Note: I first shared this story in 2020. As I was thinking about intentional living this summer, I realized there was so much more I wanted to say. I’ve completely rewritten this post… not because the memories changed, but because I have. The story is still the same. The lesson has grown.
Every July, social media fills up with ideas for keeping kids busy during the summer. Bucket lists. Vacation photos. Expensive camps. Endless activities. It always makes me smile because it reminds me of a summer many years ago when our budget was small, but our imagination wasn’t.
Back then, we were a one-income family with three young kids. Sending them to summer camp just wasn’t in the cards. At first, I wondered if they were missing out on something special. Then I had an idea. If we couldn’t go to camp… why couldn’t we create one of our own? And just like that, Camp Firefly was born.
The name came easily. All three of my kids had the same kindergarten teacher over the years, and her classroom was known as the Fireflies. Since our youngest had just finished kindergarten, it felt like the perfect way to celebrate the end of that chapter and kick off summer. The budget was simple: a package of white T-shirts from Walmart, fabric markers, a few poster boards from Dollar Tree, and a little creativity. The kids gave their bedrooms cabin names. Jake proudly claimed Jellybean Cabin, while the girls agreed on Butterfly Cabin. They designed signs for their cabin doors, decorated their camp shirts, and suddenly our ordinary home felt like somewhere magical.
Looking back, I don’t remember every activity we did that week. What I do remember is how it felt. We packed picnic lunches. We explored places close to home. We spent long afternoons swimming, rode bikes, visited parks, and laughed. A lot.
One day we drove through Lone Elk Park, watching the bison and deer from the car before enjoying lunch together under a pavilion. Another day we wandered through the World Bird Sanctuary, learning about birds we’d never seen before. And, of course, we made more than a few trips to the St. Louis Zoo, one of the greatest gifts our city has to offer families.
None of those days were extravagant. But somehow… they became unforgettable.
Today my kids are grown, and every now and then one of them will bring up Camp Firefly. Not because of how much money we spent. Not because everything was Pinterest-perfect. But because they felt loved. For years, I thought that was the lesson. I thought intentional living meant creating memories for the people you love. And I still believe that.
If I had the chance to do it all over again, I’d create Camp Firefly in a heartbeat. But now, with a little more life behind me, I realize there was another lesson waiting for me. While I was intentionally pouring into my children, I wasn’t pouring much into myself. I don’t regret the time, the energy, or the love I gave them. Those are some of the sweetest years of my life. But I do wish I had shown them one more thing. I wish they had seen their mom take care of herself, too. Because loving your family well and caring for yourself were never meant to compete. They belong together.
Today, my kids are my biggest cheerleaders as I discover new dreams, build Bits of Love & Life, and continue figuring out who I am in this season. Maybe that’s why Camp Firefly still means so much to me. It reminds me that the most meaningful moments aren’t created by having more. They’re created by being intentional with what you already have.
Whether you’re raising little ones, navigating the empty nest, or somewhere in between, my hope is the same:
Be fully present in the season you’re in. Make the memories. Take the pictures. Celebrate the ordinary. And don’t forget to leave a little room for yourself along the way.
With love,
Mindy
P.S. If you want to check out the original blog from all those years ago… click the button below!
