Bad lighting and camera shake from giggling so hard make for a not so great gallery of photos but doesn't give me enough reason not to share. What I hope you see is a genuine friendship and the gratitude we feel for this easing going, natural, laid back relationship.
You see, for Christmas, our dearest friends, the Marriner's gave us a Christmas coupon. Needless to say, they usually win the most creative, thoughtful, gift giving awards every year! This years gift was a coupon to redeem as an activity we could do together. It followed a gift from last year where we were challenged daily to such tasks as "massage Mike's feet" (Mike doesn't remember that one…hmm?), "sing your math answers in class", "choose each others outfits for school", etc. Think advent calendar everyday for a YEAR! Daily we were graced with smiles as we opened each challenge. What better way to start your day? So this year, we were thrilled to know we would be spending time together with a family we love doing really anything with….even if it is just to watch paint dry!
The activity: Rollerskating. An activity that was nostalgic to me but an experience my boys had yet to try. I think I smiled the entire time. My cheeks truly hurt. The music, the disco lights, the couple skate, the games…it all was so reminiscent of a day (or two) from my childhood. And it was fun to see it through fresh eyes. One of my favorite things about being a mom is to witness these "firsts"…whether having a popsicle for the first time or putting on your first pair of roller-skates. The expressions are always ones I hope to capture, even if it is only in my mind and not on my camera roll.
After rollerskating we headed to Ann's Dari Creme where there are enough bar stools for 10 and a line out the door. Orders were placed quickly and orderly and cash was all they accepted. All nine of us crowded in for standing room only and enjoyed foot long fried hot dogs and fries and milkshakes. The "regulars" made room for our children and soon we had the whole place to ourselves.
Thank you Marriner family for never holding back your affections for our family. We are truly blessed to have you in our lives. You continue to make us better. And we are so grateful for these memories. xo