Summer has come to an end. And thank God, right? This summer was HOT! Brutally hot. Our little family had to discover new ways to beat the heat. If you ask our children, they’ll likely say the best way to beat the heat is to confront it directly. They always want to be outside. I am pretty sure Sebastian’s first full word was “Ow-side.” It didn’t matter if we hit 107 degrees on the heat index scale — Sebastian and Gigi wanted to be outside.

Mini pools help. So do ample containers of mosquito repellent and sunscreen. We’re not going to lie, it wasn’t easy being outside. Summers in Houston will be worse. They’ll be hotter and unpredictable. It’s not a comforting thought, by any means, and remains a subtle reminder that we need to do more to ensure our little corners of the world are left in tact for our little ones.

Speaking of heat, this summer’s project was figuring out a way to upgrade our AC unit and continuing to settle in our new home. It seems like the lists of to-dos never stop when you buy your own house. We inherited an old AC unit that struggled to cool our home. We eventually replaced it and relieved a bit of pressure from our collective shoulders. The ongoing work we are doing to our household reminds us that a home is built from hard work, love and understanding … mostly that stress can be high, feelings can get hurt and arguments can and will be had. But if you take time to go out and water the vegetables you just planted in your new back yard, maybe one small pepper emerging from it’s vine will remind you that it’s all worth it.