Hot August Nights

Daddy & Zoe at Hot August Nights 2010

I don't own a calendar. I don't wear a watch. I find myself staring at them both a little too much when I have had either. I can however map the year out by local events that happen every year here in Reno. I'll find myself discussing family milestones by, "That happened before such & such, or after the what's see who" it's something Dean and I both do now. Every year like clockwork we attend certain events. In August we always go to Hot August Nights. Every year we go and look at all the amazing classic cars. I marvel at how unique they are. I always wonder if anyone in the future will look back on the cars of the 90's till now and feel the same way most people do with cars from the 50' and earlier. Hot August Nights means that the Best of the West Rib Cook off is just around the corner. Which in turn means that the Reno Hot Air Balloon Races are not to far off either. I know that with the balloon races comes chilly weather. That means it's time to pack up our summer clothes and break out the sweaters and blue jeans.

Summer is flying by. This summer has me longing for home just a little more. I miss the sandy Florida beaches. I long for the hot and muggy weather with those beautiful storms. I miss our family trips and the fun we would always have with grandmas, grandpas, uncles, aunts, & cousins. I lived such a charmed life growing up. Visits to Disney & Epcot several times a year. Every Summer we'd rent a beach house for a week or two. All of my most favorite memories are from these family outings. Still fresh in my mind. Some still so vivid I could paint you a picture with words. I treasure these memories and the time I spent with everyone. I wonder, will my children feel the same about their childhood?

All of this has me thinking about traditions. I've talked to Dean about how I'd like us to have more of them. We both would like to have yearly camping trips with the kids. We'd like to start hiking and going on nature walks. We've also talked about the importance of reading the Bible together as a family. The girls are so very excited to learn the stories of Jesus. What better way to do this than to read scriptures as a family? We started tonight & it was fun to listen as each of them talked about their love for our Savior. I feel lately a very strong pull. A tug in my heart. Life is so precious and flies by so quickly. I want to make sure I don't look back one day with tearful regret at all that could have been when it comes to family time. Traditions are such an important part of family life. Do we have enough? I'm thinking this is an area I could work a little harder on.

What are some of your favorite family traditions?