Families are constantly on the go these days with church activities, ball games, school, work, and whatever else comes along. I’m sure you’re as aware of this fact as I am. We’re just plain busy most of the time.

Regardless of how busy we are though, it’s so important for us, as a family, to have at least one night of the week, that we spend time together doing something that everyone enjoys.

Family night for us generally takes place on Fridays. It’s special. It’s fun. It’s memorable.

So what exactly do we do on our family fun night?

We make homemade pizza.

Our pizza making usually begins with just me and the kids before Daddy gets home from work. This way we can have it ready for us to just sit down and eat when he walks in the door.

The kids are the best little helpers you’ve ever seen. Their job is to thoroughly cover the top with cheese and lots of pepperoni.

(Okay, I admit, sometimes we just pop a DiGiorno pizza in the oven. Really, you don’t have to tell anyone.)

A little while later, we pop corn.

We get out the popcorn popper and pop us up some fresh popcorn. The popper we use was actually one that my parents used when I was a little girl. Can you believe this thing still works? Never mind, don’t answer that.

Making the popcorn is entertainment all on it’s own. Half of it flies in the bowl and the other half flies in all directions. I prefer this method over bagged popcorn, because it’s not only more economical, but also healthier since you can control what you put on it.

Then we watch a movie.

Once we have the popcorn ready, we sit down to watch a movie. Sometimes we watch one of the classics I wrote about here, but lately, the kids have been interested in watching these:

Pippi Longstocking

The Incredible Mr. Limpet

The Princess Bride

Alice in Wonderland

We rent these through Netflix. Have you tried Netflix? It’s great because there are so many movies and tv shows to choose from, and you can’t beat the low monthly fee.

Finally, we camp out.

As you can imagine, at this point we’re all tuckered out. Several years ago as a treat, we started letting our son sleep on the couch in the living room on the weekends. He thought it was just grand. Well, once our daughter got old enough to know what was going on, she wanted in on it.

Then they wanted us to all camp out in the living room. Before we knew it, the kids were in the floor on the sleeping bag, and my hubby and I were stretched out on the sofa recliners.

Family night was born!

Do you have a fun family night? What kinds of things does your family like to do together?

This post is linked to Finer Things Friday.

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I hope all you moms had a wonderful Mother’s Day. I did, even though we really didn’t do anything extra special. My family did take me out for ice cream last night and that was fun.

Really, I don’t need a day set aside to honor me as a mother. I feel honored to be a mother to my two kids any day of the year, even when they make me feel like pulling my hair out.

~Here’s what’s cooking this week~

• Monday:

Breakfast - Sausage, Egg, Cheese Biscuits
Dinner - Broccoli Pasta Salad

• Tuesday:

Breakfast - Oatmeal
Dinner - Chicken & Dumplings, Carrots (Chicken & Dumplings recipe coming soon!!)

• Wednesday:

Breakfast - Mini Oven Pancakes
Dinner - Sloppy Joes on Homemade Buns

• Thursday:

Breakfast - Mixed Berry Cream Muffins
Dinner - Chicken Fajitas

• Friday:

Breakfast - Leftover Breakfast
Dinner - Homemade Pizza

• Saturday:

Breakfast - Whole Wheat Waffles
Dinner - Hot Dogs

• Sunday:

Breakfast - Cereal
Dinner - Eat out

I hope you have a great week!!

For more menu inspiration, check out Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie.

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2. Menu Plan Monday (5/31 - 6/6) Well, I've made up my mind to do an overhaul on our eating habits. Yes, last year I attempted to...
3. Menu Plan Monday (4/26 - 5/2) Did you think I had forgotten all about doing my menu plans? Well, I hadn't. I've just had a very...

For some reason, if my kids are in the same room together for more than about two minutes, they start fussing and fighting. It almost never fails. One is picking on the other, or taking something away, or hitting, or even making a face at the other. It’s always something.

If you have kids who always play very sweetly together, count it a huge blessing.

Don’t get me wrong, they do have moments when they actually sit and play together with blocks or Legos peacefully. Those are the times I stand back, watch and say, “ahhhh….,” because I know it will be short-lived.

As a mom dealing with this type thing on a regular basis, it really can take its toll on my sanity and zap my energy. I need ways to give my mind a break and pep up my energy level. This way I can love and enjoy both the peaceful and chaotic moments.

So….

I Exercise

I hate to say it but, I’m not quite as committed as I once was to working out every single day. However, I refuse to allow myself to quit, because there’s no substitute for a good heart-pumping workout.

It makes me feel good about myself and relieves stress, not to mention the many health benefits. It’s true that exercise gives you energy too. Although it may not feel that way in the beginning, in just a short time, you can tell a real difference.

I Read

I love to read a good Christian romance novel. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a good love story. Plus, since they’re based on Christian principles, they are spiritually uplifting. The stories also give me a chance to escape to a different time and place for a short while.

For some reason, I’m intrigued with books written in the 1800’s setting. It’s interesting to imagine what it would have been like to be a wife and mother in that time period. Seriously, we have so many luxuries that were unheard of back then.

I Breathe

Sometimes I need a moment of peace, and I need it RIGHT NOW! One of the things I’ve found that helps in this situation is to shut myself in my bedroom or step out onto the front porch for a few minutes and take some deep breaths with my eyes closed.

I try to forget about everything else. It’s a great way for me to relax quickly and regather my thoughts. Try it sometime. It really does help.

I love my family and my life…

…and by taking care of myself, I can more fully enjoy everything they have to offer.

What do you do when you just need a break, mentally and/or physically?