Wednesday, June 02, 2010

School's Out For Summer

We are officially in full swing of summer and I'm loving it. I love being able to sleep in, hang out in our pj's, go swimming, look for bugs, make crafts, get root beer floats from Sonic on a whim and eat Popsicles at lunch.

This time of year reminds me of what I loved about summer (besides not having to go to school) both in elementary school and in high school.

Here are a few of them:

1. Hanging out with friends in my neighborhood until my curfew (when the street lights came on.) Sadly, we can't let our kids do the same thing.

2. Going bare foot.

3. Days at the neighborhood pool, eating a bag of Hot Fries and drinking a Coke over crushed ice in a flimsy Styrofoam cup. I loved how my fingers were still wet from swimming and the seasoning from the Hot Fries stuck to them.

(Hot Fries being the ones that come in the bag and are really chemically laden potato chip thingies shaped like fries.)

4. Digging in the dirt.

5. Collecting roly polies. Yes, I needed a better hobby.

6. The ice cream truck.

7. In high school, going to my friend's house to lay out by her pool after slathering on baby oil and spraying our hair with Sun In. EEEEEEK! Scary.

8. Lunch at home, preferably some sort of Chef Boyardee.

9. Church camp.

10. Making homemade ice cream, the old-fashioned way with the hand crank churn. Good ice cream requires the sweat of a patient dad and the help of an eager kid.

11. Vacation Bible School.

12. Summer music and movies

What about you? What do you love about summer now and when you were a kid?

9 comments:

Ashlee said...

1. The ice cream truck
2. Church camp
3. Shopping for school clothes for next year
4. Playing hide and seek after dark
5. Catching lightning bugs in a jar to use as a nightlight
6. Having sleepovers during the week even though mom and dad still had to go to work
7. Flip flops
8. NO SCHOOL of course
9. Laying out in the sun on the trampoline with the waterhose
10. Working for my own shopping money :)

Nancy said...

When I was a kid summer meant the beach, the beach, the beach---or playing in the water hose on the patio in the back yard. Indoor activities included getting excited over Beverly Hillbillies re-runs on TV and bologna sandwiches with a side of chips from the gallon size Charles Chips can. Now.

Susanne said...

A favorite memory of summer's as a kid was the neighborhood water fights that occured which usually ended up involving the kids and adults of up to 4 - five families. Usually started by my dad spraying the neighbors over the fence. LOL.

Mary said...

We share many of the same memories! Catching lightening bugs, playing kick the can with neighborhood kids, sleeping with the hum of the fan (no air conditioning!).

Anonymous said...

NOW: No more reminding about homework (plus one less to remind now that my daughter just graduated). Staying up late and sleeping in. Pajama Day! Having a clean house since I can actually keep up with it. No soccer practices and games. Breaks as the kids attend camps and work. Big Brother and So You Think You Can Dance.

THEN: Going barefoot (I do this all year around now since I live in Florida). Going to Blue Springs and getting in the freezing cold water. Watching soap operas (Days was my favorite). No meanness from the kids at school.

Carpool Queen said...

And now I want Hot Fries.

I had successfully gone three years without succumbing to their call and you've pushed me off the back of the wagon.

Anonymous said...

Now:
1. Outdoor grilling
2. It’s light when I got to work and drive home
3. Late afternoon weekend naps with the curtains closed and the fan on.
4. Gardening

Then:
1. Frosty mugs of A&W root beer
2. Playing outside until the lightening bugs come on
3. Wading in the creek behind my house
4. Riding my bike with my friends with no destination in mind.

Sarah W. said...

Hot Fries....have not thought of those in at least a decade. Wow, brings back some memories. So fun!

sprymary said...

1. I grew up in a beach town, sooo beach all day and later as a teen, beach in between my shifts at the phone company.
2. Going on late dates, after 10pm, when I got off my evening shift.
3. Grilled sausage and pepper subs at the boardwalk.
4. Hanging out at the river near my house when we got tired of the beach.
5. Playing outside after dark and walking or biking home. (a Mayberry kind of childhood)
6. Eating watermelon outside with it dripping down my arms.
7. Tommy's ice cream. (Tommy had a bicycle with a freezer unit in the back and he rang a bell as he pedaled down the street in the early evening)
8. Catching lightning bugs, and letting them go.
9. Lying spread eagle in bed at night because it was so hot you didn't want any part of your body to touch another part. (didn't even know the meaning of air conditioning)
10, Getting sunburned over and over again.
11. Sitting in the cellar to cool off.
12. Eating Jersey sweet corn and Jersey tomatoes.