Stories to tell...

I love family traditions - be they meaningful, sentimental, or just plain hilarious. When I married my husband, I had no knowledge of a particular family tradition, carried down from his mom's brothers. At first it was only at Christmas, but now it's become a tradition at most family gatherings. And in our home, it's become a "regular" at bedtime.

George & Henry are known as the greatest hunters of the North Woods, though you'd never think it to hear their stories. We're not sure if they're brothers or friends, but they've been on many adventures together & always manage to find themselves in the midst of a predicament. The actors who play them vary, but they are distinguishable by the way they speak - one with his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, and one with his tongue stuck behind his bottom teeth. Sometimes they're married (to Georgette & Henrietta), sometimes they have a housekeeper, sometimes a stubborn mule...but they are always on an adventure, hunting down one ferocious beast or another.

My boys have fallen in love with their stories. They remember the details, and watch with admiration as their dad weaves a tale of epic proportions, and portrays both characters at the same time.

So it's no surprise that they've been begging to go hunting. Phil promised they could go at the end of the week, if their room was clean. Without being told, they got to work the minute they got home from school Wednesday night & had their room spotless. Thursday after school, they donned their camouflage, grabbed a snack, & headed out the door with their daddy...ready to get some deer.

They left shortly after 4pm & had several hours before dark to sit in the deer blind. It didn't take long for boredom to set in. Daniel laid down on the ground & fell fast asleep. Noah complained there wasn't any room left for him to lay down. But he waited patiently (as patiently as an 7 year old can), and wasn't disappointed. Phil spotted several deer & helped Noah stand up next to him. P hil said he was so excited, he couldn't stop giggling, and quickly clamped his hands over his mouth. Pretty soon he was whispering, "Shoot 'im, dad...shoot 'im!!" Phil did get a shot off, but missed.

But the great hunters weren't discouraged. There are more fierce animals to hunt...

...more stories to tell.