Dinner and a Movie

Friday nights are usually set aside as movie night for our family.  However, we really haven't had one these past few weeks for two reasons:  we've been too busy to and there just haven't been any worthwhile movies to watch that our whole family can enjoy.  Knowing that we haven't gathered as a family for our traditional Friday night movie in a few weeks, we decided to make sure it happened this week!

It's customary that dinner be takeout.  It's the one night a week we do order in and I don't make dinner.  It has given us the opportunity to try lots of different restaurants.  As a result, it takes some real cooperation to agree on where the food is coming from.  Sometimes it's majority vote and sometimes mom or dad just chooses the restaurant without a vote.  It becomes a "surprise" when that happens.  This same thing happens when we have to choose the movie which we choose from a wide variety of genres.  Sometimes they are old family favorites and sometimes they are new ones.

The main goal for this activity is to promote bonding and cooperation between us.  We strive to choose movies that are wholesome and teach a good moral.  But sometimes, they are just for fun giving everyone the opportunity to decompress, unwind, and just enjoy not having to worry about obligations.

Getting ready for the movie

This week we watched the newest version of Annie staring Jamie Foxx.  While it's not quite up to the musical standards of the original, it was cute and entertaining.

We ended the night with homemade oreo milkshakes.  Oreos are a family favorite, so they're regularly included in our treats.  I personally don't think I make these often enough.  It really is the easiest way to show my kids that I love them.  Sometimes the kids help too!

WRA, REL200, Post 4

Memorial Day Weekend

Every year, our Memorial Day holiday weekend includes a weekend at Grandma's house--or the home I grew up in.  Grandma lives in the countryside on Lake Livingston in Southeast, TX.  It's a time for our family to really enjoy some rest and recreation with aunts, uncles, in-laws and cousins.  There is never a shortage of things to do.  If you're bored . . . well, that's your own fault ;-P

This year was complete with a few firsts:

1.  Our six-year old really tried some "serious" swimming in the lake (which was higher and dirtier than usual thanks to lots of rain this spring).  Her dear cousin showed her how to "swing her arms" for freestyle.

2.  We spent the actual Memorial Day at the Houston National Cemetery.  Attending this very well-known and sacred service was a bit out of our comfort zone, but we knew it would be an uplifting experience.  The small Children's Choir that I accompany for performed during this particular Memorial Day Service.  It was our frst performance ever!  The link provided is the news coverage of the services.  When the author mentions that "We heard children sing patriotic songs "--it's our group that he was speaking of.  If you watch the news video, I'm actually in it about 10 seconds in (for a split second) standing on the left of the screen wearing a blue shirt--yep, mommy's little moment of fame :-P

Not having a military ancestry, participating in such services in not something we normally do or even think of.  But, we all agree that it was a unique experience to be able to rub shoulders with not only many veterans and soldiers but also many members of our local and state governments.  It provided us with the opportunity to remember what Memorial Day is all about.

Our weekend was also spent making pizzas, building puzzles, playing games, celebrating birthdays, swimming, fishing, watching movies, enjoying the outdoors, cleaning out my parents' garage,  and just enjoying the time together as family.

Preparing for a cousin's birthday celebration

 Chit-chatting with cousins

On the rope swing

Playing with water balloons in the water

(always more fun when there's more water)

Playing ping pong

Attempting a game of badminton 

(which is really interesting with a 6-year old)

 Brother-in-laws enjoying the outdoors together

So, why is this considered "wholesome recreational activity?"  This gave us the opportunity to exemplify many of the activities described in Widmer's definition that included developing skills and learning.

Develop skill and learn:  My daughter learning how to swim (and fish), learning a new game, building a puzzle, playing piano for the children's singing group
Build relationships:  Relationships were particularly developed between cousins and older siblings (like my siblings and I).

Elder Oaks defintions included activities that have the ability to inspire.  Attending and participating in the Memorial Day services was certainly inspiring and uplifting.

WRA, REL200, Post 3

Activity in Music

This past Monday, our family decided to all go to concert put on by the local high school orchestras. Our oldest, who will be joining this group next year, wanted to watch and listen to the group play.  In the past, we might have only taken him, allowing the other children to stay home.  But, we decided it was a great opportunity to expose the other children to orchestral music and give us time together as a family.  It did take a bit of effort convincing our middle child to join us.

What you see/hear is just one selection from the concert that the local high school performed on Monday, May 11, 2015.  They are playing a portion of The Moldau by Smetana.

Even if our younger children might not have fully appreciated the music, this picture taken is proof that the activity did what we needed it to:  Build relationships.

Our oldest has never, in the entire six years of his sister's existence, had the desire to carry or hold her in any way for any reason.  But, that night he invited her into his arms and he happily carried her to the car.  Yes, miracles do happen!

 It was obvious that this concert meant something to him and put him in the greatest mood because he did something that he wouldn't normally do.  You can bet that she will never forget this moment--the very first time her brother carried her!  Witnessing that small moment made that night a wonderful experience for me.

After the concert was over we enjoyed a family treat at the local Culver's--our go-to place for ice cream (okay, it's really frozen custard, but it certainly satisfies the same cravings).  We all indulged in the flavor-of-the-day:  Chocolate Marshmallow Oreo.

WRA, REL200, Post 2

Wholesome Recreational Activities

It's been a few years since I've been here on the blog.  That's pretty much what school does to me--resets my priorities!  But, for the next little while I will be posting various thoughts and documentation of our adventures in "wholesome recreational activities."  These posts correlate with a project that I'm doing in a Family Foundations class as I finish up my final year at BYU-Idaho.

I took this project idea from a passage that can be found in The Family: A Proclamation to the World that states, "Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities."  I will be focusing on the last principle--wholesome recreational activities.

First off, what qualifies as a wholesome recreational activity?  It is not something that is clearly defined, addressed, or straight forward.  In my search, I came across a few descriptions that helped me define appropriate activities for our family.

1. "Wholesome recreation provides opportunities to develop skill, learn, build relationships and grow.  The best recreational activities involve the mind, foster creativity . . . and promote moral behavior." 
-- Mark. A. Widmer

2.  "[Activities in] music, literature, art, dance, drama, athletics--all can provide entertainment to enrich one's [and the family's] life and further consecrate it." 
-- D. Todd Christoffersen

3.  "[Family] leisure time should be filled with activities that uplift, inspire, and draw individuals closer to Heavenly Father." 
-- Dallin H. Oaks

These broad but clear ideas leave the door open to a wide variety of qualifying activites that we can do with our families.  I particularly like Widmer's article because it does an excellent job summing up why such activities are valuable to the health of a family.  He states, 

"If we make an effort to engage in wholesme family recreation, the lives of our children, and our own lives, will be enriched.  May our children write in their diaries, "Went fishing (reading, hiking . . . ) with my family today--the most wonderful day of my life."

The most important aspect to me is that such activities will require EFFORT on my part as a parent.  For me, that means I might be put a little out of my comfort zone when planning and participating in these various activities.  I'll be the first to admit that I need a little bit of that!

WRA, REL200, Post 1