Family Fun
I have been trying to think of some fun things to do with the whole family, which can be a challenge with such a wide age range. We almost always end up doing things like, playing kickball, but not counting the youngest’s goofs or scores. There is also the fact that as kids grow up they become busier than ever, so some may not be there when we do these fun things.
We always go to “Kingdom Bound”- all of us. We have only missed one year out of 20, and we all really look forward to it. The festival is held at Darien Lake Theme Park, between Rochester and Buffalo NY. We get there early the first morning, and have all day to be in the park and go on rides before the festival officially starts. That also presents the problem of, there are only 2 or three rides suitable for all of us, so we split up after those rides. I always end up taking the younger set of kids, and Dan goes with whoever wants to ride roller coaster…which I once loved, but now avoid at all costs ( I guess when it comes to rides, I am a wimp).
Another fun thing we have done, though not all of us do it anymore-just those who enjoy it, is scrapbooking. Scrapbooking is a wonderful family time. When you get the photos out and begin remembering good times, it can be very rewarding. Young children love to put together a page for themselves. I have a small scrapbook which I use just for the kids to do. It is called our silly family funny book. I let them use pictures that either came out funny or were meant to be funny, and they each do a page or two. The favorite embellishment for my kids to use, is stickers. They LOVE my sticker book. One time I remember someone doing a page of all stickers. Teresa McClary (http://www.scrapropos.com), has some wonderful ideas and quotes up on her site. She is also running a contest. Check it out if you are interested in scrapbooking.
Another family fun thing is picnics. I think picnics have always been a favorite thing for me in the summer. I remember my mom making salads and packing the cooler. Seeing the cooler out was what would give us the hint that a picnic was on the agenda for the day.
When I was about 10, we started camping regularly. That was the ultimate fun time for me. Meeting other kids my age, going for walks on the trails, swimming and canoeing- all a blast.
This year we will be doing the camping thing with our kids for the first time. I hope they love it as much as I did.
Whatever you do with your family this summer, remember to have fun. I know when you are the mom it is easy to get overwhelmed with all the details. I am determined NOT to miss out on the fun for the formalities….
Now, I need to get cooking for the Graduation Party next weekend, oh did I remember to order the cake??…Oh no, I forgot to get the lawn chairs out…I hope everyone got their invitations…oh no I forgot…………
Just kidding, have a wonderful day!!!
June 25th, 2007 at 11:15 am
Since I live in south Alabama, we like to go camping with my parents in the winter. We get a lot of Snow Birds from the north, and there are several state parks nearby where they like to set up for the winter. It is fun to meet new people from other places. My dad plays the fiddle, and a lot of the others bring instruments so there are usually impromptu bluegrass concerts. My son loves it!