Family weekly activities - where are we at?

I have to admit, we're not doing a great job on our weekly activities that are supposed to enrich our familial life. Part of the problem, I'm finding, is that we're really never all together long enough to actually talk about the activities or do them!

Here's an example - last weekend (we're pulling the activities on Sundays, for the most part...) we pulled the activity to discuss and list family values that we all agree to. At the time we pulled the activity, Kid#2 said "Well we all enjoy seeing each other having fun!" We talked about it and agreed to that, so it went on the list. Saturday, 6 days later, that is the only item on the list. Our mornings are rushed (Kid#1, being 14 now, barely moves to get out of bed until 5 minutes before we leave - and that's only because if he doesn't get a ride with us, he's walking...). Our evenings are packed - I single-parent Mondays and take Kid#2 to gymnastics which is 2 hours. Hubby often doesn't get home until midnight or later. Tuesdays and Thursdays are a mad dash to speedskating. Wednesdays we're all home, but there's always other things to do. Fridays are piano lessons for Kid#2 and leadership training at the Y for Kid#1. It's crazy.

And this weekend, like many others, we have separate activities. This weekend, Hubby and Kid#1 are at a speedskating meet an hour away. Maybe in the car tomorrow, as we travel to visit family for Family Day weekend, we'll have time to talk? I know it won't happen tonight because Hubby and Kid#1 will be exhausted...

When we do have spare time, Hubby and I need to deal with things like what colour we're getting the back room (currently under major renovations) painted because our contractor is seriously getting annoyed with us not being on time with these decisions. It's mostly ok though - we're paying him on time, which is the really critical part.

So all that to say, I have to wonder if we're doing it "right". All this busy parenting and stuff. The kids enjoy the activities and we do enjoy watching each other having fun - that's why they do piano, speedskating and gymnastics and all the other activities that they've done over the years. But it does get in the way of other collective activities sometimes.

In the meantime, my closet doors did get put up!

Now I should be clear that the closet has three panels and only two were done by the boys. There is a blank panel so far and maybe we'll get around to decorating that in the spring, but that's TBD. I think I'd like the same style but that means convincing a) Hubby and b) the Kids that this is a good idea. LOL. Wish me luck!

Happy Valentine's Day to all and Happy Family Day long weekend to those in Ontario (and elsewhere if you get it).

So about that family fun activity...

My last post was quite a success about the closet doors, and thanks to those who commented on how great they look! We still don't have them back up - maybe this weekend - but yea, they did work out well.

The next week, we picked a piece of paper that said to "support a community event". That wasn't as easy as we thought. Last week was also the birthday of Kid#1 so we were in party planning mode, and he wanted to go downhill skiing which, while fun, isn't really a community event. So then we thought we would attend a local theatrical production, but couldn't find something we wanted that worked with our busy schedule. I suggested Macbeth, which Kid#1 is studying in school, but he didn't want to see another production of it until his production was over. Fair enough.

I also tried giving away a couch and chair to a refugee family but that's proving to be much harder than expected. The group that was going to come and pick it up did arrive, but they turned it down due to the softness of the springs (but the material and frame are in great condition!) so then I thought I would just post it for free on Kijiji and Freecycle and you know, people say they're going to come and then they don't. We're still working on it. And besides, that wasn't really what I had in mind by supporting a community event.

For the Kid's birthday, we also went to the Harlem Globetrotters (we do birthday weeks around here, in case you were wondering...) so I guess that was sort of like supporting a local community event? Though I really was thinking we'd do something a little more grass roots...

So that family challenge is still sitting "out there".

This week we're all supposed to be flossing our teeth. Hubby talks about how his family (5 kids!) used to have flossing parties every evening - his parents really believed in good dental hygiene!

The flossing is really hit and miss, and I promise I won't post any pictures of that one.

But here's the Globetrotters!!