I promised Ethan we would play some games a couple of nights ago. I think it was Wednesday. We got out some cards and played Go Fish and Bible Memory. I wondered how well Isaac would cooperate, but he did great! We gave him some of the cards that were missing matches and he played with them. It’s the kind of thing I usually think will be too much work or I’m too tired to do it, but when we do it, we have fun. I need to remember that!

I’ve been trying to think about what I want my kids to remember from their growing up years. Spending time as a family playing games is one of those things. I also want them to remember that we played with them and were willing to imagine and go along with their crazy schemes sometimes. We’ve been reading The Long Winter so, someone (maybe it was me or perhaps Ethan) had the idea to pretend that we were the Ingalls and there was a big blizzard outside. Ethan was Pa, I was Ma, Audrey was Laura, and Isaac was Baby Isaac (we added him to the story). We snuggled under blankets and marched around the house to stay warm- just like they did in the book. And “Pa” would “go outside” and hunt bear. Every time he opened the door to the outside, there would be a bear waiting. It was amazing! Pa kept bringing us more and more meat. Lots of fun!

On Friday night, as we were tucking in Ethan and Audrey, Ethan told me that I should be careful not to step on his imaginary friend, Thunder. There was a sleeping bag laid out on the middle of the floor. I guess that’s where Thunder was sleeping. I went to the pantry and grabbed 2 cookies and brought them back to their room. I told Ethan that I wasn’t sure that I believed that Thunder was real. I told them that I was going to leave 2 cookies on his pillow and if they were gone before morning, I would know Thunder was real. Ethan and and Audrey looked at each other and proclaimed that Thunder would definitely eat them. I left the room and listened to them whispering and sneaking about the room. A few minutes later, they ran out of their room to tell me that Thunder had eaten the cookies. I guess they proved me wrong!

This weekend is the Winter Festival in our town. That means there is a parade that goes by our house. It’s like a miniature Hollidazzle parade. All the vehicles/floats are decorated with Christmas lights since it happens at 6:30 and it’s dark outside. We stood at our front kitchen window and watched as it went by. Ethan and Audrey were standing on chairs. Isaac was in his booster seat. All three of them had flashlights and would shine them out the widow and wave them wildly to catch the attention of the passers-by.

These are parenting moments I want to remember.

Oh, we also attempted to take a family photo. It was disastrous. This was the best we got and Ethan isn’t really smiling and Isaac is fuzzy. It was hard work.

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