When I think about the end of summer, I don’t think about school supplies, backpacks, or a calendar filled with activities. I think about memories I created with Suzzane when she was here. As well as the memories I created with David and Charlie when Charlie was in school and yes, that included #Homeschool just as much as public school.

Those moments I reflect back on became traditions in our family. The little things that may have seemed ordinary at the time but became the stories we still tell years later. When Suzanne was in school, I was a single mom. Life was different then, and I did the very best I could with what I had. I didn’t always have the opportunity to create the first-day-of-school traditions or the end-of-year celebrations I dreamed about.

But when Charlie started school, I wanted to do something different. I wanted him to have those memories. I wanted him to look back and remember that the beginning and ending of each school year were special. So I started creating traditions that Charlie will be able to share with his own family one day.

Every first day of school, there were cupcakes or his favorite snack and beverage waiting not only for him but his friends as well. After that first exciting day, we would go to Cece’s Pizza. Sometimes it was just Charlie, David and I. Sometimes he would bring a friend. More often than not, that friend was Bradley.

As the years went on, it became Charlie, Bradley, Aiden, and Kaden sharing those moments together. Those pizza trips were never really about the pizza. They were about sitting together, talking about the first day, laughing, and celebrating another year beginning. We would discuss our hopes and dreams for the year.

At the end of the school year, I would have an end-of-year party with the kids in the neighborhood. It wasn’t about spending a lot of money. It was about bringing children together and letting them celebrate another year finished. Again, Cece’s Pizza became part of those memories with the same guys and discussing how the year went.

And even when Charlie graduated, that tradition stayed with us. His graduation dinner was at Cece’s Pizza. Because sometimes a place becomes part of your family story. Sometimes a meal becomes more than a meal. Sometimes food carries memories. That is why I want to encourage families as summer comes to a close: do not let money stop you from making memories.

You do not need an expensive vacation. You do not need a huge event. Sometimes the best memories happen right at home. One of our favorite ways to create memories is through food. Not because the food itself is the most important part, but because food gives us a reason to gather and spend time together.

A backyard hot dog bar under the stars is the perfect example. There is something special about putting out the hot dogs, buns, and toppings and letting everyone create their own masterpiece. You can keep it traditional with mustard, ketchup, relish, onions, sauerkraut, chili, cheese, pickles, and jalapeños.

Or you can let your family get creative. Maybe someone creates a loaded potato hot dog with cheese, bacon, and sour cream. Maybe someone makes a pizza-inspired hot dog with marinara sauce and mozzarella. Maybe someone combines flavors nobody else would ever think to try. That is the fun. The sky is the limit when everyone gets to create their own.

And don’t forget the dessert hot dog! A sweet twist can make the night even more memorable. Use a sweet bun or treat-style roll and add things like strawberries, whipped cream, chocolate, caramel, sprinkles, or crushed cookies. It may sound a little unusual, but sometimes the silly ideas become the stories everyone remembers.

Someone might make the strangest combination. Someone might burn a hot dog. Someone might create something nobody else wants to taste. And everyone might laugh until the neighbors wonder what is happening. Those are the moments that matter. And if cooking is not your thing, that is okay too.

Families can pick up Cece’s Pizza to go, bring it home, spread out a blanket, and create their own backyard pizza night. Add a favorite dessert, grab some drinks, and enjoy simply being together. Because the food is wonderful, but the reason we remember it is because of who was sitting beside us.

The same thing happens with movies. Even now, when Charlie is grown, there are movies that bring me right back to those years. We will still sit down and watch favorites like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Grease because those movies hold memories. And I have to share one funny thing about Grease.

When we watched it, the kids knew there was one part where we had to stop. When John Travolta was dancing on the car, I would make everyone pause. We would just sit there and watch. For five or ten minutes. Because I always said he was going to be my husband one day. That may not have been true, but a girl can dream, can’t she? And those cars in that movie? Oh my goodness.

Sometimes it isn’t just the movie. It is the laughter, the conversations, and the people sitting beside you. With Suzanne, we probably would have added movies like Dirty Dancing. With Charlie, we had movies like The Land Before Time. Different children. Different memories. But each one special.

As summer comes to an end, I hope you take time to create one more memory. Make the meal. Build the hot dog bar and David said to invite him over if you do because I’m not to crazy about Hot Dogs but will eat them once in a while. Watch the movie. Sit outside. Take the picture and make sure you get into those pictures because one day you will wish you had.

Tell the stories. Because one day, those children will be grown, and what they remember will not be the price of what you bought. They will remember the time you gave them. They will remember the traditions. They will remember the love. And those are the gifts that last forever. That is why I am Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed for my family and the life the LORD has blessed me with.

A Prayer for Family Memories

Dear Lord,

Thank You for the gift of family and the moments we share together.

Help us slow down and recognize the simple blessings around us.

May we remember that love is not measured by how much we spend, but by how much we give of ourselves.

Bless our homes, our families, and the memories we are creating.

Amen.

What Tradition Does Your Family Treasure?

What is one simple tradition your family has created that you hope your children remember forever?

Share your story with us. The little moments often become the biggest memories.

Grateful. Thankful. Blessed.

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates