Monday, September 10, 2012

Summer is Slippin' Slidin' Away - Parenting Plights & Delights




“Summer should get a speeding ticket.” ~ Author Unknown

Spring and summer are my favorite seasons. My kids are grown, and I don't have to deal with hectic school mornings anymore, but every year at this time I pause to mourn Fall casting its shadow on summertime.

Some of my favorite childhood memories:    

Surprise showers with tingly raindrops.
Marking the street up with sidewalk chalk well past 9:00 and still daylight.
When night fell, lightning bugs flitted around us, glowing with magic.

As a mother, summer fun with my kids and my sister Pam and her children bring more happy times to mind. These photos are from about 24 years ago, but it seems like just yesterday:

"Take time to play. It is the secret to staying young." ~ Unknown




Get ready. Get set...


GO!


Pam remembers this day of fun spent with our kids.
Sometimes adults need to take time and play like a kid again.

"When life rains on your parade, bring out the slip'n'slide!" ~ Author Unknown


"A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine." ~ Author Unknown


Photos will fade and summers fizzle, 
but memories are forever.

"No school. Sleepovers. Tanning. Beaches. 
Water fights. Tank tops. Flip flops. 
Lemonade. Sunglasses. Taking Pictures. Late nights. 
Ice-cream. Warm air. Camps. Short shorts. 
Sleeping in. Summer Breeze. 
Tan lines. Sand castles. Long hair. 
Mud fights. Bonfires. Slushies. Pool parties. 
Sun kissed hair. Palm trees. Barbecues. 
Blue skies…Make it count!" 
~ Author Unknown


Check out this great YouTube video. It's only 21 seconds long.

Wowsers! Does this look like fun or what?
Would you brave a ride on this?

Do you have any favorite summer memories? What's your favorite season and why?
Parents, do you like to do things like this with your kids?

Do you have a parenting or grandparenting memory
or another story you'd like to share? 
If you're not a parent, memories from your own childhood count, too. 

Warning: I might feature your story in a future post. 
(Names can be changed to protect the guilty!)

I'd like to thank all those who have shared their stories. 
These posts wouldn't be the same without your input.

If you don't want to leave a comment but would rather contact me by email, 
here's my address: lynkelwoohoo at yahoo dot com.



17 comments:

Writer Pat Newcombe said...

summer does seem to bring out the best in us and most of us have fond memeories of childhood summers, don't we? I love your pics. That slidy thing looks like great fun!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I always got plastic burn from our Slip 'n' Slide...

Old Kitty said...

Whatever that thing is - the slidey thingy with water in it - looks like such fun! LOL!! The only problem with the one in the clip is that you have to get back up again! LOL!!!

I love summer - it's just the warmth and the brightness really!!

Take care
x

Ruth Schiffmann said...

My girls had a slip & slide. What fun!
That super duper slip & slide looks amazing. I think I remember one of my girls telling me they had one like that at camp.
Great quotes =D

Bish Denham said...

My mother told story about a neighbor friend who commented, "Erva, every time I come over here, you're on the floor playing with your kids."

It's all about making those good-time memories.

For me as a kid, summer was all about the beach, swimming and snorkeling. Of course I did other things, but the beach was pretty much the center of my universe.

Patricia Rickrode w/a Jansen Schmidt said...

I love the big ole slip n slide! I'd definitely do that.

Summer memories is driving with the t-tops off the car, especially at night. Man I miss that car.

Fun post, Lynn. Thanks for sharing your memories.

Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt

Kelley Lynn said...

Oh! Slip n' Slide! :)

Jennette Marie Powell said...

Heck yeah I'd try that slip 'n slide! I didn't have a big enough yard for one as a little kid, and when we moved somewhere we did... I don't know why we never got one. Fun times!

Coleen Patrick said...

Slip and slides were so awesome--I remember as a kid trying to make one once with garbage bags! I especially love that last slip and slide photo (with the water splashing up)--it's the perfect summer visual to me.

Anonymous said...

I just found ours while cleaning out the garage! Love it! What a fun memory. I would say that's what I miss now that the children have grown- all the silly stuff we did together. But I want them to take their time before they have kids of their own for gosh sakes! They are only 20 and 22...
We'll have to use our slip and slide next summer!

Anonymous said...

And we want pics of that, Susie. Fun pics Lynn and great message.

Emily R. King said...

How fun! Love the pictures. Now I know what you've been up to this summer, Lynn. :) I hope all is well with you and yours!

Anonymous said...

I'm very happy to say that summer is at my doorstep...(not that I'll be likely to slip-an-slide, though it does look fun!). We never had this growing up, but water fights were just as good :)

Thanks for the reminding us to live a little (and hope Autumn treats you well...)

nutschell said...

oh wow! That looks like a lot of fun. I have yet to do that though. No space in our backyard :)

Nutschell
www.thewritingnut.com

cleemckenzie said...

First, that super slide made my stomach do a flip! I loved it. Second, thanks for the memories of summer past. Those pictures captured so much joy of the moment.

I'm going to pull out some old albums and do some remembering. Thanks, Lyn

cleemckenzie said...

First, that super slide made my stomach do a flip! I loved it. Second, thanks for the memories of summer past. Those pictures captured so much joy of the moment.

I'm going to pull out some old albums and do some remembering. Thanks, Lyn

Nas said...

Sounds like awesome fun! Slip n SLide! How fantastic!