Metro Moms

The Jessee's Favorite Family Nights

We love to have family nights!  Unfortunately we can't have them as often as we would like, but we try to schedule them on a regular basis.  Family nights in our home can include anything from renting a movie, heading out to the mall or eating popsicles (or snowcones) in the Jacuzzi! (Yes, we Floridians enjoy our toasty hot tubs...and not just in winter!)

But here are our 2 favorite family night ideas:

Family Pizza Night - This is a tradition that began in my husband's family.  This consists of having the whole family around the table making their own French bread pizzas.  The kids love it!  (And my husband gets into it as much as the boys do!)   It does get messy, but it is so much fun.  Our boys love this opportunity to help mom "cook"!  This is usually followed by a movie and popcorn in the living room!

Disney's Contemporary Hotel - For those of you who live in Orlando, this is a FUN night out.  We will often go out to the Contemporary Hotel and eat in their "counter service" restaurant.  There is a HUGE arcade which our boys love (mama & daddy love it, too!)  We go up to the 4th floor to walk around the shops. Then it's up to the monorail for a trip around the "world."  (My kids think this is a "ride.")  We usually end the night watching the fireworks!  There is an observation deck at the Contemporary or you can take the monorail around to the Grand Floridian and then walk down to the dock.  Both places have speakers so you can hear the music that goes along with the show.  It is so neat and you feel like you have been away for the evening!  (There is also a lot of fun stuff to do at the Disney Marketplace - check that out, too!)

I hope you will enjoy these ideas!  Have fun with your family, and don't forget to snap a few photos!  :-)

Posted by Stephanie

Donuts for Dinner

It helps to have some family nights planned but some of the best memories for our family have been made on nights that have been spontaneous.  Last summer we had a fun movie night planned with hot dogs, popcorn and snow cones. All of a sudden right before I started to make dinner the power went out and our house started to get hot really quick.  Since we didn't know when the power would come back on Kyle decided to take us out to dinner. We didn't go to McDonald's for chicken nuggets, or Cici's for pizza, we went to Dunkin Donuts for donuts.  It was a blast!!  The kids were just so tickled that we were eating donuts for dinner. 

Halfway through his second donut my son asked, "What are we having for dessert?"  Since we were also at Baskin Robbins we had ICE CREAM FOR DESSERT! What a memory! I don't think my kids will ever forget the day their dad took them out to dinner for donuts. (I won't either, I got a stomach ache from all of that sugar!!!) 

We were reminded that night that the most simple things can be the most fun.  Family nights don't have to be complicated or time consuming.  What about breakfast for dinner?  Dessert then dinner?  A plate of food that is all the same color?  The possibilities are endless and the memories - really priceless!

Posted by Taraleigh

Just what is Family Night?

Family Nights are a regular time set aside to do special activities together with just your family. Over the past two weeks we've been talking about children and worship.  A great family night can include some of the ideas you've heard. But family nights can include lots of other fun and meaningful things, too.  It can be a fun night out together, serious times of discussing Biblical truths, time spent acknowledging evidences of God's grace in each other for edification and growth in godliness, or just making time to play a game on their level.  They can be planned for days or occur spontaneously as a surprise to all.  Whatever you do, make sure that you do it.  There is no time like the present to instill in our children the importance of doing things together as a family. 

As Moms we can be tempted to neglect planning special times because of false assumptions that it takes too much time or that our husbands alone are responsible for planning and executing family nights.  The truth is, we make time to do the things we want to do and moms can offer great ideas to dads about family night ideas. Why not take the time to invest in making memories that your children will recall fondly in the years to come?  These years pass too quickly.  What a joy it is to have my grown and married son and daughter call to ask when we're having family night!

I offer one ingredient that will take an ordinary family night and make it extraordinary - make God the center, not temporary pleasures.  If you are playing putt-putt, rejoice in the fact that God has given you the ability to use your arms to hit the ball.  If you are working on a coloring project, thank God for the beautiful colors of the rainbow that makes colors possible, and for eyes to see them. 

This week we will hear many practical and fun suggestions to inspire you and your husband in defining what Family Night means to you. 

Here is an article with some practical ideas when you have time: Family Night: Simple and Powerful

Posted by Debi