Family Time...it's the little things you remember!

Robin, Mom, Dad, Billy, Sandy, Kerrie and Jay
in front of trailer c.1970

If there is one thing I learned growing up in my family it is that you do not need big fancy vacations to exotic destinations to make wonderful memories that will stay with you for life!

In 1970 my dad convinced my mother that it would be a grand idea to get a trailer and take five kids on vacation! My mom being a city girl did not think this was a such good idea. Where would we all sleep ? And just think of all the things you would need to pack for five kids! My dad just knew we would love camping so we got the trailer!

Dad, Robin, Billy and Kerrie
Point Sebago Lake, Maine

We would go away for long weekends like Memorial Day or Columbus Day. We never ventured far just the Cape or the White Mountains of New Hampshire. But everything felt like an adventure. I remember tumble-salting down the sand dunes on the Cape or hiking through Purgatory Falls in New Hampshire. We all looked forward to spotting "The Old Man in the Mountain"- a natural Rock cropping that looked like an old man.

Mom said she did grow to love our vacations but there were some harrowing and funny moments that she still vividly remembers.

On one of the first trips we took to the white mountains we got half way up a steep mountain road when our old station wagon began to have trouble pulling the heavy load of our trailer. Mom said she feared we would go off the side of the mountain. She said dad was very calm and said no problem and began to back the trailer down the mountain! Wow!

The next story that mom remembers is funny! We have always been a family of sleep walkers and all of us have at least one funny story of the shenanigans we have gotten into while sleeping. Jay slept in the tub, I sleep with my eyes open and scare everyone with the people I see in the room, Kerrie would escape out the kitchen door in the night resulting in deadbolts placed high up the door to keep her inside and one time while we were camping dad got up in the middle of the night and left the trailer in his under pants with my mom yelling Bobby.... where are you going ???? Don't you even think of leaving me here with all these kids!!!

Often times we went camping with our cousins. I remember being very jealous that Aunt Anne and Uncle Bruce got to sleep in a tent while we had to stay inside of our trailer. I am certain that my life long love of nature began on these trips.

My favorite time of day was when we would gather around the campfire and make marshmallows. Uncle Bruce would get out his guitar and we would sing. It did not get any better than this!