Child-Freeman Living: Doing It Her Way: Fall Family Time

With the crisp scent of falling leaves comes many cravings this time of year, from steaming bowls of soup, walks through leaf littered trails, to cozy sweaters. For me this Autumn I had a strange craving that I was able to satisfy in the past few weekends; this craving being FAMILY TIME. I believe this craving stems from my sister moving so very far away. When she moved I felt a very strong urge to spend more time with my family, especially my parents. So in order to indulge in this craving I booked some one on one face time with my parents.

My first date was a movie with my dad. On a warm Friday night my dad and I walked to the theatre to take in Trouble With the Curve, starring Clint Eastwood. This was a special night, not because I was actually seeing a movie in theatre, which is a rare occurrence, but because I got to spend time alone with my dad. Growing up I didn't form a close bond with my him for a few reasons- he worked super long days providing for his family, I used to be painfully shy and my dad is a quiet man, so these factors led to many awkward moments trying to maintain conversation. I knew he loved me and I him, but when it came to small talk it was difficult. However one activity we did do together was going to the movies. This low risk activity, since you don't need to make a lot of conversation in order to spend time together, proved to be good for us. The last one I remember seeing solely with him was Never Ending Story. So now that I am an adult, my dad and I have built a closer relationship but we still don't have many opportunities to do things alone. So I thought it would be fitting to start nourishing our relationship again with an old favourite, a movie. It was a great night and I hope to do it again soon.

The second date happened the same weekend as the movie, but this time it was with my mom. I spend a lot of time with her, so it wasn't odd to go out for brunch, nor did I think it was going to be memorable day with her. But, boy was I wrong. On the Sunday my mom and I ventured down town to meet my two aunts for brunch. This seemingly fun event proved to be enjoyable but also a test of patience. We decided to take the Skytrain, which was nearly impossible to get to, as we had to navigate through Surrey trying to find a street that wasn't closed for the marathon that was happening. Then after getting on to the train we were told to get off the train as it wasn't working. About 45 mins late and completely frustrated, we finally met my aunts at this fancy restaurant in Vancouver. After we got our mimosas and food order in, conversations flew fast, from the Madonna concert the previous night to family and work issues. The food, though lovely, wasn't my highlight. It was the simple fact that I got to witness the easy interactions between three close sisters who don't see one another very often. One of my aunts lives in Winnipeg, and the other lives way on the opposite side of the Fraser Valley from us, so time together is rare. With lots of laughs and a long goodbye we promised to see one another soon. and my mom and I found ourselves heading back to Langley. Our train ride was filled with plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I don't think I'll forget it any time soon.

The trip to the lake on Thanksgiving the following weekend proved to be a glorious time. Scott and I, with Triggs in tow, met my parents up at the family cabin for three days of family fun. This was the first year as far as I could remember not being with my sister and her family, so it was a little strange being just the four of us. But that didn't take away from having a large dinner with our lake family. This family is comprised of mostly my parent's life long friends, they met over 40 years ago in Calgary. We see them every year up at Shuswap, and yes their children, who are my age, are my friends too. So on this weekend we ate turkey, drank sage wine and had a few adventures. My mom and I encountered a pack of dogs on a stroll, which forced us to change our plans to see our friends' place for a quick visit. Scott and my dad spent time bonding over their similar trucks, which promoted a photo shoot with the red GMCs. Golf and late nights were among the other things that filled our time.

My last big family event happened this past weekend, with my sister and her lovely family in Drayton Valley, Alberta. She moved there in the summer with her husband and her two little girls. This life changing event was difficult on all of us, but especially her, as she had to start a new life in a small town. So since I was missing my best friend I figured she was missing me, and I booked a ticket to the small oil town. I had to see this great place that has captured my sister's heart, making her say "I love my small town life." Well after a ridiculous flight to Edmonton and a long drive to DV, I couldn't wait to see it first hand. In the light of day I figured it out fast why they love it. They live in a cute, well established neighborhood, where it is common to walk everywhere and know everyone. Their house is warm and inviting and I loved my stay with them. I spent my time reading books and art time with two year old Emry, or Shadow as I dubbed her, as she was glued to my side. An epic dance party filled time with Tyla, who has moves like Jaggar. I got to see the entire town and had a good lunch at Mitches. And I loved staying up late with my sister, both nights, catching up on the latest gossip and being silly. My brother-in-law kept me laughing with his stories and I forgot how funny he is. Now I'm back home I miss them so much. I hope to see them again soon.

So I guess I'm full of family now. Tell me how you spend time with your loved ones.