Summer Living: 6 Moms Weigh in on Camp, Work and Bucket Lists
F. Scott Fitzgerald famously wrote, “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function." I think about this quote often, and lately it is in regards to summer.
In so many ways, I live for summer. I want to sleep-in and stay out late! I want to eat greasy cheeseburgers and drink rosé at happy hour. I want to soak in the joy of my kids tubing on the lake or swinging from a rope into the Blue Hole in Wimberly. I want to park hop and pool hop around Austin with my kids and our friends like it's our job!
Speaking of jobs, though, much unlike the production job I held for four years after college, our jobs don't go on hiatus for the summer. Around January I start to plot what shape summer will take. How many camps do the girls need to be in? Which ones? What will my work schedule be like? What trips should we take and for how long? Which weeks will be the easiest to leave town in terms of work? There of course is no wrong answer, just a myriad of trade offs. I decided to chat with other moms to find out what summer looks like for them:
Megan Papay, Cofounder FRĒDA SALVADOR
1. What does this summer look like for you and your kids? i.e. your work schedule, camps/childcare, vacation?
Our summer forever changed during lockdown because we had the opportunity to work from anywhere. We rented a house on the Gallatin River in Montana and realized that working remotely during the summer was a long term option; I was able to physically be away from FRĒDA and everything survived and it fact it felt incredible because I was actually enjoying myself (as opposed to my former life of counting the days until school starts because it's just easier with structure.) With the sun setting around 10 p.m. there, I could work until evening and still have an entire day ahead of me to hike, fish, hang out with friends, play cornhole etc. We ended up buying a little cabin in the Madison River Valley and now we spend every summer there.
I have one daughter who is almost 16, so this summer will be super fun with her driving. Our house is in a very remote part of Montana with the closest town being 45 minutes away, but the country roads are stunning and driving to town with the music loud and the windows down is my favorite thing. We live on a ranch on the Madison River with two fairly large lakes, so we spend a lot of time fly fishing, paddle boarding, and hiking/walking with the dogs. Because our cabin is so tiny, we built a barn that holds two airstreams for guests to stay, an industrial kitchen, bar etc. There's rarely a day that we don't have friends or family roll through which we love. I can work quietly in my house during the day and then hang with friends after work. Workwise I feel more productive there than anywhere else. I think because there aren't as many distractions and I am motivated to get things done so I can join the fun. I put my computer and phone away after work which is liberating.
2. Are you excited for summer? Why or why not? What feelings do you have about summer?
I am beyond excited for summer! It's the only season that I feel like there is true life after the work day ends. I feel so happy and free. Work days fly by and then I feel like a kid again. We just play and hang out and cook huge meals. Life is so simple there and I genuinely have work/life balance. I always come back to California motivated to keep the Montana momentum going. Put in a hard day's work but then allow myself to unwind and get out of the grind but it never holds. That makes me sad because I am grateful to live in Sausalito; life could be simpler here but it just isn't. I haven't cracked that code yet.
3. Three things on your summer bucket list?
1. The 4th of July parade and rodeo in Ennis and then fireworks in West Yellowstone
2. Exploring new hiking trails
3. Making dinner on the fire and eating every meal outside
Priscilla Vega, owner of PR Vega
1. What does this summer look like for you and your kids? i.e. your work schedule, camps/childcare, vacation?
I work from home so I have the extreme privilege/challenge of navigating work/home life. I love the variety of summer schools available to us in LA but I also love having my kids home with me during the summer because I believe there’s a valuable lesson to be learned from “bored time.” So I try to book them for a few weeks of fun camps (tennis, art, cooking etc…) while leaving breaks in between for lazy mornings and pool days. We are also big fans of quick weekend getaways so we’ll jaunt up the coast for a long weekend or make our way to the mountains for some cool air.
2. Are you excited for summer? Why or why not? What feelings do you have about summer?
As my kids get older, every season feels different. They’re so independent now so I feel like they’re going to make this summer their own, which is really exciting. I hope they’re making memories and will remember these summers much like I remembered mine as a kid. The best summers were not the ones with big vacations but rather the ones where we got to explore our independence and run about the neighborhood and make new friends.
3. Three things on your summer bucket list?
* surprise my kids with one of my many talents
* discover a new tradition
Amy Parker Anderson, UX at Warby Parker
1. What does this summer look like for you and your kids? i.e. your work schedule, camps/childcare, vacation?
Summer is a juggle of logistics! Thankfully my husband and I both have flexible work schedules so we are doing a mixture of day camps, sports camps, trips and the best of all.... cousin camp. My in-laws love to host all the grandkids for a week and they get to do sleepovers, swim all day long and eat popsicles together. We get to drop them off and then come get them a week later. We also keep a couple of weeks open so we all don't feel over programmed and can enjoy the long summer days together. Also, I recently heard my 20 year high school reunion is happening this summer, but that math can't be right ;)
2. Are you excited for summer? Why or why not? What feelings do you have about summer?
If you know me, you know my motto is 'Loves fall, hates everything else'. Give me layers and scarves and a heavenly smelling fire pit. I do well in summer if I'm simply propped up at a pool with a book and someone is bringing me snacks and drinks. It's a very specific setting. Otherwise, I really dislike the heat and bugs. To make the most of it, I try to take advantage of the longer days and later daylight and throw some fun dinner parties for my friends - even if for no other reason than to just bring everyone together over a meal.
3. Three things on your summer bucket list?
1. Beach, always the beach.
2. Taking my oldest daughter, Parker, back to NYC for her 10th birthday. We moved away when she was younger, but she loves the city life and has a list of her favorite spots to see and museums to explore. Getting her ears pierced at Rowan is at the top of the list!
3. Celebrate my birthday! I always say growing a year older is a privilege, not everyone gets to do it. We have a family tradition of stating your 'birthday goals' and it can be any 3 things you hope and wish for for the upcoming year of life.
4. Can I add a 4th? Cause it would be to play more golf! My dad and I try to get out once a week, if we can!
Danielle Estrada, Senior Manager at Slack
1. What does this summer look like for you and your kids? i.e. your work schedule, camps/childcare, vacation?
We didn’t do summer camp this year. The goal was to use that money to take some spontaneous summery getaways and staycations. We will see where the season takes us.
2. Are you excited for summer? Why or why not? What feelings do you have about summer?
Yes. Summer is our favorite time of year. Slightly stressed because I’ll also be working full time. But summer is magic and we are ready.
3. Three things on your summer bucket list?
1. Spontaneous escapes - road trips
2. Creek swimming
3. Mexico City 2 week family vacation
Kelly Colchin, Art Director
1. What does this summer look like for you and your kids? i.e. your work schedule, camps/childcare, vacation?
As a freelance artist I love that I am able to take on a lighter load during the summer. This summer we will do a mix of camps (some old favorites and some new), summer vacations (Santa Fe, Texas Coast and California!) and time off for everyone enjoying the summer together.
2. Are you excited for summer? Why or why not? What feelings do you have about summer?
I am excited about summer but I always feel like the year is a crunch right at the end. I also dread the Texas heat that becomes unbearable by the end of July. This year we planned a trip to the West Coast to catch a break and I think that will be the perfect antidote.
3. Three things on your summer bucket list?
1. Eating peaches off the tree at our family ranch.
2. Hitting our favorite swimming holes: Blue Hole, Hamilton Pool and Deep Eddy on repeat.
3. Exploring Santa Fe for the first time as a family!
Chalimar Chieza, Educator and Realtor
1. What does this summer look like for you and your kids? i.e. your work schedule, camps/childcare, vacation?
This is my third summer out of the classroom so summers look very different now and things are a bit more freeform. My kids usually are at home during the day and have a rotating dance card of sports camps that they attend. Day camps are expensive and we haven’t figured out a way to get all three kids in them yet but hoping that next summer we will be able to figure it out. This will be my third summer outside of the classroom so I no longer have the time off to spend freely with them. Usually I’m working most of the day now but I try to be intentional with how I spend time with them and we will eat breakfast and lunch and dinner together still. Rubye usually does STEM camp online through this awesome program called IAMSTEM for the second half of the summer so she attends those classes most of the day and Solo will sit in with her learning as much as he can. Zeke will be in daycare through the week during the daytime so that his routine will be consistent.
2. Are you excited for summer? Why or why not? What feelings do you have about summer?
I love summer. I love having the kids nearby and doing impromptu things like going for a swim in the morning before my workday begins or working out with the kids in the evening. I love our summer routine and how life slows down and I especially love all of the summer foods we eat as we try to work with whatever we are growing currently in the garden. Summer has always brought good memories for me and I look forward to opportunities to create memories with my kids each year. Whether we are going camping or trying out a new museum in Dallas or Houston bc we just so happen to be there for soccer, or spending time with cousins- summer is a vibe and I’m here for it!
3. Three things on your summer bucket list?
Traveling with the kids, solo travel, self care in the form of gardening/photography/writing/bubble baths :)
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