Things to Do

So these videos are a couple months old now because, well, that's how long it takes me to get around to posting on the blog. But I've been meaning to post about a few things we've done that turned out to be fun. And since we were cooped up inside most of the day for several months straight (minus trips to the mall, store, library -- anywhere to just get out of the house for a bit), I was on a mission to find some fun indoor activities. Nothing spectacular, just simple but fun.
By way of introduction to this first activity, some of my favorite memories of growing up are of Family Home Evening. My mom was a superstar about not only getting us all together every week for FHE, but also coming up with really fun activities and refreshments. I remember obstacle courses, team races, treasure hunts (with the refreshments as the treasure), other fun and funny games, crafts, service activities, etc. One of the refreshments I've never forgotten was that she made "hamburgers" with Nilla Wafers as the buns, grasshopper cookies as the hamburger patty, coconut with green food coloring as the lettuce, and I can't remember what else. But I can still remember how excited I was about my little "hamburger". These are the kinds of memories and bonds I hope to help create for my own family now.
I bought a book online that looked promising, "Family Fun Nights:140 Activities the Whole Family Will Enjoy".


A lot of the activities I'll have to save for a few years down the road because they're a little beyond Caitlyn's age right now. But there were some ideas that I thought would be fun for her, like this "Family Band" idea. So we gave it a try. Although the book suggested using your kitchen pans and dishes, I opted for cardboard boxes in an effort to avoid giving Caitlyn the idea that pulling all my pots and pans out on the floor for a band performance everyday would be fun. She actually got really into it for the first little while and played a mean drum and spoon, but by the time I decided to get it on camera she had mellowed out a little in spite of Quinn's best efforts to get her going again.

And another one, just cause I know a little girl whose grandparents like to see videos of her.:)


Anyway, here's one idea for FHE or just something fun to do sometime if you have little ones. Before Caitlyn came along Quinn and I usually focused on the lesson more, reading talks and scriptures together and taking as long as we wanted talking about it. Now we're working on short but meaningful lessons (like acting out scripture stories or showing a picture and telling the story the picture is about with a time limit of about 30 seconds), and fun activities. We haven't actually ventured into the refreshments much yet, but I'm sure when Caitlyn and new baby boy are a little older that will climb itself a little higher onto the priority list.
More activities soon!
(Oh and p.s. in case you're wondering this is not a paid advertisement and none of the other family activities I post about will be either. I wouldn't even know where to begin doing paid stuff on this blog -- it's just a regular old blog for our far-away-family and friends to see what we're up to these days.)