Category Archives: family funwe started having "family night" about 7 years ago. a speaker at my MOPS group said it was good to be intentional about your family time.
so we chose fridays.
and we have stuck to it…99% of the time.
we say Friday Night Family Night.
(lauren is no longer on board with this idea….shocker…we try to be flexible)
craig usually brings home pizza or we go out to eat somewhere together.
we watch movies, go to ball games, play games, the park, have a campfire….whatever we feel like.
this week we went bowling.
 craig's office had a few teams fundraising for Big Brother Big Sisters
so the bowling was free!
annie could bowl 15 times straight and it was all good.
 since the bowling was free…we bought lots of tokens for the arcade.
that's why our kids like to go bowling anyway.
   sean raked in the most tickets at 242.
it was definitely money well spent….
  and then a stop for ice cream on our way home.
mmmmmmm.
I found your blog through a series of links and wanted to tell you how much I enjoy it. I LOVE your pictures. Thank you so much for sharing! what fun! Great shots Your night looks like so much fun. I love family night. We have been wanting to go bowling with the kids, but I am afraid the two year old will kill us with the ball:-) your post made me smile tonight, well most of them do but this one was special. my MOPS this last friday was eye opening to me about a lack of intentional fun time in our home. we pretty much dont see daddy from monday to friday except groggy hugs in the morning. SO thankful for the job however! so on the weekends we try to cram in everything. we also have a large family (Benjamin 5, Autumn 3, Bekah 1, and bouncy baby 4 due this fall) so i think its easy to get caught up in just survival. we NEED to get out and go bowling!!! thanks for such a sweet blog! there are days i pour over it gleaning wisdom from you We haven’t taken the girls bowling for about two years!! Probably because the last time we went, we showed up right before closing and got to bowl one and a half games for about $40. So not worth it! FREE, on the other hand… would be awesome! Great pics as always! Looks like so much fun! Makes me want to keep having babies to have a large family. We do a Family Night on Fridays too. We tend to go to a restuarant called “Friendlys” and the kids meals come with sundaes. We use rent a family movie to watch and make popcorn. It is great fun and the girls look forward to it every week. what a great idea. looks like you had a great time. i chuckled when i saw all the tickets for prizes. i remember those days. they would get so excited for those wonderful goodies. love the flower in talby’s hair. Family nights can’t be beat. And I love that shot of with the tickets. I used to “buy” those bouncy balls and then lose them before we even left the arcade. Good times… We do Family Night on Mondays and our kids don’t let us forget it. Makes me sad to think of a time when they’ll be too old and not really be into it. OH my goodness…I had to chuckle…my son loves those teeth too! where can I find/buy one of those frayed flower hair clips/ pin? i saw someone else with one on their sweater at the jewels for cora night. i love them!!! You are doing good by your children to have these nights. They are important, special and will not be forgotten. WELL INTO their adulthood, they will remember Friday Nights. And I bet you….they will have Friday Night Family Nights with their own kids. is the one of cora’s flowers in her hair? super fun…we love bowling. i also saw a messy flower headband…yeah! we have one too! We need to be better about having a FFN. Our boys are (just turned today!) 4 and almost 7…so they are at ages that we can go out or play games at home and not kill anyone 🙁 I love the picture of Talby running her fingers through her hair 🙂 So cute! But when are your kids NOT cute?!! Super family you are! We’re a Monday night family as well. I do like Friday nights though since we’re usually all home. It’s usually pizza, movies, and popcorn. We’ll have to try bowling one of these days though. Looks like fun! ooops… you’re, not your! Love your pictures!! You capture every day moments so beautifully. If I ever find myself out in your direction I’m hoping I can sucker you into taking pics of my kids. 🙂 Remember the days before the Ticket Eater? When you actually had to count out the tickets? This is funny- I was just thinking this thought- “we need to start up family nights again- and I think Friday nights would be good” all right. I need to be better about family night. Looks like a lot of fun and yay for free! When did bowling get so expensive, anyway? We do family night too, ours is Sunday night and we take turns deciding what we do for the family activity and sometimes supper. We encourage things that don’t cost money, like hikes around the lake or bike riding. Sometimes it’s fun to spend money too — one thing we’ve had fun with is drawing names and then going to walmart and finding something for that person for $1 (might be harder now that things have gotten more expensive). Always fun to see what you’ve gotten! Usually we have pancakes on for supper but sometimes the person of the week gets to pick something different. It’s gotten harder since we have two in high school but I think setting the foundation while they’re young is such a good thing. Fridays are sacred around here – all my kids (even the three year old) love watching Monk and Psych….um…maybe that explains why, when my daughter saw a bug yesterday and she said “Is it DEAD?” Oh I miss my MOPS group so much. The church decided to go in a different direction. It gave me so much encouragment to make a positive difference in my families life. It always up lifted me to strive to be the best mom I could be. What a good idea, we have an 11 month old so we still have some time to think and plan what would be best for us. Oh, and by the way:LOVE THE YELLOW HAIR CLIP! I love it and I’m going to see if I can make something similar. Thanks for all the good ideas 🙂 our family night is Friday night, too. We started with my husband and the girls making homemade pizza together, then we would play a game. As our days get busier, it has slowly turned into frozen pizzas, and a movie. friday is our fam night too :)… What special time. I wish more folks did stuff like that. I don’t have kids but hubby and I have special date nights. Or date weekends. Hey Megan, Our kids love bowling too! Thanks for your sweet comment. I have been reading you for what seems like forever! I left you a comment ages ago explaining why you had a window in your closet. That was before Lazy Moms, so you won’t remember my name from then, but I’m a long time reader! Hope you have a great week. We have a Friday family night too. I am glad we started it a year ago. It’s a lot of fun! I love the pic of your daughter and the tickets, too cute! We are going to have a pajama party this weekend! The kids can’t wait! My first thought was: How did FNL fit in to Friday family nights? Terrible, I know. I’m assuming you have a dvr. 🙂 We use to make Sunday family day I think we need to start doing it again its hard with teens though. Love your blog by the way just found it. Family Night is a must! We do it on Monday though, then we get our date night too 🙂 And I’m sure in the future our kids will want to date 🙂 So you have no idea who I am but I am friends with Anne, Jess’ sister and read your blog from their blogs. I have a random question. Do you still have the same camera that you have a picture of on the side? I love your pictures and was wondering about buying a new one. Yours seems to take very clear pictures. So if you could email me the info on your camera I would greatly appreciate it. kristen_lundstrom@yahoo.com http://www.joelandkristenlundstrom.blogspot.com I love family night. definitely a great tradition…we have family movie nights…we rent a movie and fill the living room with junk and blankets and pillows and cuddle up…amazing photos as always! Sounds like a lot of fun. I haven’t been bowling in a long time! I love your daughters headband. From Julie? looks like a wonderful time! last week the 2 little girls and i got up early, got dressed and out the door in the freezing cold to go to dance class. they were still on winter break.
oops….no class.
when we got home we made the living room a dance studio.
we pulled out the new scarves for christmas from aunt shannon.
i cranked up the classical music
and they went crazy.
Just stumbled across your blog. i think i feel like doing THAT! 🙂 Hi Meg…quick question. I have a canon rebel xsi..I think you might too, or at least it looks like it in that camera picture up on the left. ANYWAY..I love my camera except that it has not the best zoom. The lens I have on it is a 18-55 mm and I was wondering if your lens has a great zoom. If so, what lens(es) do you have? Thanks!! Keep up the fun fun fun posts! too sweet. yes, we do need to dance more… i know i should be looking at the ADORABLE girls dancing, but your moldings are awesome!!!!! you have to love a fabulous dance show! what a perfect way to spend the morning. we should all take some time and dance around the living room. So cute. Looks like that had a blast :O) awww!!! my 3 yr old daugher has that same brown dress… she just started taking dance. her first class was last week and she acted like a cat the entire time. her teacher wasn’t that amused. we’ll see how it goes this week. your girls are so precious!! I wanted to thank you for bookmarking my ‘Child of God’ print! I saw you were sending many sweet referrals my way and had to find out who this person with such great taste was. :o) That is for sure fun! beautiful magical pictures. thank you. 🙂 they are darling. I miss my daughter taking dance awh how fun! Too fun I miss my daughter in modern dance lol Twirling around is the best thing ever! If everyone did a little bit of twirling every day, the world would be a far happier place I’m sure. Aren’t little girls a gift to be cherished? I think I’m going to go do some twirling of my own now. That is a perfect day – the more ‘face the music and dance’ moments the merrier.
this is my nephew Hunter.
he is showing me the stain on his shirt.
he really wanted to be on the blog.
he could recite the address and everything.
every picture i took over christmas he would say "that's going on the blog!"
so here you go hunter.
love you bud.
i really enjoyed being with you and your family this christmas.
hope we get to visit your new house this year!
and maybe even see you race.
he's a swimmer.
when he was in kansas he raced and beat his old uncle craig….pretty easily i hear.
i was sorry to have missed seeing that.
keep working hard hunter…we are really proud of you.
and by the way….
her code was her graduating year.
just like you thought. :)
It fires one type of shot right? then it swaps the type of ammo used. Then fires a diff shot. Then swaps the ammo back again and repeats.This is for those who use two types of ammo cause they are poor and cant afrofd to buy the top stuff and try to use crap ammo on crap shots and good ammo on good shots lol. Smart but rly quite useless Hahaha. Nice work Hunter- you got on the blog…looking not too bad if I say so myself. Oops, okay so that’s a little embarrassing :$ handsome fella. I LOVE the name Hunter and would have chose it for my own child but hubbys best guy bud chose it for his kid. Dangit. Anywho… hope Hunter enjoys his new found fame. Think he’ll get a girlfriend out of it? Just wondering. he he thanks for sharing the pic. it reminds me of my son and what his shirt always looks like. hey there Hunter! Hes a cutie!!! This is Hunter’s mom and Craig’s big sister. Hunter will be excited to see himself. In anwsers to your questions about the hat — yes, it is extremely cool to leave the barcode on the hat AND the big sticker that is on top of the hat as well. Go figure. Megan, we also had a great time this break (even though I dreaded coming). Thanks for posting “the Hunter” –he will get a big charge out of it — and will tell you “told you so on the graduating year” how funny! hi Hunter! I agree that it’s cute that he wants to be on your blog. Hope i’m that cool of an auntie someday too! Hunter, Congrats on your debut as a blog star. This made me laugh out loud! Watch out… you may start being recognized in public!! I too, often get asked, “Is this going on the blog?!” 🙂 Hi Hunter! You’re a star! Hunter is a cutie! Then again…I haven’t seen any of your family that wasn’t!!!!! By the way Hunter…I am always dropping food on my shirt too!!!!!! Can’t take us anywhere, can they? Swim fast!!!!! hi hunter – welcome to the blogging world. now your famous. hi hunter! you finally made it! welcome to star town! My husband is always wanting to “make the blahhhg” too. And if a drip on your shirt is all it takes, he’d be featured quite often. He sounds like my family…asking the same thing. Funny. Hi Hunter…glad you got to be featured w/ your big ‘ol pic. on the current post!! yay for you! What a cutie. And I love the tag on his hat. FUN, that he wanted to a part of something that his aunt does. i don't do really well with lots of children in the kitchen wanting to "help". i wish i was better about it.
this year…my kids came through the kitchen in shifts.
i didn't plan it that way they just showed up one at a time.
scott came through first and made these cookies into ball shapes for me.
and then he headed back to his video game.
then sean came through about 5 minutes later.
he unwrapped ALL the hershey kisses and placed them on the cookies.
  tably came through just after i got the jumbo refrigerated gingerbread dough out of the fridge.
oh yes…i used the pre-made pillsbury dough and it was really good this year!
she made bunches of cookie shapes and then left.
 annie came through many times to eat the cookies.
she would say "can i just have one more mama….pleeeeeeese?"
and i made waaaaay too many chocolate mint brownies this year.
oh man…they are pure sin.
but you should make them anyway.
even if it's january.
oh I am baaaaad with kids. I try to come off as nice on the internet but I am so easily annoyed. can I live at your house? Oh my goodness your treats look good. I love mint brownies. Please send some soon. 🙂 you wish you were better at it? I am always so glad to read you admit that kitchen “help” isn’t. I feel like so much of a loser mom in that area. I HATE making cookies with the kids. It is my own particular hang-up. Great new header photo! Happy New Year! Glad you had helpers in manageable #s. Kelly Happy New Year !! go ahead and send those cookies my way girl… thank you very much. now i am hungry for rainbow twizzlers AND cookies. Oh I’m with ya on needing to be more patient with kiddoes in the kitchen. I’m gonna work on being “more fun” in the kitchen. I like the whole working in shifts thing…I’ll give it a try 🙂 LOVE your new header (or at least I think that’s what it is called??!!) How fun! Perfect! I wish mine would work in shifts and I only have two. They both have attention spans of about 6 minutes though. I can do anything for 6 minutes! i suppose shifts is better than all at once. you had many little helpers. the cookies look very yummy. HAPPY NEW YEAR MEG!! shifts…that’s what we tend to do too. u know what they say about too many chefs in the kitchen! ah, I remember those days of children wanting to cook. My youngest had a thing for cracking eggs! Now he is 13 and his only interest is popping popcorn or heating up frozen pizza! I just stumbled upon your blog and have been looking at it for quite some time tonight. My resolution for 2009 is to be more crafty and it seems perfect to have found your site… it is the perfect inspiration I needed! Everything is so cute and you’re home is beautiful! I’m a sucker for brownies. Those look amazing. Any thing that says “Mom’s” in the recipe, I’ve learned, is a pretty good bet. Happy New Year! Those mint brownies look exactly like the one I just had at Starbucks two days ago with a mocha…the brownie was gone BEFORE I left the parking lot…ummmmmm, mmmm, good! I am not sure how I found your blog, but I love it! Love the cookies! I wish I had more patience in the kitchen too… its so much easier with one kid at a time I divide up task so they each get a turn one at a time…hugs,Lisa Oh joy! Another recipe from you! I think I have made EVERYTHING you have given me recipes for…seriously! And Happy New Year to you! You rock! And have blessed my ’08 with your honesty and fun-ness! Bring it on ’09! this place is awesome. i kept saying “i love this place”.
 it’s a long walk to get there.
with beautiful views in every direction.
  then through a path in the woods
 down a slippery muddy hill…
to this beautiful shady spot.
 i wish i was there right now.
it’s the cool feeling of shade, the sound of the water, the discovery to come…
craig said he wished we could have hammock there to take a nap.
that would be such a cool place for it.
(with a mosquito net of course)
  when you lift up rocks there are always crawdads.
nasty little things.
but kids sure have fun catching them.
    craig offered $1 to whoever found “the best heart rock for mom”.
we came home with 6 rocks and 3 kids got a dollar.
it felt mean to only pick one.
 the only way to get a picture together….
and i am no longer taking “cheese” photos but this one was just too good.
 she loves the camera.
after the water fall we found a spot at the lake to skip rocks.
i was so happy that we weren’t done yet.
i didn’t want to leave.
  i forced bribed begged for a family picture.
is this the most stage-of-life appropriate photo or what?!
what a beautiful spot. you need to put a little cabin there. it’s an awesome family photo and i really love the one of you and lauren. Ditto Christmas card – what I really enjoy is your oldest daughter crossing her arms with just a litte sass as she poses for just one more picture! I love it! This is a family photo keeper! I still cannot believe you have a teenager Megan. That family picture is priceless. And all these photos are so amazing. I love your eye for photography – right up there with Karen Russell! Truely! the heart! how beautiful is that?! very beautiful! love the walk along with you style of blogging you have meg. it makes it really fun to go on your family outings. looks like you guys had a blast. The pictures are wonderful I think you’ve found your Christmas Card photo for this year! It’s really good and I love the individual expressions. Truly a keeper. And the “cheese” shot–very cute. I’d love to read more about your camera. I’m saving right now and would like to know about the lenses you use with your canon, etc. What a great story — and a wonderful family picture! OMG! How fun to check your blog today and see pics from home! When I first saw the waterfall on your “list” I thought you meant the waterfall in town. I had completely forgotten about this waterfall at the lake. I spent much time there during my high school days but haven’t been there in ages (like 20+ years). I definitely have to take my family there. They won’t believe what a cool place it is. Absolutely love the pics. And thanks for a little slice of home today. family photo… i love ones like that… “be who you are”… “get what you get” shots! too great! yall are all so pretty! Our favorite waterfall also, unfortuantely we haven’t made the trip yet this summer. Last summer after playing in the waterfall we went and roasted hotdogs and smores down by the lake. Lot of fun! Good family picture at least you didn’t make them stand in the middle of the road on a hill to take a picture like we did – we liked being able to see the landscape across the hills behind the kids. looks like a great place to go to. i love love love the family picture. you should have that one blown up. what great photos! that family photo is AMAZING. I love how it captures everyone’s individual character! Your blog is a gem Meg! What a pretty little place. I love hidden treasures like that. The heart rock is so fun too. And I loved the family pic! After looking at your blog the last little while I’m thinking I need to visit Kansas one of these days. So beautiful. I love the family picture. What a cute family you have! Are people always amazed that you have 5 kids? I come from a family of 6 kids (and I’m the oldest) so I remember family trips feeling crazy with all 8 of us. Fun times…fun memories. OMG! That place ROCKS! (Pun intended!) I think out of all of the great photos I’ve seen of yours… these are by far my favorites! The heart rock with your little one softly in the background… so sweet! The family photo is awesome… especially with teenager girl’s crossed-armed apparent lack of enthusiasm! They’re all just great. Love them.. love them… love them!!! Gorgeous family by the way! okay I’m likeing all the picture you took of your kids and all But what’s that picture of you up in the corner! I’m laughing my butt off that is so cute, your so cute keep that one up there for awhile won’t you! Lanny:) oh, i dreamt of going there with you sometime this summer…never happened. I love that family photo. You have such a gorgeous family. that is the best best best , I love that family photo , doesn’t that just say it all, huh Love the family picture! We just did family pics yesterday at the beach and it’s hard to get that many people smiling! Oh does that ever look like the perfect spot to relax. Great pics too! Wow….we should all have a spot that wonderful. I need to go find mine. And I don’t know your family but by looking at the ages of everyone it fits…and it is priceless. I would call it a framer. That seems like such a fun day! You have the type of family I hope to have in the future! 🙂 how in the world did you find that place??? Ooohhh what a fun little place!! We don’t have waterfalls and ponds out here in Arizona…I miss that!! It looks like you guys had a truly wonderful time…and I love your family photo!! I have learned it is more about capturing who you really are in that moment than cheesy posed shots… Ah Meg, such a beautiful family you have. I can hear the whines and “I don’t want to’s” now. That is an AWESOME family picture!! Looks like a great relaxing place. I LOVE the family picture. It was worth the bribe…whatever it was. Oh Meg!!! Where IS this place?? I hope it’s very close to you so you can visit often 🙂 Awesome pictures and what a GREAT day it looks like you had! |
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Sarah - oh magnificent joy!
Dawn - That makes two of us. Why did we want to grow up so fast again…?
carissa... brown eyed fox - i REALLY wish we could get our little ones together…
MY WORD!
sassafrasanne - amazing shots!
adrienneK - omg SO cool!!! i often tell my husband i want to be three again lol (zoe seems to have way more fun than i ever did at that age?!)
Trina McNeilly - 4 sounds really good to me right now!!!! You really captured fun!
Love it!
emily :] - this literally made my day.
jessica leigh - i’d break a bone if i did that. it does look like SO MUCH FUN THOUGH!
i told my hubby the other day that even at that young of age they worry about something so major, but if i knew not to worry or have a care in the world, i’d love to go back for a day and just be crazy. a crazy little girl, just doing what i pleased and enjoying every single moment god gave us!!!!!
Lazy Mom Leslie - LOVE these! Can you go back in time with me 11 years and document my children’s lives? Thanks, that would be great!
Laura - I am right there with ya”
Christy - That is awesome! Love the pics. You take such great shots Meg.
This afternoon I was driving through my neighborhood on my way to do errands & saw a dad jumping on a trampoline while holding his little boy, maybe 3 yo. It just made me smile. It was so sweet.
Lorilee - Awesome photos! If I even jump just a few times, my lower back hurts!
Blessings,
Lorilee
Kristin - Me too!
The pictures are amazing!
erica - how fun is that! i wanna jump!
btw i was looking through your little links on the side, and going the “engagement sweetness” site. i was looking at one of the weddings and thought the groom looked familiar and realized he was zachary ty bryan from home improvement! thought it was funny!
Chasity - i double dog dare you to do it!! and in your favorite frou-frou skirt….
{it would be fun!}
🙂
chas
robyn Beckley Vining - which grid tool do you use? i want a trustworthy one before i download it to my computer…
thanks : )
robyn Beckley Vining - which grid tool do you use? i want a trustworthy one before i download it to my computer…
thanks : )
Adrienne - You always make me smile!
Just wanted to let you know you’ve been nominated for an attitude of gratitude award! Thanks for such a fun blog to follow!
Adrienne
Erica - You could still do that… just not in a skirt! 🙂
Sarah - Me too! Looks like she was having lots of fun!
patti - i feel like i’m right there with her! thanks for sharing!!
Julia - great shots! 4 is coming up for us around here….
Sandy - ME TOO!
gina - LOVE these pics!!
Four is my favorite age. I am savoring the last of my four year olds right now. The run ends this July. 🙂
~Julie - That looks like so much fun!
I also wanted to let you know that my pillow arrived yesterday – it’s beautiful! And, immediately after I opened it, I tested it out and fell asleep, resulting in the best springtime/breezy/sunny nap I’ve had in a long time. AWESOME PILLOW! THANK YOU!
Lanny Stanard - Even when I was four I couldn’t do that! and now well we won’t talk about that lol… great pics once again!
Lanny