FHE

Monday nights have so much potential. They often cause me stress.
I always have too many plans and high expectations.
Throughout the day today I daydreamed of pulling off that great Christmastime lesson about who we celebrate at Christmas. I'd give clues. Ex. He has a beard, he's often seen in red and white, he's always watching us.... You know the one: Santa vs. Jesus. In my imagination the kids were all wonderfully inspired to remember the true meaning of Christmas and pledged to always love one another, to serve others and to ensure peace on earth and goodwill toward men.

But when Talie cried for the hour preceding dinner and then promptly threw up in her plate of spaghetti, all of my "plans" flew out the window.... Or into the trashbag with everybody else's supper remains that were no longer appealing.

While I cleaned up dinner and bathed 'the baby', the other kids were banished to the basement. The somewhat peace and quiet that I began to enjoy while they played out of sight was heavy laden with non- family night guilt.

I mean, Dan is working late tonight anyways.

Tomorrow night we'll enjoy the school Christmas concert as a family.

I had a busy day and I am tired.

By the time I had a sick baby on my lap, Paige looking for a coloring book, and Kami asking me for something to eat I decided if I was gonna have to 'work', we might as well have family home evening.

Sort of. We didn't sing, in fact we didn't even pray but we did sit at the table and colored or drew. I told them about when I was little and my sister and I would try to fill a whole coloring book during Christmas vacation, starting at the beginning of the book and not skipping any pages. Ty decided to give it a try. I showed them how we used to draw swirls on paper and then color it all in. (then spent the next ten minutes drawing swirls on paper for them to color in).

Some friends dropped by with some yummy Christmas treats and we finished the night off with another game of Disney trivial pursuit.

We came downstairs to get ready for bed. I got mad about the mess they made earlier when the were sent downstairs to play. They sort of cleaned it up while I threatened to throw it all away.

Now they're in bed and I'm waiting for Dan to get home.

But don't worry, I'm not relaxing. Talie is beside me crying for a drink.

I always hear stories of people who fondly remember Monday nights for the quality time spent with family members, discussing gospel topics and expressing their love for one another ;)

I wonder what my kids will remember? Hopefully the two hours we spent at the table where we laughed, I taught them a bit about myself and my childhood, we squirted each other with oranges, me not yelling (well, hardly), and the fun time we had together!