Summer is the season for birthdays in our family! Half of our grandchildren (nine of them) celebrate birthdays in summer, as do two of our sons, a son-in-law, and myself.
In addition to birthdays, three of our children and their spouses celebrate anniversaries in summer, as did my parents. In fact, my parents celebrated their anniversary on my mother-in-law's birthday! The majority of these family celebrations fall within the month of August.
Considering how large our family has grown over the past decade and a half or so, my husband and I don't go crazy with birthdays or holidays. In fact, we keep everything pretty simple.
For the grandchildren, we give cards with the number of $$$ equal to their age enclosed, plus, once they're old enough, I try to spend special time with each grandchild by taking them out for a one-on-one birthday lunch or supper to the restaurant of their choice. We spend that time chatting and just getting to know one another. It's a good time to catch up with what's happening in their world and find out what their interests are at the time. They seem to look forward to it each year and I do, too. In fact, tomorrow I get to take two grandgirls out...one for lunch and one for supper! (Both of their birthdays are actually on Friday, but I have to work that day, so we're going to celebrate on Thursday instead. 😊) In addition to that, we attend any birthday celebrations that we are invited to by their parents. 🎂🎉🍨🎈🍰
Only once (that I know of anyway) have I forgotten to take one of our grandchildren out for their annual birthday meal with Nana and that was last year with our next-to-the-oldest grandson. His birthday is in early January, and follows so close after Christmas, that I didn't even think about it! We were invited to his birthday celebration by his parents and everything and I still didn't think of it! Not until July or August, that is! It was then that I said, "Silas, I don't remember taking you out for lunch for you birthday back in January. Did I?"
He grinned real big and said, "No, Nana, but it's okay."
I said, "No, it's not okay. You should have said something!"
He said, "I knew you'd remember sooner or later." Goofy guy! 🤡
Needless to say, Silas got a very belated birthday outing with Nana, BUT...it still ended up happening! 😊
My birthday was Monday, August 13th. Over the course of the week I've received many wonderful birthday greetings, some lovely cards, and these beautiful birthday flowers from our youngest daughter...
Our oldest daughter, along with her children, took Papa and I on a surprise birthday outing for the day. I had no idea where we were going until we got there. We started with a visit to the Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel in Bella Vista, Arkansas, and ended up at the War Eagle Mill near Rogers. We hiked a nature trail, visited the chapel, went through the mill, had a picnic lunch, played in War Eagle Creek, and drove through an Arkansas state park. It was a lot of fun and made for a great birthday!
I ended my day with a banana split. I'm not sure how the tradition got started (it seems like it was, either my grandfather or my two aunts that started it all to begin with), but, either way, ever since I was a child, I have always celebrated my birthday with a once-a-year, birthday, banana split. Usually, I get one at Dairy Queen, but this year, I made my own. I started with homemade chocolate ice cream, then I added a banana, chocolate syrup, and whipped topping with a maraschino cherry on top! It was so yummy! 😋
Well, that pretty much sums up summer birthdays around here! How do you celebrate summer birthdays in your family?
Until next time...
~Rebecca
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In addition to birthdays, three of our children and their spouses celebrate anniversaries in summer, as did my parents. In fact, my parents celebrated their anniversary on my mother-in-law's birthday! The majority of these family celebrations fall within the month of August.
Considering how large our family has grown over the past decade and a half or so, my husband and I don't go crazy with birthdays or holidays. In fact, we keep everything pretty simple.
For the grandchildren, we give cards with the number of $$$ equal to their age enclosed, plus, once they're old enough, I try to spend special time with each grandchild by taking them out for a one-on-one birthday lunch or supper to the restaurant of their choice. We spend that time chatting and just getting to know one another. It's a good time to catch up with what's happening in their world and find out what their interests are at the time. They seem to look forward to it each year and I do, too. In fact, tomorrow I get to take two grandgirls out...one for lunch and one for supper! (Both of their birthdays are actually on Friday, but I have to work that day, so we're going to celebrate on Thursday instead. 😊) In addition to that, we attend any birthday celebrations that we are invited to by their parents. 🎂🎉🍨🎈🍰
Only once (that I know of anyway) have I forgotten to take one of our grandchildren out for their annual birthday meal with Nana and that was last year with our next-to-the-oldest grandson. His birthday is in early January, and follows so close after Christmas, that I didn't even think about it! We were invited to his birthday celebration by his parents and everything and I still didn't think of it! Not until July or August, that is! It was then that I said, "Silas, I don't remember taking you out for lunch for you birthday back in January. Did I?"
He grinned real big and said, "No, Nana, but it's okay."
I said, "No, it's not okay. You should have said something!"
He said, "I knew you'd remember sooner or later." Goofy guy! 🤡
Needless to say, Silas got a very belated birthday outing with Nana, BUT...it still ended up happening! 😊
My birthday was Monday, August 13th. Over the course of the week I've received many wonderful birthday greetings, some lovely cards, and these beautiful birthday flowers from our youngest daughter...
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| Birthday Flowers |
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| The Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel in Bella Vista, Arkansas |
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| Walking the Nature Trail at the Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel |
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| War Eagle Mill |
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| This is the outside of the mill. This places has held special meaning for our family for four generations now. 👴👩👧👶 |
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| The inside of the mill. The day we were there they were grinding corn into cornmeal. (For a history of the mill click HERE.) |
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| After a picnic lunch we enjoyed playing in War Eagle Creek. The grandchildren and I enjoyed collecting rocks and tiny clam shells together. |
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| We ended our trip with a selfie in front of the mill. Papa was so busy making sure that the grandchildren were looking at camera that he barely made it into the picture himself! 😆 We had a great day and it was a lot of fun! |
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| Birthday Banana Split. |
Until next time...
~Rebecca
Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...
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