"They're only young once", my mother warned not too long ago. At the time I was probably wrestling a flailing Vivian into her car seat while Ella chased down the mailman to say hello. And I was likely thinking to myself, "THANK THE GOOD LORD!". But yesterday as we walked home from daycare on a couldn't-be-more-beautiful summer day, Ella's hand in mine as she told me about her day, Vivian in the stroller, kicking her chubby little legs. The late afternoon sun and breeze was making her sweet baby hair dance atop her head. I wanted to stop time. I wished that my camera could capture all that I was seeing, feeling and hearing. But it would have just gotten in the way of the moment. Ella was dawdling, usually a crime in our household, but today I dawdled with her. This is what summer is about. These unplanned moments that don't require any forethought, time in the car, a television or any fancy gadgetry. It was on this walk that I decided we need to carve out more time for summer spontaneity. More specifically a weekend void of plans. Or plans that only include bare feet, blueberries, dripping Popsicles and exploration. Or plans that don't require a watch, being somewhere at a specific time or a hairbrush. You see, I have to get very specific with myself. So I've declared the first weekend in August to be our family stay-cation. Feel free to stop by and marvel at the clouds or catch lightening bugs with us. Don't bother to call first, I'll be busy watching my daughters being young...they only are young once you know.