Sorry today's post is a bit late, loves! This morning Jack and I participated in a 5K for Be The Match, and I had a girls only date with my bffs Kate and Natalie. But now, you have my undivided attention!
It's day 18 of
Blog Every Day in May, and that calls for childhood memories. After mulling it over, I decided there is just no way I could tell you only one. With summer on its way, I think it's time I shared with you some of my favorite summer memories.
Weeks at Camp Sinawa
Ever since I was born (seriously, we've been going for 24 years now) my family has rented a cottage on a lake the week of July 4th. My mom's side of the family travels from all over (Colorado, Wisconsin, Minnesota etc.) for an entire week together. And that's saying something, because our family is huge (she's one of nine)! The week consists of days on the lake, tubing on my uncle's boat, homemade meals and nights spent around the campfire. Don't worry, beer and s'mores always make an appearance. Since graduating, I've tried to make it each year for at least a weekend. It's one of the times I look forward to most every year, and can't wait to be there in just a few short weeks!
Trampoline/sprinkler time
Growing up, my sister and I had a trampoline. Score. Even better, my dad put the sprinkler underneath it in the summertime. Double score. My sister and I would jump around in our swimsuits, getting soaked by sprinkler water on some of the hottest days of the year. We would slide around on the trampoline, laughing the entire time.
Grilling and dinner on the patio
In my family, warm summer nights meant grilling and dinners spent outside on the patio. My dad is a master griller (my mouth is watering just thinking about it) and my mom is an amazing cook. Needless to say, our summer dinners always left me unbelievably full in an entire food coma. Good thing our hammock wasn't far away! We spent our dinners laughing, making jokes and playing with our dog. Perfection.
Backyard soccer
My sister and I started playing soccer almost as soon as we could walk. With nearly hundreds of soccer balls scattered around our garage, cars and backyard, kicking a ball around in the backyard came naturally. Most nights, my dad would jump in and kick the ball around with us. Looking back on it, I miss soccer and those backyard games.
Days at the lake
When I was young, my grandparents built a house on a lake in Oshkosh. That meant endless summer days on the boat and in the water. Needless to say, I felt like the luckiest kid ever. We would spend weekends boating, tubing and jumping off the dock. Days were always followed with popsicles and family meals together. As the sun would begin to set, we'd all meet inside. My grandma and aunts would read magazines and talk about the latest news and happenings. My grandpa and uncles would watch the most recent golf tournament on TV, and my cousins and I would lounge around, sun-kissed and tired after another perfect day on the lake.
Lazy hammock days
I'm pretty sure hammocks are one of the greatest inventions known to mankind. Seriously. Growing up, we always had a hammock in the backyard. Once I learned to master sitting on it without falling over, I don't think I ever left it. I would bring a pillow, blanket and my latest read outside and curl up for hours in the warm summer sun. My favorite days would be when my mom was laying outside in the hammock, and she would let me snuggle up next to her.
Camping land
My favorite summer memories always happened at the "Camping Land." My family owns over 100 acres of land in central Wisconsin, where my parents are now planning on building their new house. But growing up, it was always known as the "Camping Land." On Fridays, we would pack up our cars and head westward for the weekend, inviting all of the friends and family we had. Once there, the fun began. We slept in tents, sat around the campfire, made s'mores (wow, this seems like a trend) and had an incredible time. As we grew up, my parents built our cabin, which now can house anywhere from 6-15 people at a time. Whenever we have a free weekend, Jack and I still try to make the trip (now east for us) to spend the weekend with my family at the "Camping Land." But now, our activities include sand volleyball, yard games, beer drinking and telling stories by the fire. It just gets better with time, and I can't wait to spend time there this summer.
- C
