Our Favorite Night of the Week

Each week, Austin and I really look forward to Monday nights. Why? It's Family Home Evening Night! We have been having so much fun with our family night that we wanted to share:

Each night we start out with an opening prayer. Last week Makenna "said" the prayer (which basically meant she folded her arms and I said a simple prayer). Of course she can't really talk very much yet, but it was just so fun to see her with her arms folded! She is finally starting to leave them folded for prayer! I think this is one of the most adorable things little kids can do! Then we usually sing a song. I download the music from the lds.org website and we sing along. Makenna loves to lead the music! She thinks that every time you sing a song with actual music you have to lead! She just waves both arms around but it's very cute!

Next we have a short lesson using the nursery manual. Usually it has to be pretty short because Makenna's attention span is still pretty nonexistent! For those of you trying to find good lessons for little kids, the nursery manual is turning out to be fantastic! Each week we have a little short story with a picture, some type of song or rhyming activity, and then a fun little activity. This week we talked about Heavenly Father and Jesus loving each of us. We said a little rhyme with motions, showed a picture of Jesus with the children and told Makenna that Jesus loves children and blessed them, and then we looked in the mirror and said "Heavenly Father and Jesus loves... [fill in the name]." Very simple but gets the point across! And even though Makenna doesn't always pay attention, one day it will all seep in! My mom says that we maybe just don't realize all that Makenna is getting from it, but that she is definitely getting something!

For our activity we sing Makenna's favorite songs (so far this has been our activity every single week because Makenna loves it!). Her favorites are "If Your Happy and You Know It" (mostly she loves seeing us stomp our feet--she laughs like crazy each time!) and "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" (she likes it when we go fast!). She also loves the classics like, "Three Little Monkeys" and "Patty Cake." Then it's bath time, scripture time, and prayer time. Then bed time!

We only spend about half an hour to an hour on our official "Family Night." But it is such a special time to be together to sing songs and teach Makenna gospel principles. She is still so little, but I know she loves this time too!

Makenna and Daddy cheesing for the camera. They still have red cheeks from Saturday's football games!
Makenna and Daddy wearing their "Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ Love Me" necklaces.