The conversation usually starts after we have done something out of the ordinary but really enjoyed, like gone water skiing, or camping. Or when we have been talking with friends who have told us about some random family activity that they participate in, like one neighbor who has a daughter who is heavily involved in Jr. Rodeo, or another neighbor who always spends a lot of time during the winter with their family snow skiing.
My husband and I end up making a list of all the activities we used to enjoy before we had kids. Then we add to that list the things we always thought we would be doing with our kids.
Then we make a list of things we actually DO with our kids, and proceed to get a bit depressed at the lack of fun and excitement in our lives. :)
After the depression phase of our discussion, we pick at the list and work it down to what we really think we might do with the family. Our list would be longer if it were just the two of us, or if our kids were all older...but we work it and tweak it and do the best we can. Add the pros and cons, and then pretty much just move forward as always until the urge to make new lists hit us. Which is sad, really...
What we end up with is usually a list something like this:
1. Water skiing family--my dad has a ski boat, we have bought enough life-jackets and water tubes over the last couple of years for just our family to make it a good possibility. Negatives--pretty much the cost in gas lately. And my fear of the kids drowning. But I'm working on that last one.
We actually went water skiing this past summer at Jordanelle Resevoir. This is two of the kids on one of our tubes.2. Snow skiing family--Only my husband snow skis--which is pretty much sacrilege since I grew up here in Utah and have only snow skied once. We both think it would be fun for the kids to learn. I am still fairly certain that until they put breaks on skis or snow becomes warm that I want nothing to do with this one...
This is all the kids with husband in the background...we haven't ever gone snow skiing together so the best I could do for a photo is this one when we went to cut our own Christmas tree last year...snow was involved, so I figured this counts.3. Horse family--We live at a house with horse property. We have owned horses before. I start at this point remember that my 3rd daughter is allergic to alfalfa and unless we can work around that one, it bumps down the list..but you note that it is usually still on the list.
Somewhat embarrassing, but this is a photo of me and my horse Summer about 20 years ago. Nice hair I had then, huh?
4. Camping/Hiking family--Not as expensive as any of the other options, and being in Utah we are blessed with all kinds of fascinating places to hike and camp. The negative with this one is that our youngest are still too young to hike very far and I am sooo not going to carry anyone.
This is Kelly, Victoria, and JD on a hike this past summer in the Uintahs with their dad. The littles and Kady stayed home with me.5. TV/Movie/Hang-out at Home family--oh, wait. We already do this one.
I had to add this photo...I like Aragorn. :) He's way hotter than Legolas...6. Soccer family--Everyone in the family plays soccer. From husband, to me, to all the kids. Well, Victoria refuses to enjoy soccer anymore so that is a problem...but out of default I think we have to just have this one be one of our descriptions--otherwise the insane amount of time I spend coaching, watching, and playing soccer year round would be a waste.
This is my oldest daughter (in purple) playing for her high school soccer team this fall.7. My kids want to be a 'Go to Every Disneyland in the World' family. Sounds good to me.
So what kind of family are you? What activities do you all do together? What do you wish you did? Or what did you think you would always do when you first got married and then found out that real life kind of snuck up on you and you let it go?
I guess as long as we are doing things together, it doesn't matter what "kind" of family we are. It would be nice to do more things together no matter what the activity. We are lucky that we still enjoy each others company--even with two teenagers and three pre-kindergarteners and two in between...
And now that I've taken waayy more time to write this blog than I planned, I am fairly certain that in about 5 minutes from now we are going to become a "Clean That Mess Up Right Now" kind of family.
Ah, togetherness.
Gotta love it. :)
4 comments:
Hey, I have a snowboard you can borrow for your snow skiing part. Barely used, even. :)
Have to add...kind of surprised you have a picture of you on Summer. I thought you were afraid to ride her. :)
Nah. I rode her as much as I could once she was broke...which wasn't as often as I should have. She was fun to ride. Smart horse. I remember having to go out into the pasture to 'save' you and your friends after she would corner you and not let you leave. :)
I think you guys are a "family" family. That's what happens when the number of kids more than double the number of adults, right?
Jim has always wanted to be a "boat" family but I think the expense is unreasonable when you live in a place where you can only boat 3-4 months out of the year.
The last couple of years we have been a "baseball" family. Kyle plays comp. baseball and sometimes with the high school. We went for a time when we had two games durring the week, a double header on Saturdays and the occasional practice thrown in there. In between all that we try to be a general "outdoors" family. We love the mountains and I figure any money spent on camping and backpacking equipment can be counted for food storage and preparedness also.
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