Taking the kids sledding. Next to my parents' house, there is a perfect sledding hill. When I was a kid, I always felt a little lucky that I could go any time I wanted and nobody had to drive me to get there. The other kids had to beg and plead for their parents to sit in their cars at the top of the hill and wait for the fun to conclude. I took my kids there with their cousins and some friends. After a temporary fit of panic watching my seven year-old slide quickly down, I realized that this was special. It was a memory in the making. It was something we could share when we talk about our travels of the world.
Hunting and Guns. My son, now 11, has his own gun. My husband has three. They haven't been able to hunt or target shoot since we lived overseas. One of our first stops was going to our friend's house to pick up the guns so the boys could shoot. They went rabbit hunting one day and shot cans behind Grandpa's house on another. The girls and I don't really care to join, but this was another special time with uncles, grandpas, fathers, and sons.
Pedicures. The $20 pedicure by this sweet Vietnamese lady in my hometown cannot be compared. Every time I am home, I stop in here to get a good scrub for my tootsies. This time, I brought my girls and my mom. As my 12 year-old daughter sat in the chair getting a pedicure, it was another reminder of the simple pleasures of American life. It was very sweet to be remembered as well when we walked in the and the owner said, "Back again for a visit?"
Chopping Wood and Woodstoves Let me be clear; if I ever own a woodstove, it will only be because pigs are flying and hell has frozen over. My husband and I both grew up with woodstoves. That translates into, my husband and I were both required, as children, to cut, stack, and load the wood as well as feed the fire. Not my favorite task ever. It's messy, tiring, and never ending. I did enjoy the warm, glowing fireplace in places we visited, but no thank you. It will also be something that lives in my memory, not in my house. We will tell our children that woodstoves are for visiting up North. However, my husband, son, and nephews were fortunate to be able to chop wood for a whole afternoon and feel the sweat of a hard days work. Good enough for me.
Pizza Hut In a book I once read, it said that middle children are the most prone to savor family traditions. Based on my own experience, I have found that to be true. So as we were headed out to Virginia, we stopped in to see my brother-in-law and his family. We suggested stopping in around 6pm. He quickly reminded me that we would get Pizza Hut because that's what we do when we're in town. We were all so pleased that he remembered. For the last 3.5 years, my husband has been making us amazing, homemade pizza, but getting it made to order around the block was something special too. Plus, there was a special going on so it was $15 for three pizzas. That's just crazy!
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