For dad’s birthday this year, me and my sister wanted to have lunch with him. We discussed this with him and a plan was hatched.
Traci talked to mom about making the cake for us. Delectable chocolate with chocolate buttercream. <thanks mom> When you want to have the best cake, it helps when your mom makes cakes for a living! YAY. Check out more of her cakes at her Facebook page – Sweet T’s Creations. Honestly, no matter how beautiful a cake is, it’s pointless if the cake isn’t delicious. Sweet T’s cakes are both beautiful and delicious.
We talked about taking dad out to a restaurant but we felt like it would be better to have lunch at his house so that we had time to sit and visit. I mean, the real reason for having a birthday party is to spend time with family, right? This led us to making a plan for having lunch at dad’s house.
Time To Eat
Together we came up with everything that we would need. We loaded up all the goodies in our cars and drove it up to dad’s house, bringing beef tips and rice, corn, green beans, Hawaiian rolls, tea, paper plates, plastic utensils, paper towels, cake, and gifts (of course). We tried to pack all the necessities, like an indoor picnic!!!
Everything was set out on the counter, we said a prayer, and gathered around the table to enjoy a good meal with great people. These may seem like small moments but they are huge memories that will last forever. As life gets faster, and as we move into a world that is always on the go, it would benefit all of us to remember that taking some time to be with family will help soothe your soul. We enjoyed talking with each other. This seems to be a lost art since the introduction of the smart phone! The table is the perfect place to connect with your family, big or small, and discuss things that are going on in your life. You know what I am talking about!! Connect with your family by talking to them. Find out how their day went, learn about what they are learning, and let your family help you solve any problems that you are struggling with. Talk!!
Kynlee Found the Doggie Door
Kynlee saw the dogs going in and out of the doggie door and decided that it was the perfect way to enter and exit the house. The pictures show her exiting. Yes. Exiting. I cannot explain it – she watched the dogs lead with their heads to go outside. Not Kynlee…..she thought the best way was to go was feet first!! So she backed out of the doggie door!
One. One. One.
While Caiden and I used the last of the sunshine to play with a ball, Kynlee was charming everyone inside and getting some Nana snuggles. Caiden and I spent a large amount of time trying to bounce a ball soccer-style. I was horrible at it!! We progressed to coming up with games where we tried to bounce the ball like a hacky sack 3 times then kick it to other person. Ugh. Get this endless loop in your mind…..me dropping the ball towards my foot, trying to lightly kick it up so I can bounce it again, and counting it out. It should sound like “One. Two. Three. Pass” and then Caiden would kick it “One. Two. Three. Pass”. It sounded nothing like that. In reality, it was me, dropping the ball towards my foot, saying “one” and then chasing down the ball because I may have kicked it too hard or not hard enough or sideways. So the game sounded like …. “One.” <fetching ball> “One.” <fetching ball> “One!” <fetching ball> “One!!” <fetching ball> “ONE!!!!!”. All the while, Caiden patiently waited for his turn, laughing every time I had to start back at one!!! I finally gave up. Caiden was eventually able to bounce it 9 times before dropping it. I have work to do.
Halloween Decorations
We finished the evening by checking out dad’s Halloween decorations. There is sound and movement that dad has created himself. It’s really a sight to see. Traci had to take Kynlee up to the display. When they got close, the movements and sounds started and Kynlee was NOT having it. She was not excited about petting a horse of bones!! I’m guessing you can see her displeasure with the situation.
Cherish Your Family
Thanks for staying to read about the fun we had spending time with our family. I hope you, also, have lots of opportunities to spend time with family, laughing and talking, over a homemade meal. Many of my favorite memories are of times we spent together sharing a meal. I can still recall arguing approximately 30 years ago about a quarter of an hour while all the makings of our weekly fish fry were put together. Obviously I was young and didn’t understand. The time was 5:15pm. Someone asked what time it was. I said “five fifteen” and at the same time one of the adults said “it’s a quarter past five”. I said “no. It’s only fifteen minutes after five. A quarter past five would be five twenty five!” I didn’t understand that 15 minutes was also a quarter of an hour. For me at that time, a quarter was 25 cents!! Those small conversations and meals turn into cherished memories.
2020 is just around the corner and we will all be making resolutions. Let’s make resolutions to spend more real time with family. Not time sitting around a table playing on phones……real time – talking and laughing. Time spent drinking coffee and playing games. Time spent remembering memories and loved ones. Time spent MAKING memories.
