A family friend took photos for us at Garden of the Gods.

It’s the summer!

The girls and I are catching up on sleep, which is a very good thing. I think we all suffered through the school year never getting enough and it negatively impacted our health. We have a mostly-unscheduled summer, and there are a lot of things to do in Colorado Springs. I’m trying to strike a balance between quiet rest days and active time about town.

Some activities, like going to the library, allow me to get in some writing time while they amuse themselves. Most activities, like going to the zoo, mean I’m getting some great mother-daughter time, fresh air, and exercise, but no writing.

Balance is hard.

My 9yo is perfectly happy spending long hours on her computer. Although she sometimes wants to show me every interesting thing she looks at, she is also capable of leaving me alone and letting me work.

My 18yo has special needs. She requires supervision, and tends to go stir crazy because she can’t go out and socialize like other kids her age. She is making a great effort this summer to enjoy the quiet days as much as the active days.

We’re still figuring out how this new summer schedule works. I’m letting too many little things (and big things) get in the way of my productivity. Too much wasted time.

I am still plugging away on the novel, and I have a couple of short stories in the works for specific calls. I’ll let you know if any of them are accepted!