I love Summertime traditions (well, Springtime traditions too). And remembering my childhood, going to get ice cream at the Baskin Robbins is a big one. We’d order our cones-single scoops of typical vanilla in a sugar cone-and eat them sitting on the concrete steps outside, fingers sticky from the drips as the sun set and colored the sky.

Building memories like those are important to me, and the fact I can make it better by localizing our ice cream shop is a bonus. Friday night, I took the kids to our nearby ice cream shop for Wholly Cow Ice Cream. Sugar Magnolias, the ice cream half of Smoky Oak Tap Room, serves Wholly Cow, which is homemade here. Julia ate birthday cake (so much she said her stomach hurt), Max scooped on vanilla, Jason had double Oreo, and I really enjoyed my mint chocolate chip.

Supporting the community, teaching my children to do the same thing, and creating family memories at the same time. Does it get any better?