Nearly four decades of sunsets, screened porches, pontoon rides, and the family memories that continue to shape our lives. There are places that quietly become part of a family’s story. Not because they’re famous. Not because they’re beautiful—although many are. But because they’re where life happens. They’re where ordinary moments quietly become family traditions. Every…
Family Traditions
Remember When Churches Had Hymn Sings and Ice Cream Socials?
How a summer evening with my Mamaw in Shelby, North Carolina became one of the sweetest memories of my childhood. One of my favorite childhood memories is going to old-fashioned church ice cream socials with my Mamaw Hamrick in North Carolina. On warm summer evenings, we’d gather under the shade of big trees after church….
County Fair Survival Guide for Grandparents Taking the Grandkids
There’s something magical about a county fair. The smell of funnel cakes drifting through the air, the bright lights of the midway, the sounds of laughter and carnival music—it’s the perfect setting for making memories with the grandchildren. My favorite activities are always the ferris wheel and the animal barns! Oh and let’s not forget…
The Lake House Isn’t What It Used to Be — And Neither Am I
Yesterday, as we swept floors, packed coolers, and loaded the last bags into the car, I found myself fighting back tears. The lake house was exactly the same. The dock was still there. The water still sparkled in the afternoon sun. The familiar creak of the screen door still welcomed us as it has for…
How Do You Preserve Family Stories?
Recently, I did something that might seem a little unusual. I ordered a small brass plaque for the inside of a cabinet. Not because the cabinet is particularly valuable. Not because it belongs in a museum. I did it because I’m worried that someday no one will know what it is. The cabinet belonged to…
The Little Yellow Toy Room
Back in 2019, I decided to create a special place in our home just for the grandchildren—a bright yellow toy room filled with imagination, creativity, and memories waiting to be made. Today, when our grandchildren come to visit, they don’t ask for tablets or video games. Instead, they race down the hall to “the toy room,” a cheerful space where…
When Toys Didn’t Need Wifi
The Toy Room: Where Generations Meet There’s a room in our house that doesn’t really belong to any one generation. At first glance, it looks like a toy room designed for the grandchildren. There’s a crib tucked into the corner, a child-sized table waiting for coloring pages and tea parties, shelves lined with books, and…