We are the the 1966 Beatles {growing up}

Celebrating the boys' academics at year's end

These last few weeks, I have been particularly aware that our family is experiencing a golden age of time.  With the boys being 8 and 11, respectively - it is that moment of their childhood that will render deep-seeded memories for the rest of their lives.  Playing with our dog Maggie, or swimming together, or eating Fruity Pebbles in the morning, or just watching Brady Bunch reruns as a family after dinner - these will be their paradigm constructs for years to come.  And I am enjoying it so much.

The most notable thing about the last several months in our family is that our kids...are simply growing up.  We all share musical tastes quite well, and have developed a system where we rotate song choices in the car.  I noticed recently that I rarely dislike ANY song that someone chooses.  How great is that?

I am feeling most grateful lately for summertime.  The fact that all four of us are home together all summer long is the greatest gift.  Though we eventually get on each others' nerves - I recognize that at some point in the future, we will look back on these days as a sweet spot in our lives.  We spend most days at the pool, where we intersperse reading books with games of indoor soccer, ping-pong, fussball, and (since Noah recently started taking lessons) tennis.  I love it so much, and we all get to enjoy each other pretty much as equals (especially in ping-pong, where the competition is fierce).

Also, we all love the same restuarants right now.  We have graduated from the "Kids Eat Free" traps that defined much our dining out experiences for the past several years.  Nowadays, all four of us get excited about Mamacitas Burritos, Doc Chey's Noodle House, a variety of Food Trucks, or Asheville Pizza and Brewing.  It feels like we are a team, a gang - and it is one of my favorite feelings ever.

The kids have their own things.  Noah loves fashion, to decorate, to sing (in a tweenager way), sleeping in, acting, tennis, and books.  Avery loves soccer, playing wii, being loud, choosing his own outfits, Lionel Messi,  and changing his hairstyle.  They BOTH love to swim, to eat out, to play with Maggie, listen to music, and to travel (they also make a lot of movies together on iMovie).

The Beatles.  In the sweet spot.

All together, the kids getting older has enabled our family to be a collection of four individuals who truly love one another.  We are like the early Beatles right now - four people who are each their own, but who love to work together to achieve something bigger than themselves.  (And no, I do not anticipate that we will experience a falling out after working on our magnum opus, and Avery marrying Yoko Ono.).

But my question is this: did the Beatles KNOW when they were experiencing this "sweet spot" of history (which for them, I am guessing was the Rubber Soul/Revolver years)?  I don't know.  But we know it, and I intend to make sure that it lasts as long as possible.  Because I have been in bands, and played on teams throughout my life - and nothing touches this feeling that I get when I am with my family and we are in the sweet spot.  I will work on it here, there, and everywhere.

So, as long as no one suddenly becomes obsessed with Indian mysticism (um, George), or or forms a record company that will fund any idea ever (um, Paul), or decides to film us making an album when we are exhausted (um, everyone) - then I Feel Fine.