Family Dates!

    I have what some would consider a large family, 4 girls and 1 boy. My sweet husband and I LOVE most of all to spend time with our kids. And we get a kick out of them, they make us laugh. We also enjoy the time with our kids out and about to teach them how to act in public, this is a work in progress.
         
So................ I hear regularly "Daddy Daughter Dates" and "Mom and Son Dates" these are fine and dandy when you have one, two or even three kids. But with five I find this to be a habit we can not afford, both time and money wise. So, (again) here is my idea to make Dad, Mom and Kid time fun....

FAMILY DATES

I know revolutionary right, ya not so much. But we love doing this! Our kids look forward to it and we ALL have fun TOGETHER! We just enjoy being together. Sometimes we go cheap and some times we go all out, and no matter which way we go, it's a fun time. Family time is FUN TIME! 

My bit of advice for parents doing this is, if your a little bit up tight, this is time to relax and enjoy the childlike essence of your kids. "Feed from their essence" That was a little bit of "Dark Crystal" humor for you. Hope it wasn't creepy.

Not to say you won't have to reign them in now and again, especially when they are squawking like wild turkeys or jumping around like angry monkeys but let them certainly be kids, it's what they do best. 

Here are a few things we do on our family dates...

1. Walk around at the mall, and let them look at shops. (no touching, just looking) Lesson in progress.

     We also have them play in the mall play area, get the crazy wiggles out, let loose.

2. Peter Piper Pizza, we go here 2 to 3 times a year, it can be in the $40-60 range for our family with food and play. Even Dad and Mom get in on the play. When the tokens are all gone we count out our tickets together as a family and cash it in for some fun crappy toys that break an hour after we get home. But man is this all fun! 

3. Red Box movie night. Or Netflix. Either way it's a night in, with popcorn, candy and some times soda's. We pick a family movie and turn down the lights so we have that movie theater feel in the room. We've done this on "no school" days and the kids go crazy for it.

4. We recently went to Polar Ice, an indoor ice skating rink, we took the older 3. The younger 2, well they wouldn't have had fun, we'll put it that way. So that one doesn't really count since the whole family wasn't in on it....scratch #4.
5. Back yard trampoline time. Okay this one doesn't last hours or even a half of one, but there is a LOT of laughter and so so so much fun in this. While dad is on the tramp it is game time! I think our neighbors think there is water boarding or some other method of torture going on in our backyard for all the yells, squeals and hollering. Then when everyone is so tired they can't stand, we go inside for some (depending on the time of year) Lemonade or Hot cocoa. Don't ask me why I capitalized those two.
6. Parks. In the summer here this is not permissible, but in the other 8 months of the year beautiful and perfect park weather. Take dinner (homecooked or not) to the park and this is a fun way to "eat out". And once the kids are done, they are free to go play on the park equipment. I like doing this with another family or two also, because the more kids the merrier! Ice cream sandwiches for dessert, a fav.
7. We've gone to Dairy Queen a number of times. Boom, family time.
8. Goofy Golf for the older kids. I think this is one we've wanted to do for years, with a bitty baby in tow it's a bit harder, but when the baby is about 3, I say it's time for some family goofy golf. I'm looking forward to doing this with my "older" family. Meaning everyone in between the ages of teen down to 3. Good fun for all.

I think from here there are endless ideas for good family dates. As long as your together and having fun, it's a date.  Making it fun for everyone is some times a trick. But using your imagination and taking the family to familiar places as well as giving them new places to explore will help everyone continue to be excited about spending time together and strengthening the family bonds.

Mother's Before Us!

I would like to give a shout out to my mom and grandma Gwendolyn who came before me and taught me so much.

I talk with my own mom pretty frequently, just to chat, catch up and tell her I love her. She has been a wonderful example to me of a great mom. Perfect? NO! GREAT, YES!!!! In a recent phone conversation, she was bemoaning the fact that she didn't take a lot of time to teach us cooking, sewing etc. But I will say this woman did a lot of both those things and I learned a lot just by sitting by her and watching, maybe even without her knowing. I also know my Grandma Gwendolyn was a great cook and amazing gardener, teaching her kids these important skills for life helped them which helped us. Generations later we are benefiting from the things taught to our parents.
My Grandma Gwen died when I was only a few months old. So I never knew her, but I've been told stories and feel I know the kind and wonderful person she was. My mom has told me, that my laugh is a lot like Grandma Gwendolyn's. I was told this in my early 20's and I'll never forget that. Because my mom says her moms laugh was boisterous and infectious. I like being outside (when the weather is nice here in AZ) and watching things grow. Seeing something I planted have produce or just beautiful leafs. Makes me happy to have another connection with Grandma Gwendolyn.

My mom and dad had 6 kids, 2 miscarriages and a lot of challenges to even getting started with a family. I admire my mom's determination to have kids and to love us all equally and in our differences. She taught us through her love that we are great. As a kid I remember spending hours upon hours in the backyard, playing restaurant, weddings, school, store and so much more, almost all of these having to do with tomato's that grew in abundance in the garden. My mom watched us play while she cleaned dishes and made dinners. I didn't know she was paying any kind of attention to us silly kids but she watched with a smile and totally laughed to herself at us kids from the kitchen window.
She was a PTA president, counsel member and helper at our elementary school for years, and not during the easy years when all the kids are in school and theirs time to sit at home. Nope she was pregnant with my little brother and then after she had him, still a PTA President with baby in tow. She amazes me!!!
She taught piano for MANY years to bring in extra income to support missionary sons and daughters. She also taught Seminary to the teens in our small home town. This is no easy task!!! Teaching gospel principles to teens, some of which were stinkers. And the prep time going into that is enormous. Most seminary teachers get paid, but not those in a small LDS community, it's volunteer work.  She is such a great example of service and love for others. We often had friends staying with us for days, weeks and even months at a time until they got on their feet. She was in the Young Woman Program while I was a teen and I tell you that was so much fun! I wasn't a teen who thought my mom was cool, but I always thought she was outstanding! As a teen, I always payed close attention to the things she said and felt they were important. I'm trying to be a mom that says things to my kids that are uplifting and helpful. I fail often but I'm working on it.
Now that all us kids are grown, married, having kids of our own...we still all love to talk with mom and crave that continual connection that was forged so strongly in our childhood. Our mom is a huge part of who we are today and who we continue to strive to be.

Thank you mom for being a fantastic example of Christ like love.