When I was a kid, we took road trip after road trip during the summer months. I have sharp memories of asking my mom what clothes I should pack, and she replied, "Just dump your short and shirt drawers into your bag. That should be enough."
We spent every summer that we could frolicking with cousins, running like unsupervised wild animals up and down country roads and played so hard that we crashed as soon as we hit the bed.I got to know my cousins, spend time with my grandparents, and learn that chicken doesn't come shrink wrapped in the freezer section for most of the world.
Looking back on it, I realize that my mom was a brave woman to drive halfway across the continent with three girls. I only really came to a more vivid understanding of this last summer, when I took a 2 week road trip from my house in Virginia to my dad's in Texas, with stops along the way in Georgia, Memphis and Mississippi. I'm still not sure how I managed to avoid being committed to a mental hospital after the trip ended.
We've all got our summer memories. Maybe you spent summers at the lake. Maybe you visited loved ones. Or, perhaps you stayed close to home and enjoyed the freedom afforded by the summer months.There's a lot to be said for staying home during the summer months - visiting the pool, water park or beach, or spending time at the library or Recreation center. Most book stores and libraries have summer reading clubs, and there are many local businesses that offer daily deals and inexpensive admission rates - especially valuable on those oppressively hot and/or nasty weather days.
There are an amazing assortment of activities available to fill the summer - there's no excuse for any mom to hear those dreaded words, "I'm bored!"
What are your favorite memories from your summers as a child. What did you do? What do you miss most? With whom did you spend the bulk of your time?
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I would go to my Grandpa's and eat strawberries on their farm until I couldn't eat anymore.
Camping and fishing with my other Grandparents.
And vacationing with my parents.
Ugh, my memories of road trips with my parents is AWFUL! My dad was one of those that wouldn't stop for anything. It didn't matter how bad we had to pee or how hungry we were, he didn't stop until he was good and ready. The more we cried that we had to pee, the more we got yelled at. We hated taking trips. We never had 'fun' trips either, it was always to visit family, usually of the elderly variety.......no kids to play with.
We had more fun at home, we played in the sprinklers and ate popsicles, made forts, etc.
I would say going to my Nana & Papa's house on the shore in NJ! My Nana would always take me to the board walk and we would get ice cream and ride the rides. I always loved going on tilt a whirl with her. Miss doing things like that! I would love to take my boys one of these days, but I am not sure when we will get back up there.
I remember heading from ME to CT to visit family. We'd have BBQ's into the late night & us cousins would play bball, etc late into the evening. I remember going to the movie store when they were old enough to drive & picking out late night movies & thinking how cool it was to be 10pm & at Blockbuster. My aunt would get fire crackers & some small fireworks of which we'd do them in the middle of the street, biker buddies of the family would stop by & burn out, etc. Car shows my family loves cars we'd go to many of them.
We live next door to a raceway, for years we'd go EVERY weekend to the races & I remember hanging out under the bleachers, etc. Drinking cream soda every weekend! At intermission we'd get rides in the cars (something that can not be done now!) they'd have bike races on the track, they'd throw pennies & candy on the track & we'd scramble for bag fulls of it! They raffle off a new bike every single week & someone would be the trouphy kid, once I was picked to be trouphy kid I LOVED it.
So many memories, & I work on making memories for my daughter as well although not the same but good ones non the less. Sorry but I will not put her into a race car on a dirt track at 14 & say have fun in some guys car who is drunk & laughing saying yeah have at it LOL not going to happen!
Colossians 2:9-10
- Carmen S
on Jun. 6, 2012 at 12:00 AM