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Watching the 4th of July parade at Grandma's house...then eating a full-blown turkey dinner (think Thanksgiving) with the entire family - at Grandma's. It is the best!

Our favorite summer tradition is lazy days spent by the pool. There are days that the boys get up put on their suits and don't take them off until bath time. In and out all day long. Great summer memories!

We have 3 kids- 4,almost 3,and almost 2. so this is really our first summer out and about. So far our only real summer tradition is eating watermelon. A lot of watermelon. The kids eat it as fast as I can cut it. It doesnt matter how many times we get it, my 4 year olds eyes light up every time he sees the green strips. I love it.

Strawberry shortcake on my bday & blackberry cobbler on my sisters bday. :)

making homemade ice cream on 4th of july. ahh....my mouth is watering.

Family get-togethers at our house every other 4th of July. So many memories are made, from the getting ready, cooking, eating, laughing, decorating, swimming, sliding, jumping, blowing bubbles, fireworks and looking at and taking pictures. It's great!. We love it!

Look at all of the wonderful colors Ormolu has to offer! Love them!
I can't imagine summer without fun times at the pool and homemade popsicles! Yum!

Love the fireworks on the 4th of July!

Picnics! It is so simple and fun. I have a one and two year old, so there isn't a ton we can do that is "big" but we sure love to venture out to new places for picnics.

My favorite summer tradition is playing with my kiddos at the pool as often as we can!!

I just made home made ice cream today. Just hanging out with good friends and family.

Although I haven't been able to do this recently, summer for me has meant going to the library, borrowing a bunch of books, and just reading all day. Can't do that as much now that I don't have summer vacation from school. Guess that's part of being an adult (other things make up for it though!)

lovely give aways!
we head out to find fireworks with the kids, sometimes even just watching from the car is enough for them :)

Has to be our cottage times for sure! Boating on the lake, big pot-luck dinners with family and playing games in the evenings!

late night beach bonfires... ahhh summer!

Since my Dad was the only child in his family to leave Texas, every year we would drive from California to Texas for a few weeks of "Ya'll" immersion and river tubing trips. It was awesome. We've continued this tradition with our kids (on an every-other to every- third year basis). The next generation of second cousins have as much fun as me & my cousins did!

Water balloon fights just for fun! We're going to make a ton of water balloons tonight for playing in the yard tomorrow~

one favorite summer tradition is going out of town for 2 weeks to visit in-laws and cousins.kids get to spend several days on the beach :)

my favorite summer tradition is taking a trip to China and visiting relatives that I don't get to see throughout the rest of the year

Summer traditions are few and far between back home- but I'll never forget how every summer my family would host a party for friends in the backyard. We'd set up the badminton net and the croquet wickets to play old games that aren't common in country Colorado life. I loved those days and still think of them fondly. I can't wait to have a yard to have such parties of my own.