The Time of My Life

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!