A note from me — this post was originally supposed to go live last weekend, and then things spiraled wildly at our house (thank you weather!) so I spent the week pivoting. I also took myself out for a date to the laundromat — an underrated form of self-care after a few days of no power or water.
I’ve seen so much online1 lately about the pressure moms feel to make summer feel magical for kids. I feel it, too, in part because my summers growing up were magical. When I was young, I spent my days outside — climbing my neighbor’s oak tree, reading in the grass, playing Marco Polo in our pool until my fingers turned to prunes. And when I got a bit older, I went to camp.
I spent five summers going to sleepaway camp and one of my favorite things about camp is the way time stretches and expands. A day is like a week in camp time. There’s routines and rituals, but always time for play. You want to swim the length of the lake on a Tuesday afternoon? Go for it. You want to learn archery? Great. You want to spend your short breaks between 3-a-day field hockey practices and games floating in the ocean? Crazy, but sure.
I’ve been thinking about ways to bring the feeling of camp into my summer. Because, in full disclosure, the stress of the last week brought out the worst in me. Everything has felt loud and messy and overwhelming. The horrors persist, but so does summer. So I bought a new set of water colors, and I’m going to get back into swimming laps at the community pool. I’m taking naps when I need them, and reading in bed at night. I’m taking a shower before dinner because absolutely nothing feels better than a late afternoon shower in the summer. I’m probably not going to swamp my canoe 2 again anytime soon, but who knows? It’s a camp summer.
For the next seven weeks, I’ll be sending out a weekly dispatch from my very own Mom Camp — what we’re doing, reading, cooking, and trying for the week. And while summer is my time to rest and recharge after a busy school year, I recognize that it’s a stressful experience for a lot of parents. I commented recently on Christina Tumminello’s post that I’ve offered to be a landing spot for my daughter’s friends when needed. My parents relied on our friends and neighbors to help out with childcare at times, and I hope I can pay that forward. I might not be able to help watch your kids, but consider me part of your digital village. I’m sending out laid-back meal plans and low-effort activities with each post this summer. Take what you like, leave the rest.
I don’t want to spend all my time in the kitchen this summer, but I do want to eat real food and not just survive off MacroBars and fried egg sandwiches, which make up more of my meals than I’d like to admit. I’m prepping three dinners, two lunches, and one breakfast to cover the week.
Three dinners: Caesar salad with roasted chick peas and radish & butter sandwiches | Black bean tacos with cabbage slaw | Pasta with brie and tomatoes
Two lunches: White bean and quinoa salad | Frittata 3
One breakfast: Greek yogurt with fruit and my favorite granola
Currently reading: Wreck, The Anthony Bourdain Reader, Watercolor Boot Camp, poems by Linda Pastan
Reading together: Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great
Teaching and learning: How to tie your shoes!
I’m going to join Kara Duval’s live classes next week, you should join! I’m also committing to three walks and one swim at the pool. I’m planning to break out the watercolors and start working through my workbook, alongside my daughter. And we’re going on a scavenger hunt — we like to go for a walk and try to find a flower for every color of the rainbow.
My daughter recently came home with a new-to-her game that brought me straight back to the 90s — Concentration 64! We’ve been playing it almost daily, and she’s mostly kicking my butt. In the spirit of Concentration 64, I thought I’d rattle off all the things I’ve been using on my face lately — no repeats, or hesitations.
Oil Cleanser | Cleanser | Exfoliant | Toner | Azelaic Acid | Moisturizer | Moisturizer (extra TLC) | Mask | Sunscreen | Self Tanner*
Permission to be vulnerable on the ‘stack — I have pretty much always been super self-conscious about my skin. I struggled with acne in my teens and early twenties, and developed rosacea in my thirties. It’s pretty common for people to comment on how red my skin is. I’ve had a few severe rosacea flares in the last few years, including one after my son was born last year. I am coming off a full year of skin barrier healing, and I spent about six months using only cleanser and moisturizer. I added in the Laneige toner during the winter months and used the Dermalogica exfoliant that my esthetician recommended about once a week. Recently I decided to slowly dip my toe back into azelaic acid and it has been going so, so well. I was sitting in the car at camp pick up this week and realized that my skin looks better than it ever has. It’s always going to be a bit rosy, but look how far we’ve come!
A few weeks back, I let an Ulta sales associate sell me on a new foundation that wasn’t even on my radar. I had been looking for something that would cover redness without feeling too heavy, and she shooed me away from what I had been eyeing and put this foundation on my face. I usually stick with this tinted moisturizer or this CC cream, but the foundation is becoming a fast favorite, even in summer.
Other summer staples for me and my face — cream blush, brown mascara, clear brow gel. I’m on the hunt for a new bronzer, and taking recommendations. I’m also taking recommendations for how to keep my son from diving into the tub or toilet while I take five minutes to get ready in the morning.
Let’s chat!
I’d love to hear from you — did you go to camp growing up? How are you making summer magical for yourself this year? And, perhaps most importantly, do you also love a trip to the laundromat?
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*Item was gifted.
I’m entirely too online. Working on it.
Purposely swamping a canoe in the middle of the lake and then getting it back to shore was the hardest Girl Scout badge I ever earned.
Throw any vegetables together with seven eggs and a little cheese, it’ll taste great.
Ultra nostalgic for me because 1. My mom went to Camp Archbald in PA when she was younger and 2. Some of my most cherished memories are from sleep away camp 🤍
Loved this, no repeats or hesitations 🫡