The best thing for kids after Christmas and their birthday is, of course, summertime. No school, no homework, no early bedtime. Ice pops dipping down your legs, drinking water from the hose, doing cartwheels on the front lawn.
My grandsons (the twinadoes) had their last day of school last week. They are now big time second graders. A tradition with us is a trip to the local ice cream shop for them to split a banana split. Unfortunately, this year I was in quarantine on that most memorable day, so we had to move it up a few days.
But they did get their banana split and had the tummy ache to prove it.
My memory of summer is hot, humid weather. Growing up I lived in the city so there was no front lawn or water hose, but we made do. Once breakfast was over and our chores done, out the door we went. Mom locked said door. Four kids coming in and out all day was not her idea of a fun summer.
After lunch, we were locked out again until supper. I was raised in the 1950-60s so there were hundreds of kids to play with (baby boomers). There were, of course, no video games, ipads, or iphones. For us it was hopscotch, red light-green light, ball, jump rope, paper dolls, hula hoops, jacks, marbles, bikes, roller skates, and ‘the showers.’
My apartment complex had a huge (I mean huge) shower they ran every afternoon. We would all descend on the playground where the showers were, spread out our towels and pretend we were at the beach. Or the pool.
The twinadoes might have a different type of summer than I had, but one thing we all have in common. Summertime is great!
What is your favorite summer memory?
My favorite summer memory was going to the lake to go fishing, swimming, and kayaking.
Attending church camp, 4H camp, riding my bike on the blacktop road to my friends’ who lived a couple of miles from our farm. Also, picking cherries in our neighbor’s orchard to earn some money for school clothes. I also helped on the farm when it was time to harvest the hay and corn.
OMG, Callie! The Twinadoes have gotten so big! Thank you for sharing them with us over the years.
The best thing about summer was, of course, no school. We lived out in the country (as a matter of fact, we lived on a dirt road for a number of years) so the outdoors was our playground. My older sister and younger brother were my playmates and we had a great time! We explored and fought and played nice. There were no other kids nearby so we made do. However, I do remember whining “I’m boooored” more than once.
I think your Mom was on to something with locking the kids out!
learning to swim in the ocean comes to mind right away. thanks
My favorite thing about summer was being able to read more. We lived in the country and there weren’t a lot of neighborhood kids. My siblings and I managed to entertain outselves and reading was my favoirte!
My favorite summer Memory was going up to my grandma’s cabin in Wahkon, MN almost every weekend. It was off a channel to Mille Lacs lake and we enjoyed swimming in the lake at the beach Called (Bare A$$ Beach. LOL) as well as a nearby swimming pool, boating, and fishing and playing with the kids in the area.
Going to my grandparents’ house… always had so much fun there…
I have several favorite summertime memories. When growing up, going on vacation every year with my family. Then, when I had my son, going on trips with him. Now I take trips with friends, great nieces and great nephew.
glad things are off to a great start. the twins are adorable. I lived at the same time and did the same things outside. mom never locked us out, dad built an out door shower and we would use that many times. there was also a sprinkler we would put on. we had a duck pond dad made for our Rosie mallard duck. we would join her at times. and in the area were so many friends. we had a lemon tree and mom would make lemonade by the gallons. everyone in the near area would drink this wonderful summer drink. our neighbor had a huge tree with a tree house that we played in a lot. there was two older sisters half way down our block . every summer they had a vacation bible group in the afternoon on monday, wednesday and friday. this was all in Pasadena, CA so many good memories. when I was nine we moved to Apple Valley, CA onto a ranch and a whole new chapter of summers started
I am not a lover of Summer. Living in the city it was HOT! A cross county trip to California to visit my mom’s family was a very Hot trip. My twin (Marilyn) and I were very small about three when the family moved to California. So we have really no memories of grandma and the aunts and uncles. we were only their for a day when i got a severe Asthma attack. Dad loaded the car and off to Arizona where I was in full health but it was too late to go back. We got to spend a day with grandma and we were thankful for that since she died that Fall.
Marion
Twinadoes, how cute Callie! They are absolutely adorable and I know you’re having a good time. My three grandchildren are here now and I live for the two weeks that they come every summer. They are 14, 11 and almost 7. We’ve played games, baked and played, watched movies for movie nights complete with popcorn and candy, gone bowling, had two birthday parties, gone swimming and tomorrow they are going to the beach and skating at the skating rink tomorrow night.
Each of these moments is so precious and the time flies by so fast. I can’t believe there is always they are because I remember those tiny babies in the first moments I held them. We are so fortunate today to have the technology in our phones to be able to take such fabulous pictures and a catch almost every moment in video and pictures. I found motherhood to be the most precious and wondrous thing I’ve ever done in my life but being a grandmother has topped that…lol. I savor the times that they are here and the times that I visit them at their home.
I know how much you’re enjoying those little ones. God bless you and yours.
Callie, I love your little inserts on highland way of life. It’s great to learn new stuff!
I loved making ice cream the old fashioned way every time we visited our grandparents. It sure tasted good!
My memory of summer was long days of freedom as a child going from one friend’s house to another with no supervision.
Staying out all day, we had swimming lessons at the local pool in the morning and then home for lunch and then back to the pool. They would have a ‘party’ labour day weekend and there was corn on the cob along with hamburgers, hot dogs and pop. And of course we would gorge on the 1 cent candies when we were not swimming
My favorite memory is running barefoot in the grass. Nothing can match it.
Going to the beach and blaring music and going to the drive-in every weekend!
My favorite summer memories are going to Gingerbread Castle every July. There was a train ride and gift shop,too. The castle had a tour that was lovely and not scary. The gingerbread was the tastiest. We would buy a lot to bring home. The best time we were there was when a busload of orphans came. My late father grew up in an orphanage[his parents died within a month of each other.] My father gave the Nun money to buy ice-cream for the children. The Nun sent us a nice thank you note. She would not take the money until my father gave her his address. We still have the thank you note.
Marilyn
We had fun swimming and going to the beach!
One favorite summer memory is going to spend the summer with my grandparents who lived on a farm in Colorado. I got to meet a lot of new people and do a lot of different things before returning to the city life.
We would go to the park and play in the creek.
going to the beach
visiting my grandparents in tennessee
My favorite memory is going to the pool all day with my friends. Playing hide and seek with the neighbor hood kids and no school.
I love the name the twinadoes, boys can be so busy. My best summer memories was with my mom, brother and me going on vacation with my uncle’s family. I was the only girl with all the cousins and my brother, so I tagged along wherever they went and whatever mischief they took part in. We also did not have phones or the internet and there was always something to do outside. I think children miss out so much these days with living online all the time.
One memory in the forefront of my mind is my brother and I attaching playing cards to our bike spokes and exploring new places until we got lost. We usually found our way home before the streetlights came on.
The best thing about summer for me was the weekly library trips and annual trips to visit my grandparents !
Going down to the beach, enjoying the water and sand and eating lots of icecream.
Going fishing with my parents and grandparents.
Going to the local recreation center and going swimming. Staying out late and playing tag and other games in the 1970’s.
I was an only child for 9 years. My parents would take me traveling and sightseeing all around the world. Travel became more localized after the birth of my siblings. Loved exploring new places.
Going to Fiesta Texas for the day.
I was raised on our family farm in Wyoming so our summers included working in the garden, helping with the hay and other farm chores. I always looked forward to church camp meeting the last of July.
My best memories of summer are of being at my great-grandmother’s house with my cousins spitting watermelon seeds to see who could spit it the furthest.
Our best memories are going to the family farm for a month every year to give our parents a break. We loved it.
I loved going to the beach with my family. We stayed in a rented cottage and it was magical.
We would make ice cream with a bucket churn. Somehow it tasted better when your own energy went into it.