Family (Circus) Night

Tonight was "Family Night." We haven't had Family Night since before Thanksgiving because there were so many holiday festivities that interfered with our family night. But tonight...I made a fun dinner (Chicken on a Stick), baked brownies for dessert, and brought out the really fancy BINGO game. But Family Night never seems to go quite as planned. First of all, Sunshine comes in the kitchen crying real tears. "Daddy said I have to take my medicine." I replied, "I'll give you some Sprite to wash it down! How would you like that?" She took her medicine like a big girl then cried and asked, "Can I go lay down in your bed and go night night?" I hugged her and kissed her and off she went. So now it's "Family Night Minus One" .

So we played BINGO. Thank goodness that Kit Kat won! Otherwise it would have been "Family Night Minus One Plus One Was Sent to Her Room For Being A Sore Loser." So BINGO was fun, but we decided to take it a step further and play until the whole card was full. Not a good idea. A little too much down time. KitKat was winning again and chanted over and over, "I'm winning, Y'all are losing." And then, just for fun(?), she adds, "Boo Dogs!" Now them are fightin' words in our house! So AAA and L'il Man, of course, shout back, "Boo Auburn!" Well KitKat can "dish it out" but she can NOT take it! So she cried. (Help me, what am I going to do with this child?) Well the never-ending game of BINGO finally ended and next thing you know we are playing the "Charades for Kids" game that Aunt Holley gave us for Christmas (which can be purchased, I am sure, at one of her fabulous toy stores, Spots and Dots in Brookwood Mall or MAE's In Crestline. Holley, you can pay me later for the advertisement). Anyway...to make a long story really short, KitKat started crying (or maybe she was still crying from BINGO?) because I told her that she could just make up whatever she wanted to be. Well M walked back in the room and KitKat said, "Daddy, mommy said I could just make something up that I want to be." M went into this long explanation about why she couldn't because then we wouldn't know if she was right or not and it wouldn't be fair and she just needs to play like everyone else and read the card and be whatever it tells her to be. I would have reminded him that she can't read, but by this point, she's already crying because she "really wanted to be a princess." And,anyway, he's been on me about teaching her to read! Then Li'l Man did something ...next thing you know, he's in tears, too.

This was only going down hill (and fast!) so I "took the bull by the horns" and quickly ended the charades game with a "You know what? We have had a really fun night, and now everyone is getting tired. Let's get ready for bed because it's already past your bedtime, And let's pretend like we quit right after KitKat won the first game of BINGO. That was really fun." Kids are sooo easy! "Yay!" , they yell, "That was fun. Thanks, Mommy!" No problem...glad that was so easy. So off they went to brush their teeth, say their prayers, and go to bed. And guess what, two of the remaining three kids actually said "and thank you, God, for Family Night." Now that is something! Sweet things!