Best feeling ever: finally having a regular Family Home Evening Night! A couple years ago I bought a book that gives really really simple, quick, easy ideas for doing Family Home Evening with small children. I have managed to begin utilizing it in the last month and have LOVED the feeling that comes from knowing we are beginning a wonderful habit. Mind you, it is usually about a total of five minutes that we actually sit down together and talk about whatever the topic is that night and sing a song before attention spans wear out and we run out of answers for all the "why?" questions Bethany throws at us! Haha, but it is GREAT. So, two weeks ago we were going to be talking about temples and I had been hearing really great things about an art display at the visitors center and I knew the kids would enjoy the grounds so we packed up for a road trip and a lesson on the temple! Mostly, it was a visual thing but we did get to talk a bit about what a special place it is and what kinds of wonderful things come from the temple. If we asked them about it today their memories would probably consist mostly of flowers, bees, the Christus (at which Bethany got really excited and James got really scared) and the strongest memory from last year - - Uncle Andrew and Aunt Bonnie getting married there. That is always Bethany's first thought when the temple comes up...I think she thinks they live there...Oh, and the bees would be stemming from the fact that when we were there, James did the groundskeepers a favor and discovered a beehive. Ahhh! Nobody hurt, luckily, just a scared mom, a confused James (didn't understand why I suddenly yanked him away from the new, graceful, pretty bugs he had found) and a very jumpy, chaotic video camera segment. Forgot I was filming as I ran toward him once I saw what he was doing! At least we captured the moment...anyway, here are some pictures...
Checking out the temple and the very pretty water
We sat down to eat a little picnic and these two wandered away to do what kids do best: stop and smell the flowers (sorry, not quite the right wording but there weren't any roses...) I love this picture!
I couldn't let Ben miss out.
So sweet!
He had to leave the glasses on to look more studly since there were flowers involved.
A happy Ben cruising the grounds on his hands and knees!
It doesn't get better than this...
If you haven't been in a while, or been at all for that matter, you should definitely go just walk the grounds and take in the gorgeous flowers and calm! We had a great time. I love the temple! Oh, and how randomly great was the timing of teaching them more about the temple? We've got one coming to Gilbert!!!! Woohoo!!!!
4 comments:
OH, I LOVE the picture of the kids smelling the flowers too! That is precious! :) I'm so glad to see you guys utilizing Family Home Evening...I've been really feeling like I've been slacking spiritually lately...Family Home Evening would be such a great idea for us, and while it seems like it would be so much easier to do with a family, it only makes sense now that it would be a lot easier with just the two of us. I guess it's just a matter of designating that time for us, and planning something! I'm gonna work on that :) The temple is such a great idea...maybe that's where we'll start with ours :) Love your family...they are all so cute :)
What a good mom you are...and your kids are too cute! I love the picture of the kids smelling the flowers too.
Ok Mandy, it's on! I totally want to do a weight loss o'rama thing, like you suggested. After I move in it's on!! YESS!! The best thing will be that we will have to hang out at least once every week or every other week! SWEEETTTT!
Dude! Everytime I go to the temple, the flower 'theme' has changed! Haha it's hilarious! I love the purpleness right now though! Mmmmmm purple! XD Maybe when Bethany grows up she will be a gardner at the temple because she remembers smelling flowers and planting flowers when she was three! Or maybe the crazy lady in the ward that does crazy floral arrangements :O
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