weather, I super don't like you) and our car has no air conditioning.

Yet there's this stigma attached to staying home. Others may call it social anxiety, which I like to joke about but really don't think is my problem. I suppose it could've been labeled that way in high school and college? But not really. Honestly I think it was just a case of no self esteem and feeling like I had no one and like I wasn't worth anyone's time. That doesn't exactly equate social anxiety.

But now, at nearly 36 I find myself a changed woman. A grown-up, in the basic sense of the label. I keep a pretty tidy house, cook at least one meal for my family a day, and have managed to keep one houseplant alive for a little over a year. Just don't look at the plants on my porch or around our house. Again, I remind you of the heat index and I just don't care enough to stand out there and water them.

While others snapchats and instagrams are filled with summer adventures mine would bore most to tears. We go out on the weekends when dad and the air conditioned vehicle are home, sure, but most of the time you'll find us in front of the window units with books in our hands or laptops open, eating as many snacks as our bellies can handle. This'll also explain to any of my fitbit friends why I usually average about 4,000 steps a day. The me three years ago would be ashamed. The me now is just so proud that I've learned to finally relax.

All of that nonsense was just a little backstory so you could fully appreciate the fact that I got my ass up at 6:15am yesterday so I could drop Cory off at work and keep the truck, then taking the kids out for an afternoon at the science museum. I mean...can I get some applause?

And in the spirit of remembering the summer of 2016, which shall be labeled as the summer of laziness, I have a goal to make a few tiny movies of those rare moments when we do leave the house. I'm not gifted in the art of videography or cinematography, but damn these are fun to make. Seeing these kids frozen in time while moving is just so good.