As I was setting the table last night, I had a moment.  One that I didn’t think I would ever have, but it happened so I can’t ignore it.

Growing up my Mom cooked dinner every single night, well except when we went out for supper, but that rarely happened so basically she cooked every single night.  And it was our job as the kids to set the table.  Every night, Mom would call one or all of us to come set the table for dinner.  My Sister and I would fight over it until the younger ones were old enough then, we let them have it.

Dad may have been late for dinner, but for the most part we all ate together every single night.  Something that Hubby and I have been doing too since we have been together.  Dinner time around the family table is very important to us.  For the most part the tv is off and we share in our day with each other. Even when A is here he knows that is it family time at the table and you have to share.

Hubby and I had been talking about getting a new table for a while. Our old one we bought before we were married from the grocery store, it was inexpensive, but served it’s purpose.  Now that Apple is no longer sitting in her clip on chair, it had become increasingly obvious that we needed a larger table to seat our whole family.  We have been on  a search for one, but nothing we saw suited us nor met our needs.

Before Christmas my Mom and Dad finally decided it was time to get a new kitchen table.  The one they had they bought before they were married.  It had been used and abused and refinished and just didn’t match their kitchen.  Mom and Dad, knowing we were looking for a bigger table, asked us if we wanted it.  At first, we were a little reluctant, it’s old (43 years), a different colour than ours, funky chairs.  But, we decided it would make do until we found the table we were looking for.

Last night as my daughter was helping me set the table, which without its extra leaves is still larger than our old one, I realized that for most of my life, I have eaten at this very table.  I had my first birthday at this table, my first day of school, middle school, high school.  My first date sat and got grilled from my Dad at this table.  My friends would gather around this table after school for snacks, I have done homework at this table I have cried at this table.  This is the Family table.  After it sat in our kitchen for a couple of days, Hubby and I both realized how well it matched the cabinets and even with it’s funky chairs, we love it.  It is entirely possible that we will not continue our search for a new table, because the this table, the one that has now been passed down to me from my Parent is all we need.

We have been doing a lot of nothing around here this holiday season.  This is the first year that Hubby really didn’t have to work between Christmas and New Years.  He did go in for a couple of hours one day, but that was it.  I on the other hand have been filling in for my Dad and Sister with our elderly friends, so every day around noon I head over and make sure all is well at their house. They have been doing quite well and have enjoyed the company.  Today, I even brought the whole family which always lights them up when they see the kids playing in their backyard and running around their kitchen.

One thing that we have been doing is some tobogganing.  Unless it was too cold we would bundle up the kids and head over to the park across the street and zip down some hills.

This one early evening I brought my camera along.  It was late afternoon so I was able to catch some of that wonderful blue light that sets in when the sun goes down.  It was lightly snowing and not too cold.  I was no good on the hills with my bum ankle anyway, so why not grab some fun shots.

Even the big boys had a little fun rolling down the hill.

I can’t believe I am going to say this but, I am really not looking forward to school starting on Monday.  It means back to work and back to the grind.  I have really enjoyed having the family around this past couple of weeks.  Which is a huge accomplishment because normally if the whole family is home, I go a little wonky and wonder why we aren’t away somewhere on vacation instead of home. But, not this time, it has been a wonderful break in the school year and I am already looking forward to March Break when we can do it all again… without the toboggans… hopefully.