What Are You Looking Forward to This Summer?

Oh glorious summertime. I can’t wait to swim in the outdoor lap pool, travel to the beaches in the South and to lakes in upstate New York, drinks on the deck, spending hours talking to friends, preparing easy summer dishes. I feel so grateful to live where I do, so I can get into my car and drive to beautiful places. I’m still a scaredy cat when it comes to international travel.

So many big(ish) wonderful things like finally seeing and hugging my family after a year, going to the beach, hugging friends, oysters and white wine in the sunshine.

But also summer reading! I got Anne Bogel’s summer reading guide (highly recommend), made a list, and told my husband I am going to spend as much money on books this year as I want – no guilt, no matter how many hard-covers I want. I told myself I would read less once I was fully vaccinated, but I think I’m addicted. I’m definitely reading more.

Camping trips! Our son is at an age where it is going to be so much fun to watch him explore and enjoy all the new things camping brings. We took him with every trip last summer, but he was only 18 months old so he didn’t explore and play like he does now.

FINALLY HAVING MY WEDDING! It’s been postponed for over a year and I feel so grateful and fortunate that we are finally able to have the wedding of our dreams.

water water water water!! my soul,body, mind is CRAVING water, the sounds, the feeling of floating weightless, the getting lost in the coast line… ALL. OF. IT.

I want to match the enthusiasm my 1.5 and 3 yr olds this summer. Pizza in a neighbor’s backyard? “Mama! I never been to a party before!” Pool? “Mama! We get to go IN the water?!” Takeout tacos on a picnic table? “We eating at a real restaurant!” It is pure magic and also heartbreaking: they just don’t remember how fun the world used to be. Can’t wait to re-introduce them to summer!

I’m due with my second baby in mid-July so I’m anticipating a nice slow summer getting to know our little girl. But with thankfully many more options for my 3-year-old to get out of the house, and with regular visits from grandparents now that we’re all fully vaccinated.

I will spend all summer anxiously anticipating November, when it will be dark and cold again :) But the bright spots of summer are outdoor yoga after work, a lake trip planned with extended family I’ve not seen in over a year, and BBQs with friends + cooler cold beers.

This summer I want to feel free again. My husband and I are fully vaccinated so, together with out young daughter, we’re going to the seaside in Greece. In the winter we’re dreaming about Greece with beautiful beaches, lifestyle and food and I can’t belive that in less than 2 weeks we’ll be there. The rest of the summer I want to go to the mountains and go outside in nature every day.

I work in the education system so I’m coming up on some time off this summer and I live on a little peninsula on the east coast of Canada. I’m looking forward to using my camper more often, reading loads of books on my front deck with a cold beverage, going to the beach with my family, staying up super late binge watching Netflix, watching my garden and flowers grow, eating fresh seafood, trying new recipes, taking my boat to one of the awesome local beaches that are only accessible by boat and going for ice cream on Sunday’s. This summer is also my daughter’s 16th birthday, my live-in nephew’s 18th birthday, my 45th birthday and my 17th wedding anniversary so I have some planning ahead of me as well.

picnics with friends & backyard come on over bbqs. but mostly hugging my sisters. our mother died in 2020 and it’s been such a strange time to grieve. i just want the three of us to get together and talk about it all and laugh and cry and drink wine and hug each other.

Reading the comments from our friends around the world outside of the US I’m sad that many of you are still waiting for vaccination and feeling like life is still on hold. I wish we could fast forward for you. I wish we could send you all the vaccinations from the US that many here are still refusing. Truly, we are SO lucky. I’m so incredibly grateful for all those in health care who have been working hard to get vaccinations out, to the drug companies and researchers for getting us safe vaccines so quickly, and for President Biden for being competent and caring about all of us so much and making this happen (I personally got my vaccine in March when Biden opened up all vaccinations to teachers, and I’m so grateful for this action). Thank you to everyone who has gotten vaccinated, and I hope anyone still waiting will do so soon. It feels incredible to have less fear and really be able to enjoy others and all of the summer fun again. Hang in there international friends, thinking of you.

I’m looking forward to a weekend trip with my siblings + their spouses! We’re all vaccinated and although we talk very regularly, we haven’t been in the same place together in 2 years.

Also, my husband and I are traveling to Seattle, Portland, and LA this summer! It feels so nice to have something fun to look forward to – we haven’t traveled just the two of us since our honeymoon!

This summer, my goal is to work on my New Year’s resolution to do all of the things that scare me, both big (e.g. starting therapy – had my second session yesterday!) and small (e.g. go to the movies by myself – saw Cruella on opening day!, say “yes” to my new neighbor’s offer to join her friends on a night out to a new restaurant (being the odd one out normally terrifies me), etc.). And thanks to Kim’s post from a while back, I signed up for a pottery class starting in September (turns out adult learning classes are just like summer camp for kids – you need to sign up months in advance). There will also be weekly trips to the beach (I’m lucky to live only 20 minutes away) for picnic lunches, frilly dresses and short shorts, lazy days on my balcony reading books, and lots of ice cream for dinner. Oh, and I’m going to take advantage of every historical walking tour my small New England tourist town offers. At 31, I’m finally more comfortable doing things on my own, and don’t want to waste anymore time *not* doing things. This past year has also taught me that I really don’t really care what anyone else thinks anymore – it’s gloriously freeing :)

I’m a teacher so my summers are wide open! I’m looking forward to an easier rhythm to my day and the freedom to eat, sleep, and even go to the bathroom whenever I want! Sleeping in past 6 AM, 9 Am workouts (such a civilized time of day), day trips to the beach and the mountains with my kids. I am really looking forward to going to the lake with my sister and her family. We weren’t able to go last year because of restrictions and we missed it so much. Our kids are all growing up (ages 14-20) and we think this might be the last year they will all come with us so I think it will be extra special.

Love this! I’m going to live like I’m 21 :)
But better this time.
I hope you have have the most amazing summer

Joanna, many moons ago, you mentioned how much Toby and Anton loved a particular art camp. I believe it was in Park Slope. I’ve been scouring your site to find this for my 4.5 yr old, but no luck. This summer, I’m looking forward to having her do all the fun activities that she missed out on last year!

I almost dreaded reading the comments, fearing everyone has these grand plans that most of us Europeans can’t have due to slower vaccinations. Am I an awful person to get relieved that most plans were rather low-key?
I will not be fully vaccinated until August, when I am already back to work, so there will not be any fun plans for me and my family this summer; no trips abroad, no nothing. We still have so many restrictions. Hopefully the beach will be open, so we can swim in the ocean.
I do look forward to seeing friends that I haven’t seen for a year, but mostly I look forward to this autumn :-) !

I was just talking with my mom the other day about how much we didn’t do last summer. No concerts or barbecues or 4th of July parades or amusement parks……

Here in Utah County every town has a week-long summer festival with a carnival, free family activities, lots of good food and (sometimes) a rodeo! Our town’s is next week and I CANNOT wait to get back to celebrating the traditions I’ve participated in since I was a little girl.

Hugging my Mom and sister.

Hugging Mom and Dad and Grandma and a Sister (or two) after over 2 years. Greeting dear friends’ brand new babies (well, almost 1 y olds by now…) in person at last. Living on different continents during a pandemic sucks, but my gratitude for the vaccines exceeds the misery of last year. So much joy ahead!

With a baby at home who is not vaccinated and has a genetic condition that could possibly make him at higher risk of serious illness from Covid, our family is still being cautious because we don’t want to get a mild case somehow (even though adults are vaccinated), and pass it on to him. Don’t have any other family nearby to pod up with. My parents live in another country where the vaccine rollout has been slow, and elderly people are just getting their first dose. Their second dose isn’t until 12 weeks later (the Astrazeneca) so it’ll be some time before they feel comfortable traveling. I’m happy for everyone who can feel more comfortable returning to more “normal,” but personally I’m dreading the Summer and it feels even harder than last Summer because I feel more alone in this situation! It’s not easy taking care of a baby with other kids in normal times but this just makes it so much harder. My husband has been able to thankfully work from home this past year and help out but now he is expected to be back in the office. It’s hard seeing other people hanging with friends more freely and reuniting with family. I’ve had to stop looking at social media to not be depressed/envious. Especially with our state not having an indoor mask mandate anymore soon, it is going to limit where we feel comfortable going. We have a lower percentage of vaccinated people, higher number of Covid cases in our area. Trying to enjoy the nicer weather these days in our area, and doing outdoor activities where we can still distance. Dreading when the heat hits and staying at home will be mostly what we are doing, and our AC unit is not the best so we all get a bit cranky together. I mean, I’m used to staying home by now but I’m burnt out of thinking of activities for my kids. Can’t wait for the vaccines for age 6 months and up to be approved! Fingers crossed it’ll be before Christmas. I’m glad so many can enjoy things more and I do feel less nervous being out than before with some people being vaccinated (and thankfully half the people I see are still wearing masks outside even though they’re not required to!), but please be mindful of people like us when talking about all the fun you’re having! Probably a very small percentage but we exist. :) other countries are still struggling too, and don’t have the access to vaccines like the U.S. has. Hoping all countries get over this worldwide situation soon!

As a fully vaccinated Californian, I’m looking forward to being maskless. I thought I could make it through the extreme heat last summer with masks, but it was horrible. I am happy to go without a mask, but I will also mask up if required to in businesses. My summer won’t really change from last year. I don’t do a lot.

I’m looking forward to living in flowy summer dresses, the loose-fitting, no-undergarments-necessary kind.

I came home from the beach the other day – my skin sun-kissed, my spirit reborn – and slipped into a breezy, floral beauty of a dress and instantly, I felt alive and ethereal and absolutely ME. In that moment, no care in the world, no grieving this past year’s losses, no planning for the future. It was just me, touched by the magic of a near-summer’s day, twirling in a dress.

More of that…THAT’S what I look forward to :)

Eating outdoors, listening to outdoor concerts, going on a few vacations, and just as orient in-person quality time with my boo, friends, and family. I love this time of year!!!