Husband and I love to get away from everyone every once in a while and just be us. We can actually get along quite well when we drive...lol.
Skotti, here is something my granddaughters loved. It turned out to be something the whole extended family loved, too. We heard stories, harrowing tales of life experiences, funny things about people long gone, magical fairy tales from the little girls and monster-bashing tales from the little boys. :O) So, here is what you do. Along with whichever grandchildren are there now, go for a walk to find a special stone. This will be your family's Story Rock. It should be big enough to pass from hand to hand without dropping and losing it. Ours had those sparkly little pieces of mica in it. That was the beginning "magic." What I told the girls was that, each time we held the stone as we told a family story, the rock kept a little piece of our family history in it, and became more ours. We had that rock for years, and used it every time the family was together. What we did was to turn televisions/phones/computers ~ everything had to go off. No music, either. Story Rock was only ever done at night. Then, whoever is there (sometimes, it would only be me, husband, and the grandchildren) sits on the floor in a circle. A white candle is lit. (See how cool this is getting?!?)
First, Grandma holds the rock. That way? If no one comes up with a story, or if, as it was in the beginning, everyone is too shy to begin, the grandma can start things out. So, have a story ready, Skotti. I used to start with the story of the smallest child's birth. It's important to include the littler kids. This will get the emotional tone rolling in the most amazing way. When the next person is ready, they get to hold the Story Rock. Only the person holding the Story Rock can talk. We have had great-grandmothers tell stories of what it felt like to hear the bombs fall, during WWII. We have heard stories of first love, of teenage goofiness, of challenges met. We have heard fairy tales and spooky tales (This is only from the youngest ones. Those who are old enough to understand the purpose is to interact as a family need to tell true, family-related stories.)
When the stories have run out, the candle is blown out by the youngest child present.
We did this for years. The kids absolutely love it, because, for once, the adults are quiet enough to be present, and the kids get to speak and to be heard.
Incredible memories!
We still have our Story Rock. We keep it here, at Grandma's, where it is safe.
*************
And now? Since you told us about enjoying driving with husband when the house is full of difficult child's...I will tell a story, too.
True story.
So, husband and I were much younger, then.
Our house is very small. difficult child children living with us put such a strain on our marriage that we would leave the house just to get away and reconnect with one another, too. So anyway...does anyone remember when, years ago, Mars was making its closest approach to Earth? Well, this house is in the forest. There are huge trees everywhere. In order to look at the sky, you either have to go out on the water, or...to the golf course, which is not so far from our house.
So, that is what husband and I did.
Sneaked away to watch Mars do whatever it was supposed to be doing.
Well, don't you know, one thing led to another as we were waiting for Mars to show up, and husband and I ~ well, you know what we were doing. In our own car, late at night at the closed golf course, with the car windows open for those cooling night breezes. All at once? We were being sprayed with what felt like water hoses! You know, the way they used to spray mating dogs to separate them?
Ha!
Turned out?
We were parked right over the automatic sprinkler system.
:O)
I think of that story every time I hear anything about Mars to this day!
Barbara
