Soaking up the final moments of summer

It's hot, it's humid, and I typically break a sweat within five minutes of being outdoors, but, man, summer is my favorite time of the year. It's both a nostalgic time for me, and one that I'm actively enjoying watching my kids thrive in. Summer always equaled magic growing up — never-ending days with friends, great family time and the uncertain adventure of no two days ever looking the same. With the sound of school bells in the distance, the days just before school starting is the perfect time to quantify why I love this time of year. • It's a relaxed pace. For us, the school year spins like a whirlpool, as the four of us bounce from one commitment to the next. While our girls are still active in the summer, the schedule slows down just enough to allow us some quality time with friends, family or just the four of us. • It's nightly long walks through the neighborhood • It's evenings on the patio, watching God-painted sunsets • It's game nights, full of laughter and energy. Playing yard games, and later sitting next to a fire welcoming the night stars. • It's home-cooked meals. Grilling on the back deck, fresh food. More time equals better eating. The amount of "suppers from a sack" minimizes. • It's trips to the local ice cream shops. Ohio has incredible ice cream. • It's community events and county fairs, where the heart of our area is felt. • It's being at the ballpark, whether a Major League stadium like Detroit or Cleveland, or the intimate atmosphere of watching the Flag City Sluggers. • It's a family trip, which each year re-energizes us, but more importantly allows us to spend uninterrupted time with our kids. • It's about us realizing our vision of our house being a place where our kids and their friends hang out. Most of the summer, our home resembles a community center, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Laughter is our summer soundtrack. • It's spending time with our nieces and nephews, whose schedules often allow for summer visits. • It's for projects. With a teacher in the family, the influx of time is often used to work on our checklist of things to get done around the house. • It's for reflection and thinking ahead. We take time to check-in on where we are in the summer, and where we want to go in the time ahead. Next week will bring a new rhythm, a renewed sense of energy and a little bit less free time. Soon, the nights will chill, the days will shorten and the trees will pop in color. I love autumn too, but for now I'll be on the back porch enjoying the final fleeting moments of another great family summer. Jeremy Speer is the publisher of The Courier, Findlay, the Sandusky Register, The Advertiser-Tribune, Tiffin, the Norwalk Reflector and Review Times, Fostoria. He can be reached at jeremyspeer@thecourier.com.