Bouncing off the Walls & Prayer Train FHE Lesson

Yesterday they were cutting wood to frame our new bathtub starting at 7:30am... so by 8:30am the kiddos were done with the loud sounds and we hurried out and headed to the park. We were the only ones there at 9am since it was so cold (other than the elderly men playing bocce and drinking wine). Andrew made several friends and they taught him some bocce tricks while Ryan napped in the stroller and Catie and I played and hunted acorns. 

(acorn hunting)

Then we went to ANOTHER park around 11 and then another park after Andrew was done with school. 

(my super helper hanging out with Ryan while I put Catie on the swings)

Despite all the running around all day... my kids were still bouncing off the walls when we started our Family Home Evening lesson.

I made it vehicle themed since Catie is obsessed with cars and trains. We did this same lesson with Andrew about two years ago and it was a hit... so I thought we'd try it again. Last time we actually built the train with paper, but I had 3 minutes to prep this lesson, so this was all I had time for.

The kids talked with us about the different parts of a prayer (we kept it super simple), then they got to help put the different parts in order somewhat on the train.

Then they got to add wheels every time they shared something that they could thank Heavenly Father for or that they could ask him for. We didn't write their ideas down on the wheels... but they were things like, "ask him to bless Grandma and Grandpa," "thank him for making my cut feel better," etc.

Every time they shared an idea they got to yell "choo choo" and then chug around the kitchen island... since they were struggling to not jump all over the couch while we were talking.

The lesson lasted maybe 5 minutes (if even) and then we got to eat snickerdoodles and play Kinect Sports!

I had forgotten that we had Kinect and now will need to whip it out more often. Catie and Andrew loved playing it together and it was excellent for getting their energy out!

While they played, I ate way too many snickerdoodles!

What a great way to start out the week! Despite how crazy they were acting, the kids said the sweetest things during our lesson and Andrew's prayers have been even more sincere today and less repetitive. Hooray for FHE!

Love this quote... and I am trying to remember it each week so that we actually make sure to have FHE. We can use any and all blessings we can get!!

“We advise and urge the inauguration of a Home Evening throughout the Church, at which time fathers and mothers may gather their boys and girls about them in the home, and teach them the words of God … If the Saints obey this counsel, we promise that great blessings will result. Love at home and obedience to parents will increase, faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth of Israel, and they will gain power to combat the evil influences and temptations which beset them.” The First Presidency (Joseph F. Smith, 1915)