Summer Camp With the Marriott Family

How do you spend your summers?

We've been very blessed to spend our summers on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire for many years. It all started back in 1942 when I attended Camp Idlewild on Lake Winnipesaukee. I was 10 years old and anxious to get out of the hot summer heat. In 1943, a year later, my parents decided to lease a house on the lake, and three years later they bought it. And they bought the adjoining land around it, which is one of the smartest things I think they ever did. So, through the years, we were able to build houses for each of our four children, and my brother, Dick, built houses for each of his four children. So, it's now been 71 years since we've been going to this marvelous place.

Summer in New Hampshire is a great family time, when my brother and I can bring our two families together. Although my children all live in D.C., my brother's children are scattered all over the place. So when our families come together in New Hampshire, it's a great "cousin-get-acquainted" time, and a time for them to bond and get reacquainted with each other. There are now over 50 descendants from my parents. Only my last four grandchildren live in Washington. The others are scattered all over California, Utah, Massachusetts and Texas.

The biggest family event for us in the summer is Sunday dinner at my house. My wife, Donna, cooks a beautiful prime rib every Sunday, along with her own special recipe for Yorkshire pudding. Last Sunday, we had 25 children and grandchildren for Sunday dinner. All of us go to church together before this wonderful Sunday meal.

During the week, water sports take over. There's water skiing, jet skiing, sailing, even old, antique wooden boats, and of course, lots of golf and tennis on some of the most beautiful and picturesque golf courses in the country. I think if you ask my children and grandchildren what their favorite place in the world is, all would unanimously agree it is New Hampshire, for they all have so many memories of growing up by the lake every summer.

I feel we're really blessed to spend these bright summer days by beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee surrounded by the White Mountains.

What's your favorite summertime memory?

I'm Bill Marriott and thank you for helping me keep Marriott on the Move.

This first appeared on www.marriottonthemove.com .