I'm a little bewildered that we are here. The last week of August. Those last days of school feel like forever ago, and yet the last days of summer have quickly come upon us.

With our hybrid homeschool schedule, we don't head into the classroom for over 2 more weeks.

But even if you don't follow the school schedule, Mother Nature has decidedly started to get a jump start on the transition into fall with the cool nights and wonky combination of sun and rain.

A Juicy Story

My word of summer has been "juicy" and as we enjoy these last few days, I have some sense of regret that I haven't lived up to the intention of that word as much as I would have liked.

We have a peach tree in our yard and for the past several years, either the weather was off, the deer were extra hungry, or it just needed to mature, but we never really ended up with any to harvest.

This year was different. The buds blossomed this spring. The branches were becoming heavy with fruit. They were ripening.

And I let them hang there.

I'm not sure why.

It wasn't consciously intentional.

• Life got "busy", not stopping as I walked down the driveway daily to grab the mail or take my walk to maintain my multi-year streak.

• Not knowing really when they were ripe enough to pick

• Wanting to wait until one more warm day to let the sun do it's magic and ripen a little more

• Wanting to have it be something we do as a family, delaying until the time is right

And ultimately leaving me at now... with only a handful remaining on the branches as the rains and deer, and their sheer readiness to be picked have nudged them from their branches.

Without the nudge and accountability I build into Camp Firefly, I don't know that I would have actually picked one of those juicy peaches.

...In the late evening, pulling in the trash bins

...By myself

...Feeling drained and definitely nothing special about the moment

But as I leaned over the sink this week, sinking my teeth into this startlingly fresh-off-the-tree peach, it assured me that I hadn't missed out on everything.

That there is still some juiciness left to enjoy.

And maybe make that memory all the more sweet because I was intentionally in the moment, appreciating what I very nearly fully missed out on.

Know Yourself

We don't always know when something is ending in our lives. We're not always aware of the natural cycles of things, knowing when things are ripe for the picking.

What can you do to be more mindful, to notice where you are in life? To appreciate the juiciness of the moment?

• give yourself some perspective and stand back from the moment and imprint the feelings into your heart

• ​reflect in you journal​ about the experience

• daily appreciation practice to notice the little ​'yays'​ in your days

• take photos and creating something with them like a collage or photobook

• pausing to reflect and ​anticipate future changes​ over a cup of tea in a quiet moment with yourself

There are still a few more juicy moments to enjoy for all of us.

Even as we get excited for the feeling of fall, and the whole vibe it brings (like Gilmore girls rewatching!), let's spend these next few days appreciating and enjoying what this season has shown us, how we have grown and experiencing the everyday magic it has to offer.

Reflect on the moment

To help you experience the juiciness of summer, take a moment to reflect on this journal prompt. What regrets are coming up about not enjoying the most this season has to offer? How can you be more present as you wrap up this season, and doing your 'one last thing' before shfting into fall?

Summer is ending soon, but it's not too late to join Camp Firefly!

Dive into the daily activities curated to help you deeply enjoy these last days of the season, capture moments to help you remember and prepare you for the season ahead.

"Stephanie this has been so awesome already!!! I’m on a family vacation right now so I’m sort of passively participating but I love these prompts and how they’ve gotten me thinking... Amazing work" -Sarah W.

Give yourself the gift of intentional time to focus on yourself and the journey you are on.

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Stephanie Rose is a mom, wife, business owner and a forever student in finding ways to know herself better. She acts as guide for your own journey, sharing insights, tools and practices to help you remember your magic and live a life that lights you up. Sign up for her newsletter and check out her free resources.

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