Creating Memories from the Past #ShareYourSummer

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One of the fondest memories I have of my father was his affection for Coca-Cola. It’s not the soda, but the memory surrounding it. Every family meal, his meetings, summer gatherings around our pool, there was a 2 liter of Coke right there. The best (most fun) chore in the house was getting Dad a glass of ice- if we were lucky, he’d share a delicious sip with us!

As an adult, I feel the same relief he did all those years ago. As Dave and I embark on this journey of finding a new home for the girls, I can’t help but to reflect on my past, or more appropriately, my parents’ past. When my sister was 7, my parents packed up their townhouse and purchased my childhood home in Suburban Philadelphia- their forever home. I loved, and still love that house, and I hope to give the same memories to our girls. Little bits, here and there, of the first home we had. Maybe Addie will remember her bedroom or the red kitchen, but ultimately, it will be her home, our next house, that will bring her back. The best memories are yet to come.

For Dave and me, as we pack up the boxes, we laugh about the past 6 years of home ownership. From burst plumbing on the day we closed to a leak in our oil tank just a few years ago, we’ve created a palace from rubble. A home from the ashes. It took a lot for us to restore our 1929 craftsman home to its glory… and packing it up can take its toll on these hot summer days.

We love our home. We meticulously decided how we would fill each room, having Addie’s room left bare until her conception, Millie’s room transformed from office to guest room to nursery. Going from two to three, and three to four, this house holds so many memories that seeing them come off the walls and shelves and into boxes seems like we’re taking those moments away. Some days, packing it all up takes it all out of me.

Last weekend, we needed a break in the day. With the kids out of the house, we wanted something simple, but rich. A decadent dose of chocolate and cool beverage to wash it down… so we stopped at WalMart and grabbed some Coca-Cola Classic and REESE’S Cups. A refreshing Coke and REESE’S Cups were the perfect pairing- as we taped up boxes and shared memories, we also laughed about the perfect sayings on our chocolate, like “BFF”, “My Fave” and “Gorgeous”. We enjoyed each other’s company, just each other, for the first time in a long time.

What made it a super special afternoon, was the laughter and connectedness. We loved that we found our middle names on the Coca-Cola bottles in the same row, just a few bottles apart, and it was awesome to see there was “Kathryn” spelled the same way I do… probably because WalMart has the largest selection of the 1,000 names released, and they’re the only place that sells new personalized REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups.

A friend actually found these gems next to each other at WalMart a few weeks ago!

As we dreamt, and talked about the future, we were lifted up by our own laughter, enjoying our treats. We both agree, we will never forget this crazy summer! As we embark upon the next chapter, may we always remember the past and use it to create the best future we can!

How will you #ShareYourSummer with those that you love? Don’t forget to #ShareAcoke and grab a personalized Coca-Cola and some personalized REESE’S Cups, available only at WalMart, for your best summer treats!