L-O-V-E

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

This month's family theme is LOVE.  Our scripture for the month is found in 4 Nephi 1:15 --

And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.

-- and our hymn for Scripture Time is "Home Can Be a Heaven on Earth."  Because you know.   A mom can always dream, right?  Hahahaha.  For Family Home Evening tonight, I convinced everyone to gather 'round in a circle and create a T-chart for everyone to fill out for them.  The idea was to have everyone say something they loved about everyone else, and also to list something that they know each person loves.  Passing the charts around counter-clockwise, everyone was supposed to contribute a bullet point, without replicating what anyone else had written.  I know it sounds a little confusing, but I'll let the pictures do the talking.  :) 

Once we FINALLY got everyone sitting up and paying attention and no longer being completely insubordinate, the kids really got into the activity.  It was kind of cute.  Especially with how excited they were to read their OWN charts as well as for the rest of the family to read what THEY had written about them.

 I'll make it fun and let you guess who wrote what.  Hahaha.

 {Ethan was the only one to add his own bullet points about himself before passing it along.  Hahaha.}

 {Oh but wait!  I just realized Grace commented on her own as well.  Hahaha.  She just did it last, is all.}

I should probably add here that Alex was completely MIA throughout the entire lesson.  He decided he'd rather do his own thing, and instead set up all his superheroes on the couch, then climbed on the arm, on-your-mark-get-set-go-ed, and did a standing long jump over everything.  It was kind of hilarious -- especially to hear him laugh in delight each time he landed on the couch, exclaiming that he had just "flied."  Hahahaha.  It would be fun to live in his world.  :)

 

And that was that.  After Family Home Evening was over, it was a mad rush to get kids in bed since we went WAY over time and the big kids still had their homework to do.   With everyone in bed now, and the house finally quiet, our home really IS a little piece of heaven.  Hahahaha.  Now if we can only get it to feel that way when everyone is up and awake...  :)

#Hold to the Rod.  Hahaha.  This was Ethan's doodling work while waiting for everyone to finish up their charts.  I've recently started a binder to put all our Scripture Time stuff in each month -- a print out of the scripture, a copy of the hymn, any conference quotes I find that go with those things, and of course, any FHE activities we do (such as the T-charts) that go along with the theme.  It has helped a TON in getting Scripture Time done in the morning before school without so much hassle and fuss.  I think the kids all like having a turn to use the binder and lead us in the scripture, song, and prayer.  Binders lend credence to everything.  Hahahahaha.