So, I have to admit it: We do not have a rockin', thriving social life. We just don't. Life gets filled up with Noah, with Mason tasks, with Joe working nights and sleeping days, with me editing photos and taking photos....With church. With errands.
and put together, that takes up 99% of our life. And that's okay. Truly. I adore the time I get with my hubby, so I tend to be very selfish with it. And he adores the time he gets with both Noah and I, so he tends to be selfish with that. So the three of us spend most of our free time with, well, each other. As we should.
Still, there are those moments Joe and I yearn for the past days of going to two movies a week... of going to friends' houses to play games or have potluck dinners... of going to the City Museum or Six Flags or other all-day jaunts. And though I know we'll get to do all those things again someday, it's sometimes easy to feel sorry for oneself when reflecting on what used to be a semi-thriving social life.
But. To prove to myself, (and all of you), that we are not dead yet... I give you--- Game Night @ the Mason Lodge. This is a new idea and fun compromise we have recently concocted, so that we can have a social evening without having 1.) a babysitter or 2.) a house full of loud, fun guests that might wake the kiddo.
We have friends come over, we take over the conference room on the first floor of the Mason Lodge (our apt. is on the third floor), we set up the baby monitor, and we bring our own food and use supplies from the Mason kitchen to keep the party hoppin'.... and we play games. For hours. And we are loud, we pig out, we laugh a TON, and in the end, we've had a pretty great evening in the easiest possibly way. It is awesome.
The photos-- Proof we really DO have interaction with other adults sometimes:
and put together, that takes up 99% of our life. And that's okay. Truly. I adore the time I get with my hubby, so I tend to be very selfish with it. And he adores the time he gets with both Noah and I, so he tends to be selfish with that. So the three of us spend most of our free time with, well, each other. As we should.
Still, there are those moments Joe and I yearn for the past days of going to two movies a week... of going to friends' houses to play games or have potluck dinners... of going to the City Museum or Six Flags or other all-day jaunts. And though I know we'll get to do all those things again someday, it's sometimes easy to feel sorry for oneself when reflecting on what used to be a semi-thriving social life.
But. To prove to myself, (and all of you), that we are not dead yet... I give you--- Game Night @ the Mason Lodge. This is a new idea and fun compromise we have recently concocted, so that we can have a social evening without having 1.) a babysitter or 2.) a house full of loud, fun guests that might wake the kiddo.
We have friends come over, we take over the conference room on the first floor of the Mason Lodge (our apt. is on the third floor), we set up the baby monitor, and we bring our own food and use supplies from the Mason kitchen to keep the party hoppin'.... and we play games. For hours. And we are loud, we pig out, we laugh a TON, and in the end, we've had a pretty great evening in the easiest possibly way. It is awesome.
The photos-- Proof we really DO have interaction with other adults sometimes:
{this evening's games: Lord of the Rings Monopoly and Settlers of Cattan}
{the grub: spicy wing dip, chips, candy, soda}
{....AND mini caramel apple bites, made by Joe and myself. I first saw this idea HERE...THANKS, Em!! And then was reminded of the idea by my bessie Gen. THANKS, Gen!!}
{too much candy. Yay!}
{my setup-- food, cash, and a few too many caramel apple sticks showing how many I've eaten. Ha!}
{the gang-- with me behind the camera}
{Two different BOREDS-- the game board, and Sarah's bored.}
{My dear Joe, who ended up solidly winning BOTH games, looking as intent as possible}
And there ya have it. Our elusive, but fun-when-it-happens, Game Night at the Lodge.
And actually, I am crossing my fingers we get to do this again tonight. My family is coming into town, and I think we are in negotiations to occupy this very same room to play more games. I'll let ya know!
{the grub: spicy wing dip, chips, candy, soda}
{....AND mini caramel apple bites, made by Joe and myself. I first saw this idea HERE...THANKS, Em!! And then was reminded of the idea by my bessie Gen. THANKS, Gen!!}
{too much candy. Yay!}
{my setup-- food, cash, and a few too many caramel apple sticks showing how many I've eaten. Ha!}
{the gang-- with me behind the camera}
{Two different BOREDS-- the game board, and Sarah's bored.}
{My dear Joe, who ended up solidly winning BOTH games, looking as intent as possible}
And there ya have it. Our elusive, but fun-when-it-happens, Game Night at the Lodge.
And actually, I am crossing my fingers we get to do this again tonight. My family is coming into town, and I think we are in negotiations to occupy this very same room to play more games. I'll let ya know!
matt would be all over catan. and i would be sara. bored.:)
ReplyDeleteHow FUN!! Neil and I were just saying how, in our Eventual House, we'll have a basement reserved ONLY for games: TV with video game set-up, shiny heavy wooden table with a felt top and big comfy wheeled chairs around it, vintage pennants all around, pool table, squishy couch...
ReplyDeleteLove that you're hanging onto a social life amid all the family-ness! you're doing better than I, and there's only TWO of us!
P.S. Thanks for the shout-out! :)
ReplyDelete--the aforementioned Gen
Um, have I mentioned how much I love Settlers? I don't play it NEARLY often enough. . .
ReplyDeleteAlso, I envy your sweet set up and your ability to throw awesome soirees like this. Such fun!!
way to find a way to have the best of both worlds!
ReplyDeleteAnd at what age exactly does it become cool to have a game night? I am myself a tabboo or pictionary kind of girl- but im quite sure if i tried to arrage something like that with MY peers, i'd end up eating my sweet treats all alonneeee...
Anyway, glad you got to have a night with friends! (And even better- without paying a babysitter!!)
Merry Christmas!
Oooh, I would love to have a game night.
ReplyDeleteNo fair. That looks like so much fun. Why do I have to live so far away.
ReplyDeleteGood for you getting some adult time.
good for you for finding a compromise! I think we have settle on FHE at the Pagedale building with mostly singles (and then there is us with our kids) hehe. I guess it's a good thing everyone likes our kids.
ReplyDeletethat game night we had in that little room while Tamara was in Mexico was awesome- when we added the Knights and Castles to Catan, I had no idea what I was doing, but it was a blast!
ReplyDeleteMonday night was tons o'fun too!
Yay for game night! We do that too, but we go to a friends and the kids all go to bed in the back. It works 90% of the time, having an extra level would be perfect! And I love Settlers!! Oo, I see Mel does too. We'll have to do an ELW Settlers tourney some day :)
ReplyDeleteWe will have to Cam and Joe together for a settler's game. Cam ALWAYS wins. It is a little annoying, but I still love to play. Looks like you had a lot of fun, and there isn't such a thing as too much candy.
ReplyDeleteGame nights are so much fun! Good job finding a way to have the best of both worlds...I wish I had a giant building in which to throw parties. Lucky you.
ReplyDelete