Sometimes it feels like I live for the weekend. Mon - Fri I send kids off to school or lessons or community events. Then the weekends come and we all get to do something special together. Fall hikes, art gallery tours, Halloween festivities -- there are so many fun weekends I want to blog about in an upcoming quick take. But this weekend needs to be recorded right now.
It was spectacular.
It was absolutely one the best weekends the kids have ever experienced!
It was even an extra long weekend. They had school off on Friday so I made all sorts of fun and special plans.
Then Friday came and none of us were really motivated to go anywhere. When I listed off all the fun things we could do, Reid simply asked "Could today be a home day? Can we do those things tomorrow and just stay home all day today?" And I happily responded, "Yes!"
Before that, Ben and I slept in a little bit while they woke up and watched cartoons together. I finally made it to the kitchen and whipped up some German pancakes (one of our favorite breakfasts). After we filled our tummies the three big kids all ran downstairs to play. They played down there together for over an hour. There was no fighting, no crying -- only happy giggles and one imaginative game after another. They played animals, moving, house, Legos, and so much more. They didn't ask me to join them or watch them. They just played and played and played.
Before Coraline's nap they tore open the package of See's suckers Grandma Bassett had sent in the mail. They hung on the simple joy of a new candy from a far away place, sent to them by someone they love. After Coraline's nap they all put on their warm winter coats and went outside to play together. Our neighbor friend quickly joined them. Their cheeks, noses and smiles all beamed bright red. When they finally came inside they were covered in leaves and renewed from all the fresh air.
At dinner time they helped empty the dishwasher and set the table. I tried my hand at homemade pizza dough, and we all loved it. Ben calmed them with his regular reading of their hand picked bedtime stories.
Saturday rolled around and we found them happily playing together once again. But this time, we forced them out of the house. We put them in costumes and took them grocery shopping. It was a chore that paid great dividends.
They came home and gobbled down a lunch of free trick or treat items. They spent the next hour playing with their new sticky skeletons. Giggles filled my home as I heard "Whoa, Nell look how far mine went." And "Reid come watch mine roll down the wall. Come watch this! Come watch this!"And "Look at mines! Look at mines guys!"
In the early evening I started clearing all the toys out of their closets. I told them they could each pick one toy to keep out, but the rest would be put away for the entire week. Next Saturday they could each go to the basement and pick one more. We'll repeat this pattern until Christmas, and at that point all the toys that remain will disappear. Forever.
They didn't complain. And I have a feeling almost none of those toys will be missed. This weekend the only thing they need was one another's company. We'll still have plenty of books. The closet is still full of art supplies and board games. And they have each other.
Before we tucked them all in bed tonight, we sent them down to the (toyless) basement for some rough and tumble play. There was no fighting and it didn't end in tears. I am seriously beaming with pride; they all played so well together all weekend long.
This weekend truly was magical. Of all the weekends we've had these last two months, I pray this is the one they always remember.
It was spectacular.
It was absolutely one the best weekends the kids have ever experienced!
It was even an extra long weekend. They had school off on Friday so I made all sorts of fun and special plans.
Then Friday came and none of us were really motivated to go anywhere. When I listed off all the fun things we could do, Reid simply asked "Could today be a home day? Can we do those things tomorrow and just stay home all day today?" And I happily responded, "Yes!"
Before that, Ben and I slept in a little bit while they woke up and watched cartoons together. I finally made it to the kitchen and whipped up some German pancakes (one of our favorite breakfasts). After we filled our tummies the three big kids all ran downstairs to play. They played down there together for over an hour. There was no fighting, no crying -- only happy giggles and one imaginative game after another. They played animals, moving, house, Legos, and so much more. They didn't ask me to join them or watch them. They just played and played and played.
Before Coraline's nap they tore open the package of See's suckers Grandma Bassett had sent in the mail. They hung on the simple joy of a new candy from a far away place, sent to them by someone they love. After Coraline's nap they all put on their warm winter coats and went outside to play together. Our neighbor friend quickly joined them. Their cheeks, noses and smiles all beamed bright red. When they finally came inside they were covered in leaves and renewed from all the fresh air.
At dinner time they helped empty the dishwasher and set the table. I tried my hand at homemade pizza dough, and we all loved it. Ben calmed them with his regular reading of their hand picked bedtime stories.
Saturday rolled around and we found them happily playing together once again. But this time, we forced them out of the house. We put them in costumes and took them grocery shopping. It was a chore that paid great dividends.
They came home and gobbled down a lunch of free trick or treat items. They spent the next hour playing with their new sticky skeletons. Giggles filled my home as I heard "Whoa, Nell look how far mine went." And "Reid come watch mine roll down the wall. Come watch this! Come watch this!"And "Look at mines! Look at mines guys!"
In the early evening I started clearing all the toys out of their closets. I told them they could each pick one toy to keep out, but the rest would be put away for the entire week. Next Saturday they could each go to the basement and pick one more. We'll repeat this pattern until Christmas, and at that point all the toys that remain will disappear. Forever.
They didn't complain. And I have a feeling almost none of those toys will be missed. This weekend the only thing they need was one another's company. We'll still have plenty of books. The closet is still full of art supplies and board games. And they have each other.
Before we tucked them all in bed tonight, we sent them down to the (toyless) basement for some rough and tumble play. There was no fighting and it didn't end in tears. I am seriously beaming with pride; they all played so well together all weekend long.
This weekend truly was magical. Of all the weekends we've had these last two months, I pray this is the one they always remember.
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