No matter what your upbringing I suspect the kickoff of summer elicits memories of sun-drenched days, when nothing was more important that cramming as many outdoor activities as possible into your weeks before school bells began tolling once again.
Those summer childhood memories for me meant baseball, long bike rides with friends, barbecues complete with the sticky-sweet juiciness of watermelon dripping down my face and arms, swimming, and waterskiing. Although I grew up in the midwest and was oblivious to the stunning coastlines with their massive expanses of sand and surf, we were not without our man-made beach where even on a cool cloudy day we could be found shivering at the water’s edge, waiting for direction from our swimming coach.
We took a respite from laboring on the farm and headed to my childhood stomping grounds, where my baby brother and his family still live, a great place to raise a family, but too small for this claustrophobic girl to stick around long after high school. However, there seemed no better way to ring in the summer than to participate in my nephew’s 9th birthday party, including a barbecue out at the beach.
As we headed west the skies opened up and the deluge began, threatening to spoil big party plans. As I sit here writing, I believe it has been 20 straight days since the rains appeared and this trend looks to continue for the next week. Fortunately, by mid-morning of Blake’s special day, the sun came out and we experienced sunny, beach-ready weather.
Vehicles laden with food, toys, and a new puppy, we headed to the beach prepared to celebrate a 9-year old’s highly anticipated day. As in most places revisited as an adult, this sandy bit of beach that we passed seemed much smaller than I remembered. Boating and waterskiing were to take the place of sand between the toes on this day.
Visiting with family, playing games, reliving a small slice of days past through the eyes of children was a most relaxing way to spend a few days…priceless. At the end of this month we will head back to celebrate Seth’s 16th birthday. Mom and dad, how does it feel to have your firstborn getting behind the wheel of a car?!
Paint Your Landscape 
Your opening paragraph fit me perfectly right up to retirement! Being a former teacher, summer always felt that way until the bell tolled again!!!
Glad you had such a great time with family and friends and the sun shone on your party:)
I’m glad you could relate! Hope you are enjoying your time away from the west. 🙂
Wonderful memories captured by your camera, LuAnn. My daughter will soon know how it feels to have her firstborn get behind the wheel of her car. I remember that apprehensive feeling very well, with my two. 🙂
It must be a very scary feeling.
Looks like a fun time. That puppy looks adorable. Its always good when there is so much outdoor activity that it wears them out.
I think it wore Terry out just as much as it did the puppy. 🙂
My firstborn is now behind my wheel and I love it , he is my chauffeur sometimes, handy. Lovely fun sun pictures and I cna see it is tiring, wiht the sleeping beauties in between! 🙂
Ah, your own personal chauffeur. How lovely for you Ute! 🙂
As ever you capture your subject matter with skill, precision and warmth. It’s universal that feeling of freedom that childhood gives us. Glad you had a fantastic time.
That sun set rainbow is just stunning as well.
Thanks for your kind comment Ste J. I am, as always, scurrying to catch up on my reading. Your blog is fast approaching the top of my list, which no doubt will keep me spellbound. 🙂
I hope I can achieve half the interest for you as your blog does for me. I love popping over to yours, a new post is more of a treat than finding a tenner in my back pocket than I had forgotten about.
Catching up is a nightmare, I have 80 blogs to go, comments to reply to and some Stemails to send…still I like a challenge.
😀
Nice collection of photos LuAnn! Time sure flies when you are having fun!
Thanks Nicole and yes, it does. 🙂
Enjoyed reading your wonderful memories, LuAnn! It took me back to my summer time, many decades ago… Thank you for the beautiful post!
My pleasure Amy. 🙂
It looks like the two of you are having some really neat family experiences lately, Lu. You have captured early memories for many of us who remember fun times during the summer’s past after viewing your story. Terry appears to have worn himself out trying to keep up with you. The new puppy looks really great. Gayl and I are traveling back to Wyoming July10th to pick up our new puppy from my old coaching buddy. Hope you continue to have a great and nostalgic time in your travels. Rog & Gayl
Thanks for the comment Roger and Gayl. It was great to see my family again and spend time around children. Safe travels to the two of you as you head to Wyoming. Wish we were out west again.
Nostalgia…yes when I was growing up in the Phil summer means beach time all the time until we got all so tanned….more tanned 🙂
Tanning is something that has never come easily to me but certainly looks to be the case with you Mona. Enjoy your adventures. 🙂
Seems like happy times with your family Luann. Revisiting our memories through the eyes of young children is precious indeed 🙂
I am sure you do that quite often with your grandchildren Madhu. 🙂
I do, at least once a month. I am so thankful they don’t live halfway across the world as they had originally intended 🙂
They definitely keep us young! 🙂
I like the new header photo. You certainly captured life in IL. Oh, how I loved to water ski. Turning my kids loose in a car, driving off for the first time alone, was horrifying and I didn’t stop worrying until they returned. Eventually it got easier. Looks like you had a nice visit and break 🙂
We did. It was much needed. 🙂
Beautiful family, lovely images and wonderful memories remembered and new ones created. To top it off, photos of a new puppy and a dear older Kitty! Welcome back! 🙂
Thanks Sheila. We had a much needed, wonderful visit. 🙂
Looks like you are having a great time on your break. Wonderful to be able to go back to where you grew up and enjoy old friends and family. Enjoy yourself and be safe.
Thanks Joan.
Nothing like going home LuAnn! Family can be so sweet and the memories last a lifetime….
Yes they do. 🙂
PS…I forgot to tell you how GORGEOUS your new blog header is♥
Thanks Laurie. That pleases me very much coming from you. 🙂
Summer has always been a special time for me…Thanks for the memories.
What a great celebration with family and friends.
Thanks for stopping by!
there are so many great photos here, there is no way i could pick the top five!!!! the photos brought back so many great memories of summertime in the usa! thanks so much for a post that smiles from beginning to end!
My pleasure Lisa! Glad I could give back as you always manage to put a smile on my face. 🙂
always the kind one – thank you! z
I speak only the truth. 🙂
:)) double thanks!
i’m about to go ‘upriver/arriba’ to pick coffee this morning! it will require a ten-minute walk upstream! time to put on the boots and head to town!
z
I love your life! 🙂
i am about to fall on my face with fatigue, and i am about to go wash those invisible (imagined) tiny ticks and red bugs from my skin, wash my hair, and then crash for the night! the day was wonderful, and i probably have 3 hours’ of new photos, and for sure there are some great photos.. but rest trumps art tonight. my batteries are on rojo and approaching dead!
Sleep well and I look forward to another fabulous post.
Looks like fun times and more good memories added. Loved the rainbow and especially the new header.
Thanks Gunta. Hope all is well with you. 🙂
Sounds like you had a magnificent time with the family LuAnn.. and such wonderful photos to bring back memories in the future…
It was a great visit. 🙂
Love the header photo. So peaceful.
Our time with family is exactly that…priceless. It looks like everyone had such a good time. I see smiles on everyone’s face. Even the one’s sleeping with the new puppy….too cute.
Thanks Marsha. We had a wonderful time and it was a nice break for us. Now, if we could only get a break from this rainy weather! BTW, I have been having some difficulty commenting on your blog posts recently. Often, when I attempt to post my comment, I receive a message to log into WordPress but I already am. Has anyone else told you of this issue or perhaps it is just me?
No one has mentioned a thing to me. Very strange. I will check to see if some sort of setting got changed. Thanks for the heads up.
I didn’t want you to think I wasn’t reading your posts. I will try again as well.
Creating special memories with loved ones! Perfect!
Yep, pretty special kids, although I may be biased. 😉 Hope you are enjoying your adventures.
Hello LuAnn. It is a joy to see you and terry taking a much deserved break from being … (what’s a term like “landbound” when your used to being on the sea but in your guy’s case its staying in one spot, and not being able to get up and just go in your RV whenever you want?) “farmbound”, “housebound”, lol, let me know if you think up a better one! Your photographs are gorgeous. How wonderful for you to connect up with your brother and his family. Looks like a fun time was had by all. Your narrative did bring back my own family summer picnics while growing up. So thank you for that! I’m hoping the rain let’s up for you soon, please take care of you, Penny 🙂 xx
Thanks so much Penny. It was a wonderful respite for us both. I have an email coming your way soon.
What a great summer outing LuAnn, and your photos are a joy. Like you, I was always trying to cram as much into summer as I possibly could. On Memorial Day I would buy my season pass to the city pool (with money I’d earned from mowing lawns) and swim everyday until my swimsuit eventually fell apart due to chlorine exposure. For me the mark of a great summer was a pair of flip flops worn completely through! 🙂 Glad you had fun. ~Terri
Thanks Terri. It was a great little getaway for us. 🙂
Summer fun kid style can’t be beat! 🙂
Absolutely! 🙂
i hope you can find time to be part of the magic carpet’s check-out ride! i cannot imagine the two of you not being aboard!
playamart.wordpress.com/2013/07/20/round-the-world-check-out-ride/
z
We would not miss it! 🙂
lovely memories and cute photos. The boy and the dog sleeping was especially special
Thanks Nightlake. 🙂
You capture it all so well. I’m so glad the sun came out for the celebration. We had a similar situation with my daughter’s high school graduation party in our backyard. Rain all day, then the sun emerged right at party time. Divine intervention?
Perhaps 🙂
The cat pic is for the kill … I mean for the win. You should enter that in a pet photo contest or something. I love no school days because it means less kids crossing the streets. Ahihihi. Joke … but not really. 😀 Whenever I go back home to Northern California or the Philippines, I take my time with the kids.
When I was kid, i hate it when adults always notice and would say something how kids are growing fast. Then, sometimes they’d follow it with some embarassing stories, or things that you can’t remember because you were too young still. But now that it is in reverse, I realize it really is amazing to see kids grow! It’s unbelievable. Ahihihihi.
I love your perspective Rommel. To me, it is what makes you so special.
When we lived in Mexico, we really had to take care when driving down narrow streets. Kids were always darting out between the cars.
Wait till you get a little older; time will fly by, as I’m sure you have heard elderly people say.