Summer Traditions...

    Yesterday, I started thinking about traditions and how much they've come to mean to our family. Many families have traditions for Christmas and Easter, but it seems that Summer Traditions are a bit more rare. We have several!

    For Father's Day, we spend a day at Longview Beach swimming and building sand castles. My husband LOVES to play in the sand with the girls and as much fun as all our local water parks can be... they just don't have sand.

    In mid-June, we trek out to The Berry Patch to pick blueberries... Blueberry Pancakes are a tradition ALMOST every Saturday morning and we love making muffins, Blueberry Lemonade, and other Blueberry treats.. or eating them frozen!

    The 4th of July will be here soon and we love to make a visit to the Flags of Freedom in Merriam for photos and a patriotic concert. We make 4th of July crafts, learn patriotic songs, and of course enjoy professional fireworks (Ron helps shoot the display in Olathe).

    Summer means special outings to the Deanna Rose Farm for pictures in the Butterfly Garden, the Zoo for a Train Ride, the KC Northern Railroad for a Train Ride, and Kaleidoscope for one-of-a-kind creations as we create our Summer Art Gallery in the Dining Room (the most special art in our home hangs around our dinner table... all created by family artists!).

    We also celebrate Birthdays in the summer!

    On the girls' Birthdays, Ron buys one rose for each year of the girls' life and gives it to them with a card from Daddy. We've kept all the notes in their Baby Books.

    On First Birthdays, we create a time capsule to be opened on her Sweet Sixteen. Each guest brings a note, photos, newspaper and magazine clippings, and other mementos... surprises to be discovered on the 16th birthday from Great-Grandparents, Grandparents, Parents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and Friends.

    On every Birthday, we have a special plate for the Birthday person, fix their favorite foods for a family dinner and host a special party with friends (currently planning an "I Spy/Costume Party" for Emily's 4th Birthday in August).

    I love looking at the photos year after year to see how the girls have grown... how Emily once nervous and scared of water, now LOVES to play, how Kayla is now participating with her sister in creating art and has her own opinion of how things should be done, and how many memories are tied to these special times.

    So, do you have Summer Traditions? What are they? I always love a few new ideas!