This week Dave requested we have dinner at 5:30. When we have it at 6:30 or even 6:00 it gets so crazy to try to fit in homework and practicing and reading and mutual and all the other mumbo jumbo we’ve got going on.

Although it’s tough for me to have to tell all the friends to go home and to make my kids come home so early, I have to say I LOVE early dinners. It makes me more aware of what I’m making earlier, and I like hanging in the kitchen with the kids when they get home while I’m preparing it. I also like that it shows our kids how important we prioritize family time. I don’t know how long it will be feasible to do it that early with Dave’s work, and we may have to readjust things a little when all the lessons cave in on us but we’re soaking it up while we can. The other night it had been a particularly crazy day but as we sat around the table dong our regular “happies and sads” time seemed to slow down. The love around that table was tangible. I sat there quietly and tried to memorize exactly how each of my children looked, how their laughs sounded, how they interacted with each other. At that moment I could think of nowhere in the whole world I’d rather be than right there, right then, surrounded by my husband and children with their faces flushed from the heat outside and their hair sticking out all skiwampus from a day well spent.

I do love family dinner.

Last Sunday at Family Home Evening Dave challenged Max and Elle to read the Book of Mormon before Fall Break. They agreed. My jaw dropped. Really? Do they realize how LONG that thing is? The answer is yes, they knew, and they were willing to do it. So I jumped in too. Nothing like your kids setting a good example for you. This time around I’ve been listening to it on my iPhone. (The “mormon channel” app is so awesome.) I have never listened to the Book of Mormon before but so far I am loving it and feel somehow so rejuvenated when I get done listening in the morning. (I listen while I’m working out which sounds funny but it is totally working so far.)

Anyone want to join us? A little less than two months, 531 pages…

12 Comments

  1. Our R.S. has been reading the BoM this summer — we will be having a big feast together to celebrate. I wasn't sure I would keep up but I have. Good luck to Max and Elle (and you)!

  2. I need to do that!! My hubs and I were reading every night and then we left for vacation and came home to craziness of back to school and fell out of the habit. I think I will challenge us to get back into the habit again.

    I love the idea of listening while you work out, it would work while I was cleaning up the house in the morning also.

  3. I wish we could do early dinners again…but gone are those days if I want to have my husband home for dinner. He doesn't get home from work until between 6 – 6:30 pm (his work is an hour away). I try to have dinner ready right when he gets home so the kids can spend some time with him before going to bed. And that, of course, doesn't factor in anything we might have going on at night: sports, church things, etc. I used to have dinner at 5 pm & get the kids in bed by 6:30 pm, but my husband missed everything & ended up eating by himself & the kids didn't get to see him except to say good night. Not such a great idea. That's why we moved dinnertime to later. The kids need to see their dad & we have benefited from eating together as a WHOLE family. So definitely soak it up while you can! I hope it lasts longer than you think it will. What a wonderful thing.

  4. Loved your post. Dinner time can be so fun. When our children were small, each child would take a turn cooking dinner with me, during the week. This included picking out what we would be eating for their meal cooking time. Not only did we have the chance to have fun one-on-one, my children can cook.
    Children are much older. now.We did the same as you…adjusted to Dad's coming home time from work, to continue eating as a family. Also, every Friday night, in the summer, is "Friday Night Dinner". Special summer food, and a special summer time ice cold drink in special glasses. All good fun and good family time with food.

  5. We love family dinners! with my husbands job this past 6 months we barely get family dinners except weekends. We treasure that time. I would like to make it even more meaningful by including more conversations….it just seems we eat and are done so fast!
    My kids aren't allowed to have friends over during the school week, only weekends. That eliminates ALOT of outside added chaos that I just don't like! They have each other and are best friends so it works out well. THe main reason for doing this is that ALL the girls in the neighborhood were all IN my house eating our food and hanging til 9pm (through dinner) and it was just too MUCH! and none of them would ever allow kids in their homes (even though all the parents are friends in all 4 houses!!) and it just wasn't fair!
    so do your girls cook with you yet?! mine love to help cook!
    tara

  6. We just finished the BoM as a family last week. It took us 3 years to read it! Some nights we only read 1-2 verses and sometimes we forgot to read for days at a time, but we FINALLY did it! My goal is to read it myself by the end of 2010.

  7. I've been a lurker on your blog until now but I just need to say: I truly love your blog. You, lady, are inspiring and I just love how you describe things. I, too, felt the love around your dinner table. Way to go to prioritize family!! We're starting school next week and one thing I'm looking forward to is getting back into the routine of things including reading the BOM together again as a family. We see such blessing when we do that. Best of luck in reading the 531 pages!!

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