Underwater

I was never much of a swimmer. Whenever I went underwater, I’d pinch my nose tight and squeeze my eyes shut — partly because the chlorine burned, but mostly because underwater felt big and mysterious, and closing my eyes made it feel a little safer. 😊

Cannonball!

The public pool was a fun summer hangout for my sister and me—except for adult swim. Every hour we got kicked out for 15 painfully long minutes. The second that whistle blew, we launched back in—cannonball first—while the adults were still trying to climb out. If you didn’t move fast, you got splashed. 😂💦

At Ease

Once the school year was over, Sundays just felt different. I didn’t have that familiar stress hanging over me, wondering what the week was going to throw my way… I could just sink into the simple joy of knowing I could sleep in, with nothing big waiting for me on Monday. It was this quiet little freedom that only summer ever seemed to bring. 😊

Game Night

It's Game Night! That was our parents’ plan to unplug us from the TV into some “family quality time.”

My sister loved it, mainly because she won pretty much every game. 😅

Hangman was a favorite of ours...simple and perfect for kids who lacked a lot of patience. 😂

Peas

Peas could be taste good…when they were the frozen kind. Mom, trying to stretch the grocery budget, always brought home the canned ones — those pale, mushy peas that looked like they’d already given up.

No wonder my sister hated peas! 🤢😅

Breeze

Another thought that got me through the school day was knowing I’d get to ride my bike through the neighborhood afterward, pedaling just fast enough for the wind to whip through my hair!💨😁🚲

Imagination

Waiting for food at a family restaurant always felt like it took forever. Luckily, Mom’s purse always had a pen or pencil tucked inside. I’d hunch over the paper placemat and drift off into my own little world, doodling away while the grown‑ups talked. 😁✏️