Family Tradition

Well the girls and I just returned from a trip up north. My sister-in-law's uncle has a cabin up there right on the lake and for the last three years now we've had the opportunity to bring our family, as well as my mom and stepdad, my brother and his family, and other brother with his kids. We spend the whole time without tv or radio. We pretty much spend the time visiting, swimming, fishing, and playing boardgames. (M caught 2 fish!) I remember how much fun I had as a kid playing with my cousins and now as all of our kids are getting older it is really fun to watch. I also enjoy it because it gives a real chance to sit down and talk. Most of the times we see eachother it is either for birthday parties or Christmas. I love hearing stories I've never heard before or even hearing ones that are told all the time. I'm glad the girls get to spend time with their fun uncles. L did very well this year. Last year she was only 5 months old and it was very hard to relax. This year with her being able to walk about was so nice. Until she realixed the dock and how much fun she had trying to run back and forth on it. sigh. She played with her cousin S who will be 2 in november. I think they speak the same language. The older kids played outside most of the time. The cabin has windows all over so it is easy to keep an eye on them. It is so nice they are so close in age. The oldest is 10 then it's 7,6,(soon to be) 5,(soon to be) 3,(soon to be) 2,1 and 5 months. We spent most of the day Tuesday in the water. Fun to see L floating about. She didn't quite know what to think of the minnows nibbling on her toes. She giggled. The water is so clear you can see everything. Otherwise I don't know if I'd be in it. Also on that day we were sitting inside visiting and L was over by the recliner that my stepdad was sitting in and she was carrying on about something. Her big cousin L was lying on the floor behind him coloring so I figured that was what had her attention. She came and sat on my lap and took a nap. When she woke up I went into the other room and came back and there she was pointing and trying to tell me something right by that chair and I saw a book lying on the floor. I asked if she wanted the book to which she shook her head no quite sternly. Finally I look at the side of the recliner and then I take another look and say calmly to everyone "I think there is a bat sleeping on the side of the chair." My sister-in-law looks from where she is sitting and says "No, it's gotta be just a shadow". To which I look again and say "No......I'm pretty sure it's a bat." I grew up in a very old house...I know what sleeping bats look like. :) So my oldest brother gets a plastic bag along with oven mitts on his hand and gets it into the bag. I wish I would have taken his picture with it and the oven mitts. Too funny. I figured we didn't see it since it was just at L's height, but I can't help but thinking what if she would have tried to touch it or pick it up or something. Or if we hadn't seen it at all and it went flying about at night. I'm sure the kids would have gone a runnin' fast. (Me too) Sleeping bats no problem...flying bats...you can find me under a table. So we got home last night and I have such a disaster to clean up, but I don't care. It was worth it. My brothers are so wonderful. I have such great sister-in-laws and all the nieces and nephews just have my heart. My little niece L who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when she was 11 months is walking around great with the braces on her ankles. She has the voice of a little elf and just looks like and angel. When she grows up she says she wants to be a daddy, then a mommy, and then a doctor. I don't know how they ever say no to her. I hope this is a tradition we can keep for a long time.