Saturday in the Park, Every Day's the Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth of July Weekend everyone!

The following blog was submitted by Shannon Hirstein, sales manager at the Roseville Visitors Association. Her story is somethting I think a lot of parents, young and old, can identify with.

My wonderful son Robert turns 24 on July 3rd. While picnics in the park with mom probably do not thrill him as much as they used too, he still enjoys a Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake for his birthday!

Now here's Shannon:

Have you ever just put everything down and enjoyed an impromptu picnic?

Some of my most favorite memories of spending time with my son Jack and his “Nonni” have been of during our impromptu picnics. Nothing planned ahead, no food ready for the ride or a selected location. Just deciding it was the perfect afternoon. The sun was out, a slight breeze in the air giving an extra lift in the butterflies random march across the park.

A quick stop at a favorite local deli or new restaurant we kept in the back of our minds to try out sometime and grabbing the cotton patchwork quilt from the back of the van originally placed there for that winter car emergency you always hope will never happen.

Arriving at our destination, the local park, we’d take a zig zag scavenger hunt to find the best seat to watch people. Close enough to the water to watch the ducks paddle back and forth and shade trees that whisper to you in the breeze.

Have you ever taken the time to listen to the trees? If not, I highly recommend it.

A time to listen to stories about picnics past when families and neighbors got together. How the kids played from the time they arrived until the meal was served with enough food to feed a small nation, then right back to playing and running wild.

A time to remember Jack’s first picnic and the red and white striped bib the boy wore when he was one years old because he was a drool monster.

A time to laugh again telling the time our Scottie Dog Max stole a jojo potato from my plate and I didn’t scold him because I knew he got away with the big heist.

A time to listen to Chicago’s “Saturday in the Park” because it couldn’t be a more fitting song. Even hearing that song in the dead of winter will make me think of summer and our impromptu picnics.

Do you have your picnic memories? If not, add one to your day. Don’t plan to do it someday, just do it. Let the cell phone messages wait and text your friend later about the latest reality stars newest meltdown.

Pick one of Roseville’s beautiful parks! You have 34 local parks to choose from for an afternoon of relaxation and new memories. One of my favorite parks is Central Park Victoria West and you cannot forget to spend some time at Central Park Dale West which features the Muriel Sahlin Arboretum. What a great location and photo op.

Who knows, maybe this impromptu picnic will lead to more spontaneous acts and a new favorite sandwich or salad and photos you will want to have printed out, not just kept on your phone or computer for eternity. And, it is an unwritten rule that calories don’t count when you are spontaneous.

Think of this as your inspiration and surprise the ones you are with. Make your impromptu picnic in Roseville and start a new memory. Let me help you get started. Check out the Roseville Park and Rec page on the website: http://www.cityofroseville.com/parks