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My favorite summer tradition is making homemade ice cream...so yummy with fresh strawberries from the local Farmer's Market.

For our family it just isn't summer until we have gone and picked strawberries. Where we live strawberries come into season just about the time the kiddies finish school. I have been doing this since I was a young girl with my mom and have spent the last 20 years taking my own daughters. Tomarrow is the day to go picking this year.

Driving to the cottage and looking for (and exclaiming over) the landmarks along the way (the shoe tree, the rock carving that looks like a bear, the tree that was split in two by lightening, etc.). Makes the 3 hour drive just a little more enjoyable with the kids!

Every summer all 5 of us kids and the many neighborhood families would swim at the neighborhood pool and join the swim team. It was quite the bonding experience. After a meet or an evening swim, we would bbq at the park with everyone. All the kids running around the park, playing tag, cards or on the play equipment. My favorite summer tradition was making the hand churned ice cream afterward as a community. Everyone got a turn cranking the ice cream makers handle. ( I now know it was a parents game to have all of us kids think it was so special to do this and get us to do all the labor - very smart) We would make fresh vanilla and put freshly sliced peaches on it. That was so good, no store bought ice cream can even come close. I no longer live in my hometown, but do hear the stories of the kids who are now grown up doing the same with their kids. To relive those memories I always have vanilla ice cream with fresh peaches in June. Summer does not feel official until I have had my dish... My nieces and nephews have continued the tradition of the swim meets. I keep track of their progress and go to a meet unexpectedly when I can. I am their biggest and loudest fan.

My favorite tradition is walking through my garden each morning with a cup of coffee looking for new growth..trying to notice all the little miracles that took place the night before.

Our summer tradition is SWIMMING as much as we possibly can! ...and constant BBQs when it's too hot to cook inside! ...and garage sale-ing! Oh wait, you said just one :) I hope I win! Thanks!
Amy
Tarapoto, Peru

A family getaway with my whole extended family to a waterpark campground. We're going on year 5 but that plans aren't made yet this year, so my fingers are crossed!

Catching fireflies at night. The backyard is completely different in the moonlight and I feel like we're in another world.

One of my favorite summertime traditions is to go to the mountains with my immediate family & my parents. We have so much fun hiking, roasting marshmellows, spotting deer, catching salamanders & lightening bugs. It brings me peace to go there & recharge my batteries once a year. Wish is were more but I'll take once a year with family - nothing could be better!!

We have gobs of fresh fruit all the time. My kids eat healthy snacks and think they are getting away with something!

Watermelon eating contest!

My favorite summer tradition is walking to the falls and having a picnic!

Playing Disc Golf as a family!

Being from Australia- our summer is not until Christmas time- our summer tradition is to go to Nelson Bay (2hrs from Sydney) with the extended family (15 of us) and have holidays at Nan's beach house- beach during the day and a BBQ or fish and chips for tea!!! can't wait...sue

My birthday is the 4th of July. My husband plans a bbq for friends and family and they we go to the marina where we keep our boat to watch fireworks over the bay. Always tons of fun.

We love to go on summer walks at night, sometimes getting slushies or coffee at the end. So peaceful and much cooler for walking.

Oooh, there are so many. Picnics - any meal served outside on a blanket is so much more festive and inspires better conversation! Sleeping late(r). Mojitos on the screened porch. Running under the sprinkler. Late nights catching fireflies. Watermelon for every meal!!!

As a teacher, I love my summers off with my kids. I treasure swinging on the porch swing, catching lightning bugs, and geocaching.

My favorite summer tradition is POSICLES....YUMMY....and so refreshing on a Saturday night....
Thanks for the giveaway- the tags are awesome
Judy

My favorite summer traditions would have to be water balloon "fights", s'mores around the firepit at my parent's house, oodles of time for all of our kids to play together. I also love a good hot dog but only on the grill. A beer to go with it would be divine. ;) Great giveaways!