Summertime Memories

School out. 

Well if you home school, there really is not big difference.

For us, we home school and so that meant when summer comes, the only thing missing is the school routine and the school work that we do. 

BUT, its still summer time which means that routine is no longer there and its about making it through the summer until the routine beings again. So, for those that have kids in the general public for schools, I do understand how change in routine can be, well, fun.

I think its a good reminder to make summer the most of it as you can. Its a time for memories and to try new things as a family. 

The one way to make the most of the summer it to make time and really be present with your kids. 

Growing up, summer was always a special time for me. It meant camping trips and also trips to ghosts towns and historical places. 

We started out with a camper that sat on top of my dads truck. You had to lift it up and then back the truck to it and it just fits right on. The more camping we did, the more space we needed it seemed. Our last camper was a 5th wheel. 

When I got old enough my parents would sleep in the camper while I set up a tent for some "away time" from my parents, Of course it was still on our camping spot, but this created a lot of just good memories. 

There's even smells that take me back to that part of my childhood......

Costco use to sell a drink and a polish hot dog meal bundle and they were the BEST! So, we would get those polish dogs for camping and it was always the staple. It wasn't the same if we didn't get those specific ones!

I am from Oregon and so we camped ALOT at a place called Mt Hood RV. I knew that place like the back of my hand. I would get on my bike and ride around and make new friends. Being  gone during the day and as the sun went down, returning to the camp site, was the daily norm. 

Camping isn't just the only thing I remember about the summer time.....

I mentioned about going to historical places and ghost towns. Now the scary BOO kind of towns. These are towns that are no longer lived in that cowboys and country folk would live in. 

Shaniko, Oregon was one of those places that I remember big time. 

I remember eating with my parents in the old hotel and it still looked very much like it should have back when it was inhabited by real cowboys and ladies. Its original name was Columbia Southern Hotel. It was built by the Columbia Southern railway in 1900-1902. (Wikipedia )

There was the old jail cell that people always took pictures at that made them look like they were behind bars and cute little places like the smith shop and what have you.