I was feeling nostalgic, thinking back to some of my favorite summer memories. Some of them I would love to repeat with my family and others are just to be treasured from my past. Maybe strolling with me will jog some favorite summer activities from your own past.
My favorite summer memory from childhood was just playing outside for long stretches. It seems like, looking back, the days were super long, the nights were short, and summer vacation went on forever. My mom was teacher, so summertime meant having her home all day, every day, which I loved. It didn’t matter particularly what I was doing, although I definitely remember being barefoot 24/7, unless we were at church, but even then, it meant a break from socks and getting to wear cool sundresses with tanned skin. Our family would always take family trips every year, but the highlight of summer for me really was just the simple things – eating dinner on our back patio, reading books until late at night and then sleeping in the next day, and lots of time spent outdoors.
Fast forward to the year I dated my husband. That summer was filled with wonderful memories I still replay over and over. We spent a lot of time at the park, either rollerblading or canoeing, having bonfires with friends in his backyard (now our yard), and sunset picnics at the beach. Since I was trying to make a good first impression, that was probably the only year I didn’t spend the majority of my time barefoot.
Now that we are married and have a family, some of the best memories of summer for me are still very similar, always including lots of outdoor activities. There is grilling out with extended family or by ourselves, camping and bonfires in our backyard, bike riding or walking the bike path with a stop for ice cream at Ritter’s afterwards, time at the beach, and a few family vacations sprinkled in to keep things interesting. We also maintain a garden, so I get to spend a lot of time barefoot. Lastly, we get to enjoy swimming at his parents’ pool and now that the kids are older, lots of fun, outside family games.
Those are just some of my favorite summertime activities. The days don’t seem as long and before I know it, summer vacation is over and done with. The kids will be back in school which makes me sad because I love having them home. I love when our schedule is a little more laid back and even though I’m still working a full-time job, there is room for a few extra things here and there. The long hours of daylight make getting up early not so difficult and relying on less sleep a little more bearable.
What about you? What are your favorite summertime memories? I would love to add new favorites to our list to try as people share.