The making of a crazy but fun loving adult

Holy hell, No wonder I'm such a basket case. Just kidding. Well I guess my life wasn't that bad. My parents were a little crazy but who's weren't ? Mom was a wonderful person but could be a pain in the rear end to put it nicely. Dad was a workaholic. I loved every minute of my childhood though. My brother was and still is a brat but he's my favorite pain in the ass.

My name is Summer Dawn. I am honest, caring, and love living my life to the fullest extent. I attribute that to my wonderful parents who alway taught me to be the best version of myself. I don't ever remember a time when I didn't love being around my folks. Sure we butted heads a lot and I do mean a lot. Especially my mom and I probably because we were so much alike. I was and probably always will be a daddy's girl and my younger brother was a mama's boy. We were an odd family but we always stood up for each other. Mamma past away last Christmas and I still sit and cry over her death. As an adult we became best friends and talked on the phone daily when we both had our phones on that is. I still sometimes pick up the phone to call her and then start crying when I remember that she is gone.

I have so many wonderful memories of my childhood even when we struggled financially we always found a way to entertain ourselves. I remember mom was on a bowling league and in the summer months she would take my brother and I to the bowling alley with her and give us each a few dollars to play the video games. I always loved sitting and people watching while she bowled. There were plenty of interesting people around. My Aunt Net and Aunt Corrine were also on my mamma's team "The Ballbangers" and sometimes they would bring their kiddo's as well. I also remember my mamma's Aunt Edna would be there on her own team and we would usually sit and visit with her and her two grandchildren after the games were finished. Those were some of my favorite childhood memories.

Another would be our road trips. We would load up in the car on the weekends and pick a destination and go where ever we had decided as a family to go. Sometimes it would be the family farm other times it would be to a local lake to swim and fish. I always loved those spontaneous trips. At the time my brother and I would complain about having to get up so early on our days off from school but after we were on the road we both enjoyed the trip. Of course we had our arguments over who got to choose the music or the seating arrangement but we always got over it pretty quick. Most of the time we were able to bring friends as well. Usually I brought my sister from another mister Misty and sometimes my brother would get upset because he had a crush on her and her and I would spend all of our time gossiping or listening to my cassette player. Bub would occasionally bring his friends but more than likely it was my friends and I think he probably resented that as well.

Then there was the family that was always around. As annoying as that sounds I loved being around my family. In fact three of my male cousins are more like brothers to me and the two that are still living still call me their little sister. I was on lucky girl because no one would dare mess with me when my big brothers were around and I enjoyed playing football, wrestling, riding bikes, and playing board games with them as much as they enjoyed having tea parties, playing in our clubhouse, and swimming with me. Summers were always the best. I can't even begin to count the lazy summer days we spent at the river swimming and rafting until it got dark then we would have a cookout or roast hot dogs in the fire pit. Oh and who can turn down the smores. Yum yum. Another favorite activity of mine was our camping trips. We would go to different campgrounds and tent for usually a couple of days. We even went to Canada and camped with my paternal grandmother, my Aunt Brenda, her daughter Brandy, and my family. I don't remember much about the trip because I was around six or seven but I still have the pictures that mom had taken. We took our bikes and rode all over the campground and swam in lake Erie all day long. We also visited The Niagra Falls, on that trip. It was a blast. I hope to take my kids there someday as well.

Oh and one of my best memories was right after graduation when my dad and I drove to our family farm and backpacked for a week on a trail that he had hiked when he was young. It seemed like we walked for miles but it was a very informative event in my life. We talked about everything under the sun and I learned so many interesting facts about nature and camping. Then we went back to the farm and hung out with my Uncles and their wives. Soon after that I got married and started my own family.

Of course as in every family we had our share of problems and sometimes we would scream and fight but thru it all we always knew that we were loved and valued as people rather than just being treated like children who had no say in their own lives.

All in all I would say that even thru the craziness of my childhood and the process of becoming an adult I wouldn't change a thing. My family was the best family that I could ask for. I hope that my kids remember their childhood with as much fondness as I do my own.