I sometimes wonder what our children will remember.
What will they complain about and what will be part of their favorite memories.
I always hope they will miraculously forget all the times I am not the best and will only remember me as pure mommy perfection.
HA…that won’t happen. I do hope the things we are intentional about now will make up for our flaws.
I hope they remember our hikes and bike rides.
I hope they remember feeling safe.
I hope they remember how I hoot and holler after they play an amazing song on the piano.
I hope they remember me cuddling up on the couch with them and reading.
I hope they remember our art days.
I hope they always know with everything in them how much we deeply, truly love them and wanted them so badly.
When the weather starts to get cooler and the sun is setting earlier we are anxious to have our annual outdoor movie night.
We invite our friends over and fill up the backyard with chairs and sleeping bags to keep the kids warm (and the adults).
This is the fifth year we have had the movie night.
This is not only our children’s favorite thing we do….we have many other families and children that look forward to it each year too.
This year we made a chili dinner for anyone that could come early and then started the movie, Despicable Me, once the sun set.
We hand out popcorn, candy and sodas.
With hot cocoa in hand I settled in around my husband and boys. Madolyn was cuddled up with girlfriends.
Eventually Benjamin made his way into my chair and snuggling up with him was my favorite part of the night.
It didn’t get too cool until right towards the end.
Watching the movie with the stars above us is always pretty magical…the shooting stars were just icing on the cake!
I guess I don’t know what our children will remember…but I hope they remember this.
I can’t imagine I will ever forget how special this tradition is.
I don’t know how long Benny will fit in my chair with me but I hope we do this for many years to come.
Do you have a favorite family tradition?
jeanne,not only does this sound awesome, i think the thing i walk away from after reading is how well you play mary & martha.
the last two events at your home, sounds like you are able to truly sit back & enjoy yet you seem to effortlessly put together a fantastic event.
well done!
ox
a wonderful event. i am sure this will be a favorite memory for your kids and i wouldn’t be surprised if they carry this on when they are adults.
We started cutting down our own tree last year and went to see Santa on the same day. Everything about that day was perfection and I hope that is how my little guy will remember it as well. Love your movie night 🙂
They will absolutely remember! I get so frustrated with myself because this event I’ve been wanting to do with my own family and friends and just have not done it….so crazy…why????
Thank you for sharing it!!!
xo,
Lulu
Food, family, friends, fun…such a special night your family creates together…the kids will remember this, among many other wonderful times you all have together!! Thanks for the photos!
They will remember:) It’s much too special not to!
it is a wonderful family, friends, and neighbors tradition, jeanne. so unique and special!
they will cherish moments like these when they are adults for sure. i love the idea of movie night
outdoors.
a tradition that is coming up in october for my family is
going to a farm and picking persimmons from the trees. so special.
I would have loved to be there, Jeanne…what a lovely memory for your friends and family.
missing you tonight!!
Lara
That is such a fun idea!
I think the things we remember and our kids remember, is when there is so much love and laughter in the experience. Camping and getting our Christmas tree (in the mountains) is my favorite memories as a child. I try to make traditions around lots of little things like that, and I always feel so happy when my big kids remind me to not “forget” them in a tradition that may seem too “young” for them now. (I once gave them grown up stuff in their Christmas stockings – instead of the peanuts, tangerines, toothbrush, chapstick, and book) I still get razzed about that – opening their stocking is their favorite tradition, even though they know what most of it is!
Hmmm…. traveling to Texas for the holidays and crowding in with family and laughs and love!
Your children will remember these traditions – it’s the things that they can count on year after year that make them feel so secure. Your “good” Mommy rep will grow and prosper – it’s obvious your kids have great parents.
Our traditions were:
* Mom and Girls picking out pumpkins and drawing jack-o-lanterns faces and designs for Dad to carve out
* Trick or Treating as a family with Daddy dressed up in a scarey mask
* Dad and 2 girls made an apple and a pumpkin pie together every Thanksgiving Eve – my old cookbook still has notes made about how to get the best pie crusts!
* One girl on each side of me each time I made the family biscuit recipe (it’s one with no measurements)so they could “feel” the consistancy the dough was supposed to be – they still talk about eating more dough than cooked biscuits
Thanks for the memories – your movie night looks amazing!
Ah, Jeane – as usual you have hit the nail on the head! Yes your movie night is fantastic, and all the children WILL remember it. It is this gathering of friends, or just spending TIME with our family that counts, and it certainly doesn’t have to cost a cent.
My husband built a mud-brick pizza oven last year, in a paddock down the road from our house. Almost every weekend over summer and autumn we had different families over to enjoy that (making their own pizza!) and kayaking, swimming, fossil hunting etc in the adjacent river/waterfall. This is a tradition and place that the children of our rural (New Zealand) district will remember, and hopefully bring the next generations down there as well. So simple. So perfect. Without setting out to do this, it really feels like we have started a tradition, and it is such a good feeling.
I love your blog, and love your clothing range. Keep up the good work. Best wishes from the other side of the world!!