You'll Just Have to use Your Imagination

Fourth Day of Winter here Downunder. So far brilliant sunshine - great for a Long Weekend, the last one until Spring. Ahead of us are short wet days and long stormy nights. Brrrrrr.

This weekend we didn't join the rush to evacuate the city for the three day weekend; we stayed close to home, keeping things simple and avoiding the traffic jams.
We made more Pizza. Sushi. And the Pineapple Upside Down Cake I promised. Mmmm.
No photos though.

We lit the fire and cooked our sausages over the flames.
Popped the cork on a bottle of pink grape juice and attempted some backyard round-the-campfire fun.
Again no photos.

Of course it would have made for cute snaps. Us huddled around the fire wrapped in blankets, playing Truth. Trying in vain to help Scrag understand the rules and eventually giving up and just laughing anyway.
Awww, yeah, woulda been so warm and fuzzy.

But you'll just have to use your imagination.
Sometimes I deliberately leave my camera put away.
Sometimes my kids need to know that we do these things not for the photo opp, but because we really want to build an awesome family and create great memories with them.

Of course the best of plans can go awry.
The coolest idea can fall flat, or get ruined, when human beings are involved.
Ya know?
I mean, there we all are, the sausies are the best I've ever tasted, sizzling hot from the pan, wrapped in french bread, fresh from the bakery. Tomato sauce is dripping through our fingers as the fire snaps and crackles and the sun sets. For pudding there's that pineapple upside down cake, with gooey caramel edges,  still warm from the oven. Daddy even got some marshmallows for us to toast.
The grape juice is poured... and somebody has to go and spoil it.

I can't remember how, and it doesn't even matter.
All I remember is that there was naughtiness, perhaps cheekiness, a smidge of lip and a lash of tongue and before you know it: That's it, off to bed with the lot of you.
Marshmallows untoasted. Fun cut short.
Don't you hate it when that happens?

But that's the reality.
If I had taken photos I could have presented you with the edited version.
*Look at us having fun at home around the fire*

Real family life is not like that.
Human beings make up families. Grownups with frayed nerves and kids with smart mouths.

So after I'd tucked those naughty kids up in bed, we sat around the fire, just me and the man I married, and stared into the flames, sipping wine, feeling stink.
From where we sit outside we can hear footsteps in the kitchen, a cupboard opening, a packet rustling.
"That'll be someone after the marshmallows," hubby observes.
He's right, it's Dash sneaking into the abandoned treat packet.
Daddy goes in after the thief and I wait for the scolding... which doesn't come.
Instead a dressing-gown clad Dash emerges shamefacedly and asks, "Can I come hang out with you guys?"

The other kids are by now asleep, so we welcome Eldest Child back to the campfire and the three of us hang out. We toast the marshmallows after all. We play another round of Truth. Daddy digs out the telescope and we look in awe at the big bright moon.
The night is rescued, redeemed, turned around. It finishes on a warm and fuzzy note.
Don't you love it when that happens?

{P.S. Best in Blog took a holiday today in honour of Her Majesty Queen Lizzie's Birthday. We celebrated by cashing in our family reward stickers which had reached a grand total of 50 combined points - and went to the Wave Pools, where we had lots of warm and fuzzy moments and no growly ones. Too bad I didn't take any pictures (I was too busy being in the moment) so you'll just have to use your imagination.}