I took Kelly and the boys to Hardy Lake today, a place I remember from my own childhood.

I showed them the parts I still remembered, then watched them play on the beach while Kelly and I sat nearby. After that, we drove to Clifty Falls State Park, walked a trail, and ate dinner at the hotel.

On the way home, the boys thanked us for taking them and said they had a good time.

That meant a lot to me.

It was not some huge trip or perfectly planned day. It was just time together, a place from my past, and a new memory for them.