Love at Home

For those of you that aren't Mormon every Monday night we set aside Family Home Evening or FHE. It is a night where we typically have a Opening Song and Prayer, Scripture and lesson (on anything really), an activity, and then of course dessert and closing prayer and song. The church mainly wants family's to set aside one night out of the week just on focusing on the family. Until Joel and I had kids we weren't real great about having it, but since Brooklyn has been old enough to know how FHE works she loves having it. Actually she is a little OCD about FHE and how it suppose to happen...which is GREAT, but way too funny for her age. For example we went to Crocodile Gap (miniature golf) for F.H.E. a few weeks ago. It's starting to get real nice outside in the evening, and Joel and I thought what a great way to be with our family. Well she and Jack loved it, however when we got home and started getting ready for bed she was distraught that we hadn't had scripture/prayer/lesson/dessert/etc. She said, "but mom we didn't even learn anything about Jesus." She was right, but she was prolonging her bedtime as well. Tonight we got busy doing household chores and it started getting late...well she knew it was Monday night and was getting stressed that we didn't have a lesson planned. So, Joel helped her get something together. We used the Friend(children's magazine the church puts out)and found some pictures that depict different situation in which Heavenly Father would be sad or happy if we were to make the same choices. She did very well, and Jack even participated. We then sang Love at Home, and passed around a lion. If you had the lion when we sang the word LOVE out of the song than you had to go around and say something that you loved about each member. I was first and I said these things: Joel - treating us to ice cream when the ice cream truck came around tonight (which also was our dessert), Brooklyn - when she slid down the slide at Schlitterbahn today with her brother so he would be nervous, Jack - when he eats all of his food (which he did tonight). Next was Joel: Brooklyn - when she is a leader and prepares FHE diligently, Jack - when he is excited to see him when he gets home, me - when I kiss him when he gets home from work. Brooklyn said: Jack - when he gives me kisses, Me - when I take pictures of them, Joel - when he lets her feed the dog with him. Jack said (or tried to mumble): when I kiss him; Joel - when he sees a taco (motorcycle) and no it doesn't make sense, Brooklyn - hugs. It was such a sweet night and I thought I would document our night with Love at home. One day I might really need to recollect on it when they are teenagers! ;)