FHE aka Family Home Evening

FHE is a staple in homes of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
It was great getting to share FHE with the Pennsylvania kiddos and grands last month. Oh how I appreciate the time and effort our families put in to teach their children those values they hold so dear and precious.
The PA. kids have a FHE plaque much like the one below.

I also liked this chalkboard one.

What a blessing it is to spend time with our families no matter the age, size or number.

Over on the right sideboard of my blog are a list of FHE lessons. Just a click away.
Today I added 2 new Christmas lessons:
"Christ-Centered Home"
and
"Being Saints"

An activity idea in one of the lessons suggests
we could hang a stocking for Jesus on the mantel, and fill it with notes listing all the good things that the family members commit to do to better themselves and those around them.
I liked that a lot and want to commit to that myself.

The bonus is at the end of the printed lesson is a treat recipe and a 20% off coupon at Deseret Bookstore (check the expiration date and the coupons can only be used on Monday).

Preparation

Just outside my arcadia door. Not bragging, just sharing.

Thankfully, I'm able to get on SLK's laptop today so I will spend a little time with you. Picture...I'm at the desk I inherited from Kent and Noelene that I've put in the family room just next to/blow the kitchen railing. It looks like an old school teachers desk from the 50's. I love it. The Arcadia door (that's an old AZ term for a sliding glass door) is open, expecting a day around 70 degrees, Kirby is out having a sunbathe after our morning walk. It was a brief walk but I'm still recouping from that nasty, hanging on cold and brief was good. I'm really appreciating these blessings and feeling thankful.

I added another FHE (Family Home Evening) lesson to the side bar on the topic preparation . . . which can be taken in so many directions - savings account, food storage, education etc. I liked this quote from Henry B. Eyring:

"The preparation...must begin long before the crisis. Those who are prepared will be ready to answer (the call)."

Just click on this LDS Living Magazine and you'll get to the lesson. If you scroll down you can click on the pdf format and get the cutsie graphics, refreshment recipe and coupon to Deseret Book that's good until Jan. 17 if I recall correctly.

Sending you love. Would love to sk*ype with my darling grands today. :-)

Good Sabbath

I wanted to share with you 6 new FHE lessons I have added to my side bar. I'd love to know if any of you young mom's and dad's are finding these helpful. The power in the home is great if we will tap into it and use it for good on a daily basis. It does take work and thought but aren't our children so worth it!!

Here are a few messy, very messy, sneak views of the kitchen painting job that happened yesterday. This is just the first coat and most of the cutting-in is done. Won't Kathy be surprised when she arrives in the morning to help me paint.

But then I am the beginner and her surprise may be of another variety.

We'll see.

The plan at this point is to extend this same color - Rye Grass - down into the family room.
Once again I have to say that none of these photos accurately portray the color...so why do I bother sharing inaccuraties. Well, it gives you an idea of what's happening.

Now I've decided I do need to paint inside the window sills.

Come What May And Love It

Cindy and I were chatting recently about trials and difficulties and she told me during those times she tries especially hard to focus on gratitude and to be thankful. Isn't that the best attitude. Just prior to our conversation I had (re)listened to Elder Wirthlin's conference talk Come What May And Love It on KBYU-TV. The title came from the phrase his mother would say to him when there were difficulties. I was noticing this topic running through my life a bit. Nothing dramatic but at least interesting.

Well, wouldn't you know without trying, I would find a FHE lesson a blogger created from that same talk. I really like it and thought it would be good to share on a Monday. To reap the benefits of another's great labor just click on FHE lesson. She did a really fine job and I thought she was so clever to have a FHE dessert of Dump cake....for when the world dumps problems on you. Hope this is helpful.

FHE Treat

. . .and it was a treat to share Family Home Evening with the N family last night...along with dinner, lesson by Morgan, Tessa leading the music, "Popcorn Popping" and these yummy Spudnuts.
When SLK and I were newly weds living in Orem there was a knock at our furnished duplex door and there stood a young boy in the dark, maybe about 12 years old, with a large wire basket that had a strap on both sides that looped around his neck for easy carrying. He politely asked if we would like to buy some Spudnuts. I'd never heard that term before and had to ask what a Spudnut was. I learned it was a donut. The beginning.

Dear friend Dorothy Jones and I were visiting and chatting and the topic turned to her families love of spudnuts and the annual making of that treat. I asked and she graciously shared her family recipe. She can't just give you the recipe on an ordinary 3X5 card but it was printed on card stock with darling graphics of pumpkins and scarecrow. It is a treasure as is Dorothy. Thanks dear friend!

I'll put the recipe at Knight's In The Kitchen and know you will want to try them soon. Hey you Knight's in Utah, I/we can make these when we come up next month!!!