Family Night

One of the many adventures we attempt with two little kids.  We figure if we are trying to hold something regularly that resembles family night, then we're succeeding.  Unless we do a family activity (which we do often) our family night usually goes something like this.  Here's how it sounded last night.

Me: Okay, we're going to sing, Give said the Little Stream.  

Marcos: Let's sing it in Spanish. (except he says that phrase in Spanish...something like Cantemos en espanol).  

Dylan: Yeah, let's sing in spanish.

Cringe.  I don't know that one, but I'll wing it.  

Me: Okay, let's sing it in Spanish.

Preston: Deedle, deedle. Bounce, bounce, bounce.  

Family: El arrollito da, siempre da, siempre da (yep, the words to the song).  

I try to follow Marcos.  Halfway through the song, he starts singing "do de do de do de do"  Nice leading, Papi.  Whatever.  Dylan just assumes that's part of the song and Preston continues waddling around the family room with a toy in his hand. 

Me: Dylan, do you want to say the opening prayer?

Dylan: No. (scowling)

Me: Okay, Papi, would you say the opening prayer?

Dylan: No, I want to say it.  

Me: Okay, Dylan say the opening prayer.

Dylan says his repetitious little prayer and we start our family night.

Me: We're going to learn about something really fun tonight.  

Dylan: Is it dinosaurs?  What about pirates?  Arrr, mateys. 

Sigh.

Me: Let's talk about the earth for a minute.  What's on the earth?

Dylan: Elephants.

Me: Yes and what do the elephants walk on?  

Dylan: Dirt

Me: That's right.  And what else do we have?  That we drink?

Dylan: Water.

Me: Right.  We're going to talk about dirt and water.  What did we just do with dirt and water.

Dylan: Planted a garden.

Me: Good job, Dylan.  Did you know the prophet taught us to plant a garden. 

Dylan: Thomas S. Monson

Me: Yep.  And why do you think we were told to plant a garden?  What grows in a garden?

Dylan: Corn, tomatoes, broccoli, beans, squash, zuccini.

Me:  You're right.  And what do we do with those things?

Dylan:  Eat them.  Yum, yum.  

Me: So do you think the prophet tells us to plant a garden so we can be prepared in case we need extra food to eat.

Dylan:  Yeah.  

We proceed to do a bunch of hand actions to planting a garden.  Dylan really loved pulling the pretend weeds out of our garden.  We sang another song and had the closing prayer.  Now for those who are a little bored, here's where the story picks up a bit on the entertainment factor.  I tried to choose a song that had something to do with gardening or summer.  I threw out about five different song names and got shot down every time.  I finally suggested "Book of Mormon Stories" and Dylan seemed pleased.  Okay, he can choose the song.  Pick your battles, right?  

Marcos and Maria: Book of Mormon stories that my teacher tells to me... (actions and all)

We blink and Dylan is halfway up the stairs.  We try to call to him to come back and he yells down to us that he'll be right back.  Marcos and I look at each other and try to decide if we should keep singing or not.  We do anyway, complete with actions.  Hopefully Mr. Waddles is getting something out of this since he's now the only audience we have.  Dylan takes the last three stairs in one big jump and lands in a squatting position with his hand extended.  He is holding the lid to one of our plastic totes.  It's an oval shaped lid with a plastic handle that he had hooked to his hand.  Now for those without the creativity of Dylan, the lid was now his shield in his new activity of playing Nephites and Lamanites.  I'd worry, but he pretty much gets into character of anything he's thinking about.  It's just his thing.  The kid has quite the imagination.  So whether this cheers you up or just makes you think your life is more normal, I thought I would share our little family night story.  It's pretty much what our life looks like on a regular basis.