Traditions

As of late, especially after our trip to my hometown, I have constant requests to tell about my childhood. "Mama, tell me more!"  Sometimes it's hard to muster up yet another story when they have heard so much.  Just today I was telling them about our summertime day to day tradition. My mom would bring us to swim lessons at the local beach, the moms used to huddle under the small pavilion shelling peas/snapping beans/chatting while simultaneously urging us to plunge into the frigid waters for lessons, followed by an occasional stop at the store for a slush puppy (are all those flavors still around? Watermelon...yum!), home to have a swig from our outside water fountain (at our own house...it was a really neat thing to have at home!) with a daily picnic outside on our red picnic table.  We then would huddle on the couch and my mom would read us afternoon books on the couch...as many as we wanted. Then we were outside playing or helping in the garden until my dad came home for evening chores/dinner.

Fond memories of just the special day to day.  We sort of do some of the same summer traditions as my childhood today, only  in what seems to be reverse.  We do not have an outside water fountain, but after telling my kids about that today, I think I have one on my 'want' list.  Regular summer days at home here start with chores, garden work/time for them to play or help, lunch on the screen porch, then as many books as they want on the picnic blanket outside (today I read 20, Twenty!), then either a dip in the kiddie pool or a dip in the ocean (we go, swim and come back all within the hour, how lucky are we!), followed by dinner.  I wonder if these are the types of things they'll tell their children when they hear "Tell me more!"?

There's a little tradition we do here that was not a childhood tradition for me.  An hour before bed, it's no clothes, just underwear time.  Don't worry, just the kids, not me. I'm betting this will be something that they will remember. 

If not, it's mighty cute for me to see their cute little selves running around as free as a bird.