(Mandatory) Davis Family Adventures

 

Today we served alongside our church family cleaning up a neighborhood schoolyard. I was proud of our kids who picked up oodles of pine cones and trash. Even amongst questions of "Why don't they pick up their own trash?" and "Why didn't you bring us a snack?" I think the family actually had fun working since lots of other kids were involved.

May they grow up to be like Jesus, who didn't come to be serve but to serve.

After an afternoon of kid swapping (we sent one to a birthday party, traded one boy playdate for our two girls with another family, and gained three kids from down the street whose mother was having a tea party and wanted everybody outside for a while), we loaded up the family car and headed downtown.

A and I had discussed when walking through other cities, that we rarely go to our own downtown with our kids. In theory, this seemed like a valuable thing to do. As today was a day of several festivals, I declared that we would be going to the Italian Festival and then to Jazz under the stars on the State House grounds. We never made it to starlight. The family pooped out. Here are a few moments worth remembering.

Our first time stomping grapes

Pretending we were in Venice....just photoshop the trash can out of the background. We have been to Venice actually, but never sat in a gondola.

This cost $2. Really.

Weaponry of ancient Rome

Exploring our own city

Look kids! There it is, our State House.

Finding the stars

 

Running around the grounds and reading about the statues

My family, counting down the minutes when they could go and watch the ball game and eat chicken wings.

So, I think I will have to go to the festivals by myself next time. I enjoy having cappuccino gelato for dinner and listening to bands while milling through city streets. My family? Not so much. I may take my Pandora on the back porch and see the stars by myself too.

I recently had a conversation with a friend whose mother is a lot like me. She assured me that although she resented the outings and trips at the time, she was later thankful for a lifetime of memories. I hope that will be true for our family too.