My Summer Plans

So, it turns out we won’t be summering in the Hamptons this year. Or Martha’s Vineyard. Or even Chincoteague Island, where the wild ponies roam free and my heart longs to go back. Instead, G and I sat down, crunched some numbers, and—after a deep sigh and dramatic groan—realized that this summer’s budget is looking a little more practical than jet-set.

And listen, I know I should be mature about this. I know I should lead with gratitude and wisdom and all those good, responsible feelings, but there’s also a tiny, deeply unhinged part of me that wants to throw myself on the floor or say, “fuck it!,” buy the breezy linen set, and book a coastal balcony somewhere where I can sip an Aperol spritz and live my best coastal chic aesthetic.

But instead of spiraling into a pit of FOMO despair, I’m choosing (with only a little side-eye at our bank account) to reframe. Student loans are a thing, and we’ve decided to aggressively tackle them. (What happened, Joey B.?)

Here’s the thing: social media will have you feeling like you are the only person on earth who is not on an extravagant summer vacation.

Between the algorithm serving up reel after reel of luxury resort stays, yacht trips, and those impossibly chic vacation outfits that I convince myself I need, it’s easy to feel like the whole world is frolicking through the Greek Isles while I’m over here…paying my mortgage.

But you know what? Our summer isn’t ruined—it’s just taking a different shape. And honestly, it’s still pretty damn good.

Where Our “Vacation” Budget is Going Instead:

1. Summer Camps for the Big Beast

Because nothing says self-care quite like outsourcing your child’s boundless summer energy to a structured activity. He’s going to have an absolute blast, and honestly, I might cry tears of joy when I drop him off and drive away in blissful silence.

2. Tackling Home Improvement Projects

Can’t wait to enter the battlefield of Mikaela tries to get Gregg to participate in a DIY project. To be clear, he has already managed my expectations: he will help, but only if his role is comparable to the cranberry sauce on the Thanksgiving table—nice to have, but not essential.

This summer, we’re adding some curb appeal to the front yard and giving our primary bedroom a mini overhaul. Will it be a fun bonding experience? Will we finally create the grown-up retreat we deserve? Will I get halfway through, have an existential crisis about whether I’m overthinking it, then remind myself that I know what I’m doing and keep going? TBD.

3. Aggressively Paying Down Student Loan Debt

Nothing screams sexy summer plans quite like making a chunky student loan payment and then immediately wondering if it even made a dent. But hey, at least we’re chipping away at it!

Future Us will thank us. (Current Us, however, remains unimpressed, slightly bitter, and hopeful lottery winners.)

4. Enjoying Our Mortgage

So, no, we’re not waking up to ocean views in Nantucket, but we are waking up in a home filled with love. With laughter bouncing off the walls, a backyard that invites us outside, and summer air that feels a little sweeter when we slow down enough to notice it. So, if you’re local, expect an invite. We’ll be soaking up the season right here—by the pool, on the patio, or wherever the breeze feels just right. What this season is teaching me is that luxury isn’t just about what you have—it’s how you choose to experience what you already have.

Just because we’re not boarding a flight doesn’t mean we won’t be making the most of our Florida summer. We’ve got a few local staycations planned—shoutout to the Florida bar scene, IYKYK—which will be seeing just enough of us to take the edge off our wanderlust. A little weekend hotel stay here, a beach day there, a change of scenery just long enough to make coming home feel even sweeter.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not about where you go—it’s about soaking in the good stuff, wherever you are.

Gratitude (Even When Instagram is Taunting Me)

Would I love to be sipping out of a glass on the Amalfi Coast right now? Yes. Will I have moments where I dramatically sigh while scrolling past yet another perfectly curated vacation post? Absolutely.

But I also know this season of life—this one where we’re prioritizing our home, our finances, and our kid’s experiences—is actually really good, too.

Maybe this is the summer we slow down. Maybe it’s the summer we finally finish a home project without questioning all our life choices halfway through. Our goal this summer is to make space for the things that truly matter.

And maybe—just maybe—next summer, I’ll be writing this from Chincoteague, lounging in a cute pink bungalow, reminiscing about that one summer we chose to stay put—and were better for it.

Until then, you can find me right here, happily (mostly) embracing our mortgage and this beautiful life. 

X, Mikaela