I can still smell the cool country air. There was always a blanket of humidity lingering on summer mornings. It was like nature's way of saying, "Girrrl, I'm heating this place up today!" Birds chirped their happy songs and bugs hummed those creepy sounds that made my skin crawl.

A world of adventure awaited!

As a child, I visited my paternal grandparents on weekends and during the summer. My cousin, Christy, would stay with me most of the time. You could count on my grandparents to rise well before the sun made its appearance. We'd wake up to the smell of biscuits and bacon, eggs and grits, and other delicious, artery-clogging country foods. My cousin and I were so excited to get dressed, have breakfast, and head out the door!

You'd find us on our bikes traveling to far away lands or digging for mystical creatures in one of the gardens. We'd hike deep enough into the woods to meet Big Foot and then fish in one of the ponds beside the house. We knew how to dig our own worms, put them in a can with dirt, grab our rods and a bucket, fill it at the water's edge, bait our hooks, make a catch, and then gut & scale the fish with minimal assistance.

True country girls!

At some point in the day, we'd risk it all by jumping from the top of the barns or climbing the tallest trees. We loved to swing like Tarzan after tying a rope to a thick branch. Almost nothing was off limits when we stayed with my dad's parents. Those days were totally carefree.

We were the definition of wild child!

There was no internet. Nintendo was the big deal but I didn't have many games. Super Mario was our favorite! When we watched television, it was either a cartoon, comedy/horror movie (on the VCR), or MTV. I remember recording the videos and learning the choreography to so many dances. I had moves back then y'all!

Times have changed so drastically. My childhood freedom seems like a dream. My kid's may not get to experience as much reckless abandon as I did with my cousin, but I'm doing my best to let them be kids.

I can't tell you how many times I've been asked about my family's activities in the past few weeks. People want to know what we're up to and what's on our agenda for the summer. It's so much fun to plan activities but as you can see below, my answer is simple.

This. My girls will be doing this.

They will be outside rocking their brown girl braids. They'll spin in circles until nausea is comical. They'll laugh and shriek at the highest decibels, spreading their magic all around. They'll dig through the gravel annoying ants and getting their nails disgustingly dirty. That is where my girls will be most of the time.

**I recently wrote this piece for my blog then had an idea to share it in this amazing community. It's all about how my family is doing summer this time around. If you like what you've read so far, please head over to http://www.thrillermom.com/blo... to read it in its entirety. I'd love to see you there!