*sigh*

You've probably read a post or two on Family Home Evenings at our house.  They've been great.  We've been using lessons and activities from "A Year of Family Home Evenings" and have been quite successful at getting through to our kids, not to mention learning a few things about ourselves, too!

I'm excited to say I went nearly a week without spanking.  HUGE for me.  sadly.  Anyways, I've apologized and moved on, and our children (and I'm sure neighbors) are really enjoying the fact that we are learning self control, kindness, restraint, and patience.

Well, I wanted to share with you our successes from tonight.

The lesson:  "Noah's Ark"

The setting:  a messy living room.

The preparation:  I cut out the ark and animals from the .pdf suggested in the lesson, as well as purchased animal crackers as suggested in the lesson, and also had crayons, wax paper, and construction paper ready to go for the activity.  As suggested.  And to top it off, I had all of this done BEFORE lunch today!

Actual events:  I asked my husband if he might want to teach tonight, and he jokingly said he'd just show the Youtube version of Noah's Ark with Donald and Daisy in it.  I laughed and told him 'nevermind', that I'd just do the lesson.  He could have the following week.

Before I could get all of my prepared materials together, he and the boys were huddled under the card table that had been a fort all day, with his laptop, and a Youtub video (found HERE) on his side.  Fine.  No biggie.

As I stood wondering if I should feel defeated, I heard my sweet husband telling the boys about the commandment that God had given Noah to find two of every kind of animal, a mommy and a daddy, and to build an ark, or a boat, and how Noah followed the commandments he was given.  Noah the prophet was an obedient man, as we all should be.

As I crawled under the makeshift shelter, we pointed out all the animals Noah (Donald Duck) took on the ark, and how he sent a dove to find an olive branch on land.  We explained that Heavenly Father flooded the earth because of all the wicked people living on it, and He sent a rainbow across the sky to let Noah know that He would never again flood the earth.

Afterward we had animal crackers (of course the ones with white and pink frosting, with sprinkles, because those are the best kinds of animal crackers) and some of us cried when we couldn't find matches of animals.

All in all, it was fun...and I guess sometimes you just have to go with the flow.  And it's not the end of the world afterall.