Do you remember writing essays about what you did over the summer as a kid? I never had much to say in those reports, but I have plenty to fill the page these days. It's been a busy summer for our family, and I'm happy we have had so many great adventures to make the summer of 2023 memorable.

I gave you a bit of my summer report in this previous post, and it got me thinking about the simple exercise of writing about a season that is winding down. While I'm pretty sure most teachers assign the traditional "How I Spent my Summer Vacation" essay topic as busywork, it does have some great value. It gives you a chance to wrap up the summer and prepare to move on toward what's next. 

Here are some great tips to help you recap your summer memories:

• Start by gathering your mementos. When documenting your summer (or any period of time), looking back on the mementos you kept can be helpful. These might include anything from pictures, ticket stubs, social media posts, and plane tickets to a diary or journal. Once you have collected your mementos, look through them and reflect on your summer vacation.

• Identify the key moments from your summer. What were some of the most memorable things you did? What were some of the most important lessons you learned? Once you have identified these key moments, you can start to organize your thoughts and ideas.

• Make a list of the things you did. This will help you remember specific details about each event or moment, and it will also help you pick significant events and other important moments from your summer that you want to document.

• Pair your pictures and memories - put them together to illustrate your experiences. I love to create scrapbook layouts, but there are many ways to be creative with your memories. The most important thing is to get them documented before you forget.

How did you spend your summer vacation? Today is a good day to answer that question!