The Hales Family & THE Backyard

By Lauren Hales

I have so many memories in Grandma and Grandpa's backyard. It was the gathering place when cousins would come to town. We would all converge onto the swing set to play kick ball or have contests to see who could jump out of the swings the farthest.  Brooke and Jamie always thought it as so funny to call me Lorenzo Snow and for some reason I only remember them doing that in the backyard at Grandma's. I also remember playing colored Easter eggs, hide and seek, and tag.

On one occasion Jamie, Emily and I turned the patio into a cat walk. Kim dressed us up in her clothes and did our hair and make up and then we paraded out onto the patio for everyone to see. That was one of the first memories that came to me as I thought about everything we had done as children in the backyard.

It really is surreal for me to look at that picture of those little girls and then to watch my own children enjoying Grandma and Grandpa's backyard in so many of the same ways I did. There is something wonderful about your children being able to experience the things you loved as a child.

This is one of the few pictures we have of Tate swinging. He strongly disliked the swings as a baby and still is not the biggest fan. Luckily, with the new rocket swing his feet touch the ground so he can control how fast he swings.

To me, this picture of all my kids on the swingset with Grandma in the background is priceless. 

I'm not going to lie, I also love the one on one time I get with Grandma when my kids are swinging too.  I tell Grandma and Grandpa all the time that my kids love to visit, and they do. But really, I just need my grandma sometimes.

All of my kids have a picture, or multiple pictures, of them swinging on Great Grandma Tate's lap. They make my heart happy. Never mind that she is 80 years old, she will still get on the swings with her great grandbabies. She really is something else. 

I don't have any pictures but Grandpa is no slouch. He has gotten out on multiple occasions to kick the soccer ball around with Tate or play duck-duck-goose with the kids.

The BBQ's, the parties, the Sunday dinners, and the random weekend gatherings where the kids are running all around while the adults sit on the green and white plastic chairs. I used to be one of the kids running around and now I'm one of the adults in the plastic chairs.  I think it is safe to say that not only the backyard, but Grandma and Grandpa's house, will always be in our minds and hearts as a place where we remember simple, genuine and lasting happiness.