I'm Going To Make Summer My B----

I stocked up on beer, I set up the pool, I'm thawing various meats as we speak, and I have procured some incendiary devices. In short, I am prepared to rock this summer as a summer has never been rocked before.

As I look ahead to all the summer activities I have planned with my sons, my schedule is already filled through July. I've been wanting to pack in everything that summer used to mean to me as a kid. I want to share all my greatest summer experiences with them this year.

We've hit Six Flags a few times already and plan to again. We took our first swim in the yard today. Fishing is on the agenda. There are summer movies we need to make some time for. I have yet to hit a baseball game with them, but I hope to do that later this month. Evening before bed have been spent on video games in the cool of the basement.

What I think I really need to do, however, is slow down a little.

After all, isn't that part of a childhood summer too? The complete lack of responsibility and being downright bored from time to time is, perhaps, my greatest memory of summer. I remember, even amongst friends, sitting around under a tree and not knowing what the hell to do with myself. But even then, I knew this was a luxury.

I can't remember the last time I sat in the grass and wondered what I should do. There have been plenty of time that I've wondered what I should do next or what I ought to do. For while I've had my lazy moments, there has always been something to do that I was just avoiding. It has been many years since I sat doing nothing with another few weeks of nothing on my plate.

When we pull up ion front of the house after a late movie, picking them up from their friend's house, a long drive home from the amusement park, or any multitude of other summer activities and they get their second wind and chase fireflies around the lawn, I'm reminded to take it easy. Moments like that are what summer is made of.

You can plan a party for a month, you can schedule day after day of fun, but summer is organic. the best summer memories are going to come out of nowhere.

It's not going to be the blockbuster movie you caught on opening day that you remember. It's going to be the amazing sunset you stepped out of the theater just in time to see.

You won't remember who your favorite team was playing, but you will always remember the look on your kid's face as they watched the home run sail over the left field fence and high-fived you in excitement.

You won't keep track of how many hours you spent in the pool. But on certain days, when the wind blows just right and you close your eyes, it'll take you back to that day your son fell asleep in the floating raft as twilight hit.

Go out and grab summer by the balls. Make it yours. Soak in every minute. But let it soak you in every now and then, too. Don't move so fast that you miss the little things because that extra time and that laid back attitude is what it's all about.