Portfolio: Question 1

1. Write a brief description of your favorite family activities.

I pledge to seek opportunities to strengthen my family by working, playing, serving and praying together.

Louisa May Alcott said, “She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain.” Guilty as charged. My alter-ego, the Book Diva, Book-a-neer or Book Fairy (depending on my mood) comes sweeping, sauntering or flitting down from Book Diva Land (my closet). My arms piled high with brightly colored boxes, (filled with a personally selected book for each child), I wait for the cheers to subside, and in my best Zsa Zsa Gabor voice, ask each child in turn, “Have you been a good reader ’zis veek, Daa-hling?” I feel like a rock star when fifteen minutes later, mild-mannered Mom returns to see all five children curled up on our worn, comfy couch immersed in their Book Diva books!

“If Mom got elected president, she would make us clean all day!” (I’m really not that bad.) My younger children squabble over who gets to blow the whistle to start Tidy Time: “Tweet! Tweet! Tweet!” means “Come Right Now!” We divvy out cleaning assignments . . . and each child gets to choose a favorite “cleaning” song on the iPod. Sometimes (at the children’s request) we “motivate” with pings from the homemade PVC pipe marshmallow gun. We can get the main floor tidy in under six songs. (Even including soup ladle karaoke breaks!)

“Scripture Snack” is a favorite daily tradition (nearly 12 years!). As long as the children remind me to start before 8:00 p.m., (and they very rarely forget) we read a scripture story, eat a snack, and then quiz each other on details of the story. We try to make the questions just hard enough so they don’t need to use the “Phone a Sibling” lifeline.

Other Favorite Family Activities

Family Bedtime Read Aloud Bathroom Brigade (weekly family service projects) Morning Family and Personal Scripture Study “Bookstore treats” after a recital Annual Snow Day Celebration "Happy Birthday Jesus!” Neighborhood Party Cinnamon rolls for Sunday breakfast

Love Day Lunch Family Clappings Throwing Tin The Joanna Song Sock Hockey Movie stumps and quizzers Been There, DUNN that!