Family Night Friday

So life went crazy about the time I came up with my wonderful ideas to renovate my little blog! I think things have settled down a little bit so here's to getting back to business!

Growing up Mormon having a regular family home evening was strongly encouraged. There were many reasons that it was encouraged.  LDS.org says that "Family home evening is a special time set aside each week that brings family members together and strengthens their love for each other, helps them draw closer to Heavenly Father, and encourages them to live righteously." Family Home Evening could range from having a lesson about a scripture story or value we needed to work on living. It could be a night of family games. It could be snuggling on the couch, eating popcorn and watching a good family movie. It could be going out to play putt-putt, going to the beach, take a bike ride, anything really that draws the family together and has them spending time having fun and learning together.

Steven and I knew that we wanted to have family night with our family, but we haven't been great about it! We did really good for a while and then, it totally fizzled! Well, I'd like to get back! I think it fizzled for me because I tried to have these big lessons, etc planned for each week. Sometimes we just need to step back and have fun. I forget how much learning can occur when we're just having fun together! We have done some really fun things for family night. Like camping in the living room. We did a lesson on listening (one we clearly need to do again! lol!!!)  In the fall we've done a family night based around "Spookly the Square Pumpkin" and how it's OK to be different...often being different is a very good thing. It's been a while since I've posted anything FHE based...I guess it's time to get back to it!

So, one of my goals is that every Friday I will share what we have done the previous week for family night. I'll have pictures, a lesson plan to share (if there was one), directions for the activity or craft we did (again, if there is one), a recipe for a fun dessert (well, ok...if there is one! lol) so that you can recreate it if you want to with your family. I like to play around with seasons and holidays so a lot of the family night ideas coming up soon will have a season or holiday theme to them. Hopefully we will complete them early enough for you to be able to do them too! If you are having family night with your family I'd love to see what you are doing too! You can never have too many ideas! Please leave me a link to your blog so that I can check out what you are doing to draw your family closer!

I wanted to end by sharing a couple of websites that might prove helpful in planning your family nights. Some of them are written by members of the Mormon church, but if you are not Mormon don't let that stop you from using their ideas. You might have to do more searches for Bible verses that apply instead of using Book of Mormon verses. Some of the topics might not apply (General Conference or Follow the Prophet) but a lot of the information is good and can be a great jumping off point until you build the confidence to come up with your own ideas (shoot-I still use them often!) Some of the sites are Catholic, but again don't think that just because you aren't Catholic you can't use some of their ideas as a jumping off point to create your own! These are creative people!! Take advantage of their generosity!!!

* Family Home Evenings

* The Family Home Evening Spot

* A Year of Family Home Evening 

* Sugardoodle 

* Catholic Icing-Mainly craft, game and food ideas

* The Catholic Toolbox- lesson plans, games, coloring pages

* Catholic Mom- coloring pages, lesson plans, great Lenten activities

So there are a few of my resources. If you know of others please share!! Have a great weekend everybody!