Ain't Nobody Had Time for Summertime!

By: Reign Boxley-Martin

Must be nice to gather up the family and head out on an extravagant Summer vacation every year, without a care in the world.  Nicole Richie and family recently took off on a yacht in the South of France…even the kids were living it up! 

Nicole Richie & Family enjoying a Summer vacation in the South of France

I’m not mad at her for living her life, but in my opinion, the media’s portrayal of the lavish lifestyle is so not realistic.  Money, cars and trips…yeah, that’s not my life.  My focus is realistic to the everyday lives of the average American.  So much so, that I have missed out on enjoying the fact that it is Summertime.  I can’t believe that I haven’t done anything!

No vacation, no fun, no relaxation…nothing.

I’m not a celebrity, and can’t quite afford the yacht in the South of France.  Maybe if I save for the next several years, then there is a very slim chance that I could be somewhere in the South of France, acting brand new (because I could) with my shades and big floppy hat.  To be honest, I’m not even sure that would be my choice for a vacation, but you all get the point.  Until then, I’ll just go with what I know because I still want to feel like I’ve had a Summer once it’s all said and done.

The Dog Days of Summer are here...

We have about a month left until school is back in session, and exactly 2 months until the first day of Autumn/Fall.  There are still a ton of activities out there to do, even if you’re short on time or money. 

Since there isn’t much time, or copious amounts of money, I’ve decided to put together a short list of things to fill up what little time remains now that we are officially in the Dog Days of Summer.

• Fun in the Sun: Visit the nearest waterpark or beach with a group of friends or family.  Look for coupons to help minimize cost, and save money by purchasing your tickets (try your local grocery store) before heading to the park.  A day at the beach typically won’t cost more than a couple of dollars for parking, especially if you pack a picnic lunch.  Luckily, I am about an hour away from 2 waterparks and a beach.  While we don’t frequent either on the regular, we have already been a couple of times this year.
• Family Time: Yes, we’re back to discussing good old family time!  It’s important!  Grab the kids and head to your local museum or zoo for the day.  Have a Children’s Museum in your city? Even better!  These museums are typically great for all ages, even adults, and are not very costly.  Taking my nephew to the Children’s Museum was one of the most fun days that we’ve had in a long time.  I can’t wait for him to come down for a visit so that I can take him to the zoo.
• Entertainment: Grab a movie, spend some time in an arcade or catch an outdoor concert.  Most major cities have venues that host concerts by popular music artists that are easy on the pockets, simply because you are outside.  While I’m not much of an arcade type of girl, and I don’t really like being outside, I do plan to catch up on a couple of movies.  I’ve also been stalking Ticket Master for the next concert to take place at my local outdoor Pavilions and other venues.

There are many benefits to volunteering!

• Give Back:  Find an organization that stands for something near and dear to your heart, and get involved by volunteering.  This is a great way to burn time and calories (if you need too, lol) and you’re also doing a good thing by helping others.  I am planning to volunteer at the local Food Bank, and will be looking for a Big Sister program that I can join in the next couple of weeks.
•  Make Money: Host a garage sale, or clean out your closet by selling to resale shops.  You may even lead to a new hobby or even business venture!  I am taking the opportunity to clean out old closets and will get rid of stuff that I don’t need by selling it in a garage sale at the end of the Summer.
•  “Honey Do” List:  Knock out some of the things on your “Honey Do List”.  Think about it, if you get it out of the way now, then you won’t have to be bothered by it when you are busy!  I am planning to start a small garden of vegetables in my backyard.  Oh yeah, and the “honey” will be getting a new list to include preliminary plans for a vacation to be taken in the next 9 months.

Hopefully this is enough to keep us all busy, and keeps us all from lusting over that Yacht experience in the South of France.  I’m not saying that it can’t happen, but let’s be realistic and take advantage of the resources that are available to us to make the most of the last couple of weeks.

Soon, you’ll be buying backpacks, fighting school zone traffic and helping with those aggravating multiplication tables after you clear off the dinner table.  So, enjoy the remainder of your Summer while you can!

About to be there, about to do that…about to live that life, just saying.