Game or Movie Night, anyone?

One thing we like to do as a family is set aside Saturday night as Game or Movie night. Last time it was movie night and our daughter, Lauren made tickets for three different movies, had a snack bar set up and made sure there were seats and blankets for everyone. It's always good to have more than one choice for a movie. We watched The Game Plan. It was great, because everything else went on hold and we all sat on the couch and watched a movie together. And all of the extras that Lauren put in made it even BETTER!! This is an activity that everyone looks forward to.

It's all about the letter "P"

Tonight we're having a Picnic in the Park. We'll eat Pepperoni Pizza, Pop, Plums and green Peppers. Then, after the kidlets Play a bit, we're going to have a lesson on Prayer and Personal revelation. Dessert? Pie. Perhaps we'll go Pick some Pumpkins, too. It's a Plan!

Star Gazing

Last night our family did a fun little activity. After the kids were all in bed, my husband and I grabbed a couple of large blankets and spread one out in the grass in our backyard. Then we surprised the kids by waking them up and taking them into the backyard. We all lay down on one blanket and covered ourselves with the other. After I handed each person a "Milkyway" bar, we looked at the stars and just talked about the universe, creation and God's power. It was really nice. It only took about 15-20 minutes and next to no prep time. I highly recommend it! A few suggestions: get the chocolate ahead of time and wait for a clear, warm weekend evening.

Enjoy the Simple moments

The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family. ~Thomas Jefferson

I had an opportunity today to enjoy a simple moment. I was a little stressed and came upstairs and saw my three youngest girls lying on their backs, enjoying each others' company. So, I decided to join them. We started singing and laughing and we made a wonderful memory. So, today...take a moment to make a memory. There are so many things that we let occupy our time, let's let FAMILY be one of them. And don't forget to document it somehow! :)

Some ideas:
*Watch a sunset together
*Lay out on the trampoline and count the stars
*Sing while cooking dinner with the family
*Go for a walk around the block
*Go for a drive and look at the colors of Fall
*Pick a leaf and put it under a paper and color over it with a crayon..that is always fun
*Start reading a book as a family, maybe under a blanket with flashlights :)

Mall Scavenger Hunt

So, here's an idea that came to me instantly when we had a last minute change of plans for family night...mall scavenger hunt. This would be a good one for cold weather. Divide the family into two teams. Ours was boys vs. girls, each parent pushing a stroller. Make a list of items that each team must see and then check off. Winners get some sort of reward, or losers do some form of service for the winners. Each team must stick together. Here was our list: red high heeled shoes, umbrella, opal, book with the word "family" in the title, orange shirt, baby hair bow, pen, pair of blue socks, drinking fountain, security guard, hoop earrings, CD by Garth Brooks, penny, pillow case, chocolate chip cookie, plant, lipstick, vegetable, clock, something with Hannah Montana on it, toy truck. We had a little difficulty because the mall we chose to go to did not have a music store or a book store, though we did find a book with the word family on the front in the Hallmark store. Anyway, it was a lot of fun! We rode the merry-go-round after the girls toasted the boys, then the boys had to make cookies for us at home. A little pre-planning would be good to be able to customize the list to your local mall. Enjoy!