Summer Traditions

I think it's super important to create (and continue ones you've already established and still love) your own family traditions.  You will be so thankful that you took the time to create fun, silly, and unique memories for you and yours to look back on for years to come!  "They grow up fast" is so cliche, but it really is true.  I can't believe I have a 10 year old that is going into 5th grade this year.....sheesh!  Sometimes I worry about making sure we do things now so that the kids will have something to look back on.  It is easy to skip something if kids are mis-behaving or money is tight or it's too hot, or whatever.  It's really all about capturing those magic moments and savoring the little things.  Sometimes traditions come without trying (it's mostly all about stuff you love doing anyway).  Here's what we do.....

our summer traditions

swimming

picnics

bbq

catching fireflies

the Devil's icebox (a local cave)

the zoo

evening ice cream trips

comic book movies

carnivals

staying up late (like family sleepover nights)

watching thunderstorms

eating buckets of strawberries

a water park/ theme park

video games

gardening

reading in the air conditioning

I feel like we should have more, but that list proves that we do stuff.  What do you guys do?  I really wanna add getting sno-cones and going to the drive-in. :)  Fun stuff!

make popsicles!

1. Blackberry & Avocado popsicles found here.
2. Kiwi Orange Creamsicles found here.
3. Strawberry Mango popsicles found here.
4. Nutella & Greek Yogurt popsicles found here.*
5. Tea popsicles found here.
6. Whole Fruit popsicles found here.

* We actually made the nutella and yogurt pops yesterday & they turned out awesome.  I picked up those same popsicle molds from Wal-Mart, and they will be used heavily for summer treats.  My tip for the nutella yogurt ones is to put a huge scoop of yogurt & a huge scoop of nutella in a bowl first and swirl them around before spooning into the molds.  This mixes the tangy/sweet flavors better.  The kids loved them, but unless you add sweetener of some kind to the plain yogurt......well plain yogurt isn't all that great, you know?  The nutella does a great job of sweetening the yogurt, but we actively had to do big licks to pick up both flavors.  It was worth it though.  We LOVE popsicles, and homemade ones are the BEST!!! yum.