Famous Family Nights by Anne Bradshaw

Be sure to add this book to your list of "must reads." It'll be available this fall. I can't wait to read it.

FHE Jackpot

I have a favorite FHE site, here.

It generates crossword puzzles—free. You make up the clues, like so:

Expected/ Sister Hinckley: It turned out better than I _____
Zoramites/ Holy, holy, holy hypocrites
Mooch/ Cat who showed up on Aunt Nikki’s birthday
etc.!

You push “go.” POOF!—instant FHE lesson/activity. We’ve done family-specific puzzles, a puzzle that commemorated President Hinckley, Book of Mormon puzzles.

Most recently, we read through the Proclamation on the Family, then searched for puzzle clues in the text. Halfway through, my 9-year-old looked up and said, “This is fun!” Cha-ching!

If you try this, it works best “open-book,” with text containing the answers available for everyone. Sometimes I have to draw in a couple of lines that the printer left off the printed copy.

It’s fun, it’s easy, my family stays engaged with the material long enough to learn a thing or two. Jackpot!

Adverb Home Evening

Ok, here’s an easy family home evening:

1. Get out the hymnbook.
2. Open to page 1, or any page you like.
3. Look at the upper left of any hymn, near the top. There should be an adverb: “resolutely,” “reverently,” “cheerfully,” etc.
4. Now that you know where to look, page through the hymnbook, reading the adverbs. Soon you’ll have a whole list of positive, but very different adverbs. Notice that they tend to cluster—a whole set of “resolutely,” “firmly,” “diligently,” followed by the “happily” family, and so on.
5. Sing your favorite hymns. Try to make them sound like the specified adverb.
6. Now think about yourself. Which of the adverbs describe you? Do many of them describe you, but at different times? Is it “better” to live “cheerfully” or “reverently”? Or are Heavenly Father’s children as varied and wonderful as the songs of Zion? Which adverbs would you like to incorporate more of into your life?
7. Have refreshments...Symphony bars?
POOF! Family home evening!

Please post further musical refreshments in the “comments” section. I’m drawing a blank.