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When your children are younger, the days can sometimes drag on. The tantrums over a noodle being out of place on their plate or that you gave them the red sippy cup and not the blue one. The very early mornings and the nights, that can drag on forever. The constant uphill battle to keep the children entertained and happy, on top of paying the bills, cooking and cleaning!
I remember thinking somedays were ticking by so slowly, it will never be nap time or “me” time. When you are in the thick of it, you do not realize how quickly time is actually going and how someday, you’ll want to turn back the clock and hold your baby again. How you would trade cleaning the house for one more game of peek-a-boo or reading a board book. It’s impossible to realize how special the time is when you’re just so tired and worn down.
I get it. I’d buy a time machine tomorrow if they sold one.
Luckily, I have photos to take me back to the great summer memories of when my big kids were little. Summertime memories I’ll hold on to forever.
A Few of My Favorite Summertime Memories with my Children
Rafting down the river and how many giggles I heard. I’m not sure I laughed a lot but I know they loved it!
Rock collecting for hours and hours on end, filling buckets and getting wet! A great summertime memory!
Looking for bugs on hiking and camping trips and the excitement of turning over a log! It was the simple things back then.
Going down the backyard water slide 100 times and giggling, over-and-over until their lips were blue because the hose water was so cold!
Enjoying an afternoon painting a cardboard box to make a fort –a fort they’d play in for days!
So many summer memories and though I know I was tired. I know the days were long. I also know, I did laugh. I did smile. I did hug my kids tight and enjoy little moments; I just wish I had enjoyed more of them. I’m wiser, so now I’m appreciating the little things because the moments are fleeting.
Tell me, what are some of your favorite summertime memories with your children? Do you wish you had enjoyed more time playing with the kids instead of cleaning?
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Disclaimer: I was sent free product and an Amazon.com gift card in exchange for hosting this giveaway and sharing my summertime memories. I personally like how Scotties Tissues plants 3 trees for each tree used. Learn more about the company and sign up for rewards here.
Some of my favorite memories are going fishing with my sons. Going to the Jersey Shore and going to So. Carolina to visit with my Dad.
I enjoyed going to the beach, water park, story hour, plays in the park, lunch and play dates and anything that took me out of the house having fun. I cleaned and did laundry at night when the kids were asleep.
I enjoy playing outside in our backyard and painting together
I enjoyed spending time the pool with my children. I did my cleaning in the evenings.
I love camping with the kids, I definitely wish I had more time to spend instead of cleaning.
Going to the beach is my favorite summertime memory 🙂
demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com
My best summer memory was watching my daughter jump off the diving board into the deep end of the pool for the first time.
abfantom at yahoo dot com
My kids and I are reading dorks, and we all loved the summertime library reading program. LOTS of personal-pan pizzas later, they’re both still avid readers.
Thanks for a great giveaway!
swimming and picnics are the best
camping with the family was great, we had lots of time together this summer 🙂
we did a lot together, did a lot of day trips to fun places.
Going to the park.
Yes, I definitely wish I spent more time enjoying life and family rather than cleaning!
Summer vacations in the Catskills.
I enjoyed just watching the kids play outdoors in the summer and making them lunch outside on the deck. Cleaning is important, but not fun at all.
All the neighbor kids all played together-they were pretty self-sufficient, and were in and out all day long.
Some of my favorite summer time memories are telling my daughter to grab her skateboard, bike, scooter or roller skates and heading to a park for a photo session on wheels.
I like bike riding or playing as a family in the backyard.
My favorite summertime memories with my boys is going to all of their all star tournaments.
We went berrying. More in their mouths than in the bucket~
My favorite summer memory with my kids is going to the Grand Canyon. We took a family road trip out west and had the most amazing time.
We love swimming, geocaching, and camping.
I enjoyed taking them to the pool.
Memories of playing outside in the mud and dirt and running through the sprinkler. I totally wish I had spent more time playing!
addictedtorodeo at gmail dot com
Ashley C
playing with sprinklers
Sprinkler and water gun fun. I suspect almost everyone wishes they would have had more play time with their kids.
We love riding bikes, going to the beach, just running around, etc
We enjoy spending time at the park and going to lake. I always wish there was more time to spend having fun with the kids.
We enjoy going to the beach and of course I would rather spend more time with them than cleaning.
My grandpa owned a trailer on a river and we went camping and fishing during the summer. My mom kept our chores light so we were able to enjoy being kids.
I have enjoyed going camping, fishing and swimming with the kids this summer and make sure to have time with them. But there still is a lot of cleaning to do. That is why I get up early every day before the kids to get my housework done.
I have enjoyed taking them on camping vacations and to swimming lessons.
I always played more than cleaned when my daughter was little. Our favorite memories are the long walks we’d take after lunch every day. We walked in the woods and in a meadow. It was fun seeing the tracks and paths the animals made.
we enjoyed swimming in our pool
RAFFLECOPTER: CAROLSUE
There were a couple small amusement parks here (that are now closed) that we all really enjoyed going to. I didn’t clean much, but I did work and wish I had spent more time playing than working!
Playing out back on the deck and in the treehouse and yes, I wish I had played more when they were young.
I liked going to the park with the kids when they were little.
I like taking my kids to the beach and to the pool.
Just going to the beach for the day is a wonderful memory. There was also a rented waterslide and watching them all enjoy this treat was so fun.
We’ve had so much fun this summer. first time going to the zoo! we’ve been to the park many times, swam for the first time as well!
My brothers and sisters used to sing a made-up song on the way to the town’s pool, but NOW I am not married and have no children
Taking my kids to Disney world was an amazing experience. It’s something we’ll always remember.
Love3570@aol.com
Each summer we take a family trip, this year we went to Phoenix right as summer break began and it was wonderful. I love exploring new places with my babies!
Some of my favorite times were taking samples of various things in nature and looking at them under a microscope. We also liked to play music. I was never one to let house cleaning get in the way of a good time 🙂
I liked playing outside.
I enjoyed watching them play sports.
I have to say water activities which includes watering the flowers and garden
My favorite times with my son was just the times him and I did things together, whether it be the beach or lunch, just being together.
We love going on a family vacation together in the summers. My kids love exploring and seeing new places.
I don’t have children but I love spending time with my nieces and one great memory was taking them camping when they were little.
We had a lot of fun camping and fishing, but I wish I would have spent more time just playing with them.
I’ve enjoyed our trips to the park and picnics and bbq’s, the lake and zoo and fair. Even as a stay at home mom I never feel like I have enough time to spend with my kids but always try to make the most of every day.
I don’t have any children, but I will be taking my nephew on a weekend trip with his mom soon. That’s sure to be a great memory.
I don’t have any children of my own but I used to love going swimming with my niece when she was young!
I love to go with my boys to the local parks. And yes I’d love to spend less time cleaning
We love to go to the local splash pad and cool down in the water! Who wouldn’t want to spend less time cleaning?!
when are kids where young we took them almost everywhere with us … we did a lot of camping with them, up and down the east coast…we’re looking at new trailers so we can start taking the grandkids
Some of my favorite memories are taking my kids to festivals. Yes, cleaning stinks and the less the better!
I had my kids help with age-appropriate chores before we played. We loved water and amusement parks. Thanks for the opportunity!
My favorite summertime memories is going on camping trips.
My favorite memory is swimming at the beach
love to swim at the lake
I spent summers with my Grandparents in the mountains of NC. Best memories ever. We played outside til it was dark out!
I remember teaching them how to ride a bike. Much more enjoyable than cleaning!
My favorite summer memory is a long camping trip we took to a state park! It was so much fun!
Love bike riding with the kids. Always wish I could spend more time with them, but cleaning house is a must 🙂
I enjoy going on nature walks with my kids and bringing them to zoos and museums. Yes, I would always choose time with them over cleaning if I can.
We love going to parks and the beach. I would love to spend more time with her as opposed to cleaning!
I always wished I had more time with her. when we went to florida for a week oh the beach
My favorite summer memories are camping in national parks.
We spent a lot of time at the beach.
Just taking them to the park, woods, or beach to be kids. They can explore and have fun while satisfying their curiosity.
My favorite summer memories and playing with the neighbor kids until the streets light came on.
My favorite summer memories with my family were spend waterskiing on my parent’s lake.
Having lemonade stands was the best! 🙂
My favorite summertime moments with my girls were going to the lake and swimming at the beach. I did a lot of cleaning back then that drove everyone nuts so I have learned my lesson and found out what was really important – spending time with family.
Cleaning does take up a lot of time, however, I try and enjoy every last minute of our Summer’s together. This year we went on a cruise and it was an absolute blast for everybody!
My favorite summer memories were when I would take my children to the pool. Cleaning does take awhile, but I always manage to make time for my children.
In no way has cleaning ever taken enough time to spend quality time with my littles..always time to play in the local creek <3
im a clean freak so I do wish I spent more time with them
My favorite summertime memory with my daughter is going to the cabins for a week and just enjoying quality time
My kids and I have gone to my dad’s home which has 40 acres and a lot of ride on’s and had a blast. We have done it a couple times and will one more time. I have taken some time off work this summer to have more time with my kids since I am a single parent raising them.
I always loved spending time with my Grandma. We would make pudding every summer and I spend lots of time at the pool. Billie R. kekagel@yahoo.com
My favorite summer memory is playing with my grandson in my yard and at the park.
I didn’t get to spend as much time with my great nieces and nephews this summer – everyone is so busy. I’d pick playing with kids over housework any day!
My favorite memories are of family camping trips and of being there for my kids to talk to.
We enjoyed camping and when we did not have time for a vacation we camped in the backyard
We had a great summer! I loved our vacation at great wolf lodge, mining in the mountains, and an afternoon at sky zone!
We love our trips to the local water parks!
My favorite summertime memory with my daughter is going to the water park
I definitely wished I had spent more time with my son when he was younger – instead of cleaning. The mess can always be cleaned later – your children grow up fast and then the moments that could have been are gone.
i love taking the family swimming. it’s always a good time.
i love going to the pool with my son. we go nearly every day during the summer
We’ve enjoyed our yearly beach trips. I try to be careful to balance fun times with responsibilities so I don’t have regrets later.
Going to the beach was great for us.
My fave summertime memory was going to the zoo with the kids. I played with them so much, it was a blast.
Favorite summertime memory…eating popsicles with my sister
My favorite memories were when we went on vacation but I also had fun with them just blowing bubbles and playing games, etc. I do miss the playing time since they are grown but I guess grandkids will come along and start it all over again.
My favorite summertime memories are at our annual trip to Dollywood and when we went to Cocoa Beach a few years ago.
My favorite memory is going to the beach with my children.
always like going to the beach
My oldest just graduated high school and I had thoughts of whether I did enough…of everything! We always enjoyed going to the beach…any water activity was out favorite thing to do!
My favorite memories are family game night. We try to spend as much time with our daughter as possible.
My favorite summertime memories with my boys is when we would go stay at the beach on the weekends. We all had so much fun and luckily took lots of pictures to be able to re live and enjoy those times 🙂 Docia Vagnerini
Some of my favorite memories are having cookouts and playing Wii with them! I always wish I had spent more time with them!
My favorite memories are the days we’ve spent on the water, at the beach and on the boat!
My favorite memories are going to the beach with my children. I have three that are in their 20’s and a 11 year old and I have done this with all of them. I love watching them be carefree and interested in things they find on the beach. I always wish I could spend more time with them instead of cleaning.