Paws, Peace, and Purpose

 Somewhere along the way, summer can start to feel like a countdown. We look at the calendar and think about everything we haven't done yet. The projects we haven't finished. The goals we haven't reached. The things we thought we would accomplish "by now." But what if the rest of summer wasn't about catching up? What if it was about noticing? What if instead of trying to squeeze every ounce of productivity out of the season, we gave ourselves permission to play, explore, and enjoy the little moments that make life feel meaningful? This summer, I'm choosing three playful goals. Not because I need another list of things to accomplish, but because I want to create more moments I'll remember. Goal #1: Create a "Summer of Tiny Joys" I want to collect little moments that make me smile.  Not the big, picture-perfect moments. The ordinary ones. The kind of moments that are easy to miss: Drinking coffee somewhere new Reading a book outside Taking a ph...

There was something magical about summer as a kid. The days felt endless, the sunshine invited us outside, and the only real responsibility was making it home before dark. Looking back, some of my favorite memories aren’t from extravagant vacations or expensive activities—they’re from the simple moments that made childhood so special. Here are five of my favorite childhood summer memories. 1. Swinging on the Swing Set in New Sharon, Iowa One of my happiest memories is spending countless hours on the swing set in New Sharon. I would pump my legs higher and higher, imagining I could touch the clouds. There was something incredibly peaceful about feeling the warm breeze on my face and listening to the familiar creak of the swings as I soared through the air. 2. Rollerblading in Our Driveway in Pella, Iowa When we lived in Pella, our driveway became my own little skating rink. I’d lace up my rollerblades and spend hours cruising back and forth, practicing stopping, turning, and tryin...