How I’ll Remember the Summer of 2026
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but summer 2026 is already winding down.
It feels crazy to say that when it’s only the beginning of August, but somehow school is starting, the kids are moving up to their next classrooms at daycare, summer programs are wrapping up, fall activities are already getting scheduled, and we’re officially in full-on baby #3 preparation mode.
And while every summer with little kids feels memorable in its own way, I already know I’ll always remember this one. There are a few obvious reasons for that, but more than anything, this summer made me realize how much I love having little things that mark a season of life. The things that, years from now, will make me think, Oh, that was the summer we…
So as summer 2026 comes to an end, I wanted to write down the things I know I’ll remember it by.
Our Last Summer as a Family of Four
The biggest reason this summer will always be special is also the most obvious one: it’s our last summer as a family of four. I knew going into this summer that I wanted to soak it up because we were expecting baby #3. There is something really strange and sweet about knowing that the family dynamic you’ve known for the last few years is about to change forever.Our kids are going to have a little brother or sister soon, and next summer there will be three little kids running around our house and swimming in our pool.
And while I’m so excited for what’s coming, I know I’ll look back on this particular season with a lot of nostalgia.
The First Summer in Our New House
Another huge reason I’ll remember this summer is because it was our first real season in our new house.
We moved in during the spring, and those first few months were filled with moving boxes, unpacking, getting settled and figuring out where everything goes. This summer was really the first time we got to stop worrying about the move and just…live here.
We spent a lot of time at home. We didn’t travel nearly as much as we normally do, and honestly, I loved that. There were lots of dinners at home, playing games, hanging out outside and just enjoying the house we had worked so hard to make ours. And when we did leave, we found ourselves exploring our new neighborhood and this new part of town—trying restaurants, visiting stores and discovering places that weren’t part of our normal routine before.
It felt like we were finally making the house a home.
Pool Days
If there is one thing that will always scream “summer 2026” to me, it’s pool days.
This is something I remember about last summer, too, but the biggest difference this year is that we finally have our own pool. And we have taken full advantage of it.
We’ve spent so many afternoons and weekends out there with music playing, the kids swimming, friends and family coming over, and honestly, it often feels like we’re on vacation without ever leaving home.
The kids absolutely love it. We’re constantly dragging them out of the pool because they would stay in there forever. And watching them become better little swimmers has been so much fun.
I’ve always loved being near a pool, my husband loves it, and now our kids do too. I feel incredibly grateful that we have this space where we can spend so much time together as a family.
Morning Walks Around the Neighborhood
One of my smaller goals this summer was to simply spend more time outside.
I’ve always wanted to walk more, but between work, getting the kids out the door, life and everything else, it’s easy for that to fall to the bottom of the list. And living in Austin, you quickly learn that if you’re going to exercise outside in the summer, you better do it early.
So I made a pretty conservative goal for myself: take the dogs around our little neighborhood loop as many mornings as possible. And I’m actually really proud to say I did it most days. It’s a small loop, and it’s definitely still sweaty—especially while very pregnant—but I’ve genuinely loved it.
I know I’ll remember these walks as part of this summer because they were such a simple, consistent part of my routine. And I want to keep them going into fall. Although I have a feeling they’re going to feel a little different when it’s actually pleasant to walk outside instead of already hot and humid at 8 a.m.
The Summer We Started Playing Games Together
This summer also brought some little milestones with the kids that feel bigger than they probably actually are.
My oldest learned how to play Uno. And suddenly, we have a kid who can actually play card games and board games with us. We’ve been playing a lot of games after dinner, and it has been so fun. My younger one tries to participate too, although she’s obviously still a little too young to fully understand what’s happening. But it feels like such a turning point.
For so long, family playtime has looked like sitting on the floor playing PAW Patrol or Monster Trucks or whatever the current obsession is. And now we’re sitting around the table playing games together. I have a feeling there will be a lot of “remember when we used to play Uno every night?” conversations someday.
Slowing Down During Nap Time
Another little shift this summer has been my oldest transitioning out of naps. He rarely takes one anymore, and when he does, we definitely pay for it later.
But while I’m sad to see that stage go, it has also given us something I didn’t realize we were missing: one-on-one time. On weekends, there have been a handful of afternoons when he and I will just snuggle up and watch a movie together while everyone else is doing their own thing.
In the past, nap time meant he was sleeping. Now, instead of a nap, we get this quiet little pocket of time together. Especially being pregnant and feeling like I’m constantly going, going, going, I’ve really appreciated those slower moments with him. They’re not big or exciting, but I know they’re the kind of moments I’ll miss someday.
Our End-of-Summer Beach Trip
And finally, we’re ending the summer the same way we did last year: with a family beach trip.Just the four of us.
It has become one of our favorite little traditions, and I love that it also happens to be the perfect way to bookend the summer. Because our kids aren’t school-aged yet, this is actually the last year we’ll have the flexibility to travel during the week that public school starts. So we’re taking advantage of it. While everyone else is heading back to school, we’ll be heading to the beach.
And the best part is that the beach is usually so much quieter that week. We get more time to ourselves, the weather is still amazing, and it feels like one last little hoorah before we officially transition into fall.I love that this trip has become our marker for the end of summer.
When I think about what I’ll remember most about summer 2026, it’s not really one specific event.
It’s all of these little things.
Pool days, morning walks, playing Uno after dinner, watching movies with my son during nap time, exploring our new neighborhood, dinners at home, our first summer in this house, and, of course, knowing that there was a baby growing inside me the entire time.
I think that’s what I want to take with me into the next season. I want to be better about intentionally marking the seasons of our life. Something that, years from now, makes us say, That was the fall when… or Remember that summer when…
And I think that’s what I love most about looking back on this summer. I know I’ll remember it.
I’ll remember it as our last summer as a family of four.
I’ll remember it as our first summer in our new home.
And I’ll remember this very specific little version of our family—four of us, right on the edge of becoming five.
Summer 2026, you were a good one. And I think I’ll always remember you. XXX, McKenzie