I grew up in a sleepy little town where nothing ever happened. If you were looking for some fun, you needed to head out of town. Every weekend, except one. My hometown adopted the Victoria Day weekend as our own, at some point in history and from that year on, we threw ourselves a party and out of towners came to us!
There was old fashioned fun for every age. Three legged races and pet shows for the little ones, midway rides and cotton candy for the big kids, and in my teens, I had all of my out of town friends camped out in my backyard so we could all make an appearance at the Much Music Dance party!
This year on the May 2-4 weekend, as it is fondly called, I found myself alone with the kids while my husband travelled for work. No reason to spend it by ourselves, so I packed up the boys and headed back ‘home’ for the celebrations. During the long drive, I recalled long weekends of years past in my head. I played back memories in mind of old flames, friends I haven’t seen in years and stories that made me both laugh and cringe at once. Looking back, it seemed like we were having the time of our lives! I spent hours on that drive reminiscing the past and wishing for those days of reckless abandon again.
The boys and I stayed with my parents, these days we have a slumber party in the basement when we visit. My brother made the party twice as big when he piled in with his own boys into the upstairs bedroom. Somehow, that little house has a way of expanding to fit us all. My nephew and great nephew arrived for the adults to fight over baby snuggles and we celebrated the family birthdays of the month with presents and cake. All the little boys were having a blast chasing eachother around the yard with water guns. What happens at grandma’s stays at grandma’s as the saying goes.
When the sun began to set and the night sky closed in, we bundled the kids up and cuddled together on blankets to watch the fireworks. We almost had to carry the little sleepy heads home. When everyone was safely tucked into bed, including grandma and grandpa, I sat on the patio and chatted with my BFF for hours over a glass of wine.
Driving home at the end of the weekend, it really hit me. THIS is the time of my life, right now! Forget the teenage shenanigans, they were a blast, but nothing compares to watching my smiling boys giggling and running wild with their cousins, coming in at night all sweaty and grassed stained. It’s so special watching them make memories of their own on Victoria Day weekend, and knowing that my great nephew will be hot on their heels in another years time. A family with six little boys is beyond measure!
Those friends I thought I’d always have, I can barely remember their names now. Family is forever. And friends that are like family, are even better. These days my best friend and I are no longer sneaking beers out of dad’s fridge, instead Pop’s is serving us wine on a hot afternoon in plastic cups at the local parade. This is our May 2-4 weekend. This is the time of my life!
The definition of meeting up with the boys has definitely changed since we were high school! I loved getting all the boy cuddles and even briefly stealing one for the ride to & from the fireworks <3
boy cuddles are the best!
That is so nice,to me my 20 and 30s were the best time of my life and the friends I had in my 30s are still in my life now, always nice when you can still go back home and your parents are still there to hug and greet you with open arms!
I’ll admit I wish I still had at least some of those people as friends, but I am fortunate to have a great family!
That is great! The boys look like they’re having fun!
they had a blast!
The boys looked like they had a good time! Glad you had a good time!
we definitely did! great memories with the family
I look back on my pretty wild teenage years with fond memories, but seeing my girls smiling and enjoying themselves when WE do stuff together is even better!
yes, exactly this!
Sounds like tons of fun had. Great smiles 🙂
That was an awesome read, and it sounds like you plus the boys had a great weekend!! Sometimes I wish for the olden days again, but I have to say I’m happy and that is what matters!!
Being happy is ALL that matters
lovely post
That was such a beautiful and heartwarming post. With more grandchildren arriving (at an alarming rate) lol I wish my mom were still around to meet them, but the grandkids do have a great grandfather on my side and a great grandmother and great great grandmother on my husband’s side. Family is everything!
I love this post and it so true these are the times of our lives. I look at my kids every now and then and feel so blessed to have been chosen to be their mother.
yes, I get that feeling too! #luckymom
How fun, there is nothing like going home to the traditions we grew up with and watching our kids enjoy them too.
That sounds like a great memory!