1. An amazing Thanksgiving dinner spread, lead by Wendy. This included a turkey cooked by Jeff, two salads, stuffing, mashed potatoes, carrots, rolls and two desserts (caramel pumpkin torte and apple Kuchen)
2. Non-stop yelling by my oldest child. We started the day with some serious volume and always finished the day with some even crazier volume… at least there were no suspicious bowel incidents this weekend.
3. Scraps, scratches, heads banging on any and all surfaces and the fact that most of our friends now just accept the reality that hangin’ with the Q boys is fine as long as there’s “no permanent damage”. I’m just thanking my lucky stars that “permanent damage” is unlikely to show itself until the kids are in their late teens, or early 20s. By that time, this Thanksgiving weekend will be hard to remember and the Q boys will be hard to blame. There will be too many confounding factors. (Note to self: research when childhood memories start forming- we’ll need to scale back on weekend excursions at this age).
4. Connor screaming loudly and persistently in the pool area. He finally got used to the pool area but only tolerated time in the hot tub. What can I say, he’s got his mother’s preference for hot water!
5. Wendy turned bright red, nearly passing out from laugher when telling me I was NOT the poster child equivalent for encouraging others to have a second kid! Hmmmm ???? This I did not realize but maybe I could make some extra cash as living “proof” that having more than one child is pure insanity! Scott said it best that, “two seemed like one too many!” Sorry to all who are reconsidering expanding their family following a weekend with the Q House. It really is fun! I swear! (wink wink!)
6. Hiking with the slowest member being 3.9 years old. Those little legs sure are little! Luckily we have so many strong and patient friends to lift and hoist Kai up the mountain! We hiked Grassi Lakes and Kai walked the whole way. Then Sunday, the group hiked another 4km with Kai and Sunday we plotted along Heart Creek with Emmett and Kai leading the way. It was a great weekend to hike.
7. Bridgette (the only girl) hanging with the boys and holding her own with the chaos around her, managing to steal toys, then share toys and avoid confrontation. That girl has some serious lawyer genes in her. She’ll be defending, negotiating and leading the best of them in just a few (25 or so) years.