picnic

 we picnic.

every week.

at home.

thursday nights.

on the floor.

{a few times a year, on the back deck...that's san francisco for you at night}

"mom, i'll get the picnic blanket." {typically the oldest}

"and mom, i'll set out the waters." {usually the middle}

"i've got the napkins." {always the youngest}

"what do you need me to do." {i love how ben is always fully on board with my homemade plans}

the boys enthusiastically welcome this ritual.

it's always a kid-friendly meal that works well on paper plates and requires little or no utensils.

it might involve a baseball game on tv or a game of charades between bites.

the boys insist on it with sitters that might be here on thursday nights.

yet

 you and i know it's not rocket science.

 it's a memory.

it's a happy routine.

it's one we all love because everyone else loves it!

moving to a new place far from family, i was quick to begin some fun habits that would "stick" and become tradition.

what i mean by tradition, is simply something that the boys will remember from their childhood and smile.

we stay longer at this meal than any other during the week.

we linger over the container of strawberries or trickle back to the oven for another slice of homemade pizza.

if we haven't connected any other time the past few days,

if we haven't locked eyes with each other or laughed hard,

it happens here.

the night we picnic.

as a family.

on the floor.

i'd love to hear what you do to connect with each other or chat about the importance of establishing such rituals.

leave a comment and let me hear from you!

{for more inspiration on connecting with each other at the table...or in our case, the floor...consider Bread and Wine by shauna niequist}