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OUR family home evenings are not the best. I do take some time to think about it, but I don't plan elaborate lessons. They wouldn't work. Usually Noah is doing something that is making us all angry. Like kicking someone. Or wanting to sing for the 80th time the nonsensical song he's made up. Or Lana is trying to find someone to touch and no one wants her to touch them. Or Ceily is laying on the beanbag not paying attention, or Chris is falling asleep, or I'm mad because no one is paying attention, or Eddie is trying to lay on top of me...and the list goes on. I feel very good when we have an opening prayer, an attempt at a song, a kind word, and family prayer.

A while back I decided we needed to have some semblance of focus within our family unit. Something we could work on as a family and also as individuals. Something that we could talk about occasionally and feel like we are helping one another attain. I thought a family motto would work for us.

When I discussed this with Chris and proposed we come up with something we could strive towards throughout the year he was on board. He immediately suggested manners.

Well, yes. Our children could use a lesson or 10 on manners. But I was thinking more along the lines of a spiritual plan. We agreed prayer would be a good start. Many different aspects with prayer. Individual, family, mealtime, constant prayer. Pray in our heart. In the fields (streets). In our closets and our classrooms. Where ever. When ever.

BE PRAYERFUL has been taped to our front door, hopeful that as we are leaving the house, we will be reminded that we can pray and should pray...always.

I hope that we are teaching our children they can pray at home and school. At church and in the car. At the dinner table and in their hearts. Always. We talked about how Heavenly Father listens. Always.

So BE PRAYERFUL has become our motto. I ask the children every now and then how they are doing with their prayers. We begin our Monday night melee with how our prayers are going. They always answer positively. I've become better at prayer as well. I feel like my prayers are more meaningful. More sincere. This Sunday I prayed that my children would feel the spirit during sacrament meeting. Eddie bore his testimony that morning. The others were listening. Prayer works. Always.

But S'MORES were the best part of the evening. Of course.