One important aspect of our lives that we have done over the years, is our Family Meetings. They have truly brought our family closer. There are different ways to conduct meetings. Some have them once a week, others once a month. We do ours once a month unless we feel it necessary to have more.
Having a notebook is important. It contains our Agenda. We write down notes, problems, solutions, upcoming events....and we can look back on them later on.
This is our
Family Meeting Agenda.
1. Prayer, scriptural reading, Bible story or other inspirational story.
2. Compliments, appreciations, and/or sharing something positive that happened during the week.
3. Agenda items for discussing, sharing or problem solving:
-Calendar
-Chores
-Allowances
-Celebration or fun family activity
*You can designate various jobs in your meetings. When the kids were younger, I would always write our notes. As the kids are getting older, the secretary job is switching around. A chairperson can call the meeting to order, start compliments, call on people to raise their hand (or if you have a talking stick, pass it around.)
*Sharing gratitude and compliments to your family members really brings the family closer. At first it might seem weird to the kids, but they get the hang of it and look for things throughout the week to say nicely to one another (my hubby and I benefit from it also!)
*Have your calendar with you at the table and plan for your upcoming activities: Date Night, Family Day, Girls Night, Father & Son Day.....whatever activites you do within your family or want to try. Planning it out, makes it happen. Ask what things your kids want to do with you. Involve everyone on making a list. Of course you can't do everything this month, but saving that list in the notebook and planning it for other months, makes the kids know that you keep your promises.
*With your calendar in front of you, also go over other upcoming things....such as in a few weeks my husband will be away, during my daughters birthday. Now since the kids are on board, they know Dad will be gone and they are all planning on making him cards and comforting their sister as well.
*When we give allowances, we do it during our Family Meetings (which we have not done in awhile.) Since our meetings are on Sundays, we would make sure we had change by then....and then the kids split it up into their tithe, their savings and their spending money.
*Go over Chores if needed.
*Make sure you unplug the phone, sit at a table, all attend and really interact with each other. It's our time to let each other know what is on our minds.
*If there are decisions that need to be made such as a punishment for not completing homework, try to come to a conclusion as a family. If an argument occurs (especially as kids get older) cool off and start over. Solve your problems together!
*Always end your meeting with a fun activity. A dessert or board game or funny story.
-Adapted from Positive Discipline books.
We wanted to compete in our own Olympics. 
With masking tape, we made a square with a dot in the middle. It also had lines going around the square. We chose teams, then we slid ice cubes and tried to get them as close to the dot in the middle as possible. The lines on the outside were 1 point, the square was 3 points and the dot 5 points. If we knocked someone else's ice cube from inside a line, it was 1 point.
After our Curling event, we played some Hockey.
Carmendee was our other Goalie.
We then switched positions.
Mama and Daddy played against each other next. 
{The invitations for his party}
Our mantle had 
My 
His
His sisters wanted to make Lego centerpieces for the other table.
We had
My husband made 
I hot glued some Lego's onto a 
The kids
The kids made a 
{Noah's Grandma (my Mama) with my newest niece}
Noah 
