As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’m a single mom of two young boys (5 & 6) and we live in St. Augustine, FL. It’s hot here. Really hot. Typically, May through October are well into the 90s, and bouncing from one airconditioned space to another is essential even for my non-MSers brethren. To be fair, I like to escape north to the Blue Ridge Mountains when I can, but that only happens once or twice a summer, so I’ve had to get creative on how to spend all of that indoor time. I’m not great at generalizing how I think you should fill your time, so I’ve decided to list out a few things I’ve found to be highly enjoyable as an artsy nerd mom.

1. Clay: I’ve always wanted to learn how to throw a vessel (I’m even using the correct terminology!) on a pottery wheel and this summer I’ve been able to play around and build a new skill. It’s great fun and hand-sculpting is always an option if dexterity/strength issues pop up. The best part is that it’s all indoors and I don’t have to be around the firing process, which sounds like a fatigue-inducing endeavor.
   • (Semi-pro tip: Air-dry clay is a great option if you don’t have access to the entire pottery kit and caboodle. The kids LOVE it too.)
2. Tourist: I live in a vacation destination and as a local, it’s sometimes hard, for whatever reason, to get out and do all of those touristy things in town. This summer, we’ve explored several of our museums and attractions in town. This can feel daunting in the heat, but I have a disabled parking permit for heat intolerance issues, and I always bring water and a frozen neck wrap when I know we’ll be outside (even if just for a few minutes).
3. Cook: I recently discovered pickled onions and now they go on everything. My eldest son loves to cook with me, so when my energy is playing along, we love to tackle a recipe together.
4. Movies: I’m the absolute worst at sitting still and allowing myself to do nothing, so I’ve been trying to be mindful of this and have made an effort to sit and watch a movie. Lately, we’ve been working through the Disney classics. Best part? Singing along and having the boys tell me to stop. Do I? Eventually.

I think what it boils down to for me is that I am working on allowing myself to slowdown and embrace being my own version of Olaf. I have to work within my limitations and within that, push myself to try new things and re-visit activities that I know brought me joy in the past. I hope you enjoy the summer and find your own joy in a staycation. Oh, and don’t forget to put pickled onions on everything. Trust me on this.