Several years ago, on October 31, Daddy and Mommy surprised all of us kids with a special evening, where we bobbed for apples, ate  donuts off of strings (with no hands :)) hanging from the ceiling, had a candy hunt, played “Pin the Tail on the Donkey,” and a few other fun things. Little did they know that they had thus began the yearly tradition of Family Fun Night! Slowly F.F.N. expanded until we had a few friends over, then several families, and then this year and last year, over sixty people! What a wonderful way to make hilarious,  special memories!!

This year our preparations began the week before, when we were trying to decide where to have most of the games, the food tables, etc. Last year, we had done  most of it in our garage, but as it was cramped  then, and we had invited over forty more people this year, 🙂 we decided we wanted to be prepared for as many as the Lord would bring our way. At Mommy’s suggestion, we decided to try to get the unfinished upstairs of our detached  garage, which we call the “Carriage House,” ready and use that for the games. Just to fill you in on a few details, we have this awful habit of, when we don’t know where to put something, we say “Oh, just put it in the upstairs of the Carriage House!” Maybe this gives you an idea of the unnecessary junk that was piled up there. 🙂 Finally, a few days before F.F.N., the whole Team arrived up there and  put it in order. 🙂 (Sadly, we didn’t get any “before” pictures, so you’ll have to be content with the “after” pictures. :)) We had a lot of fun, and finally got it all in “ship  shape.”

Next began the process of doing all of the planning.  After deciding on the games, we started planning what supplies we needed and in what way we would organize the evening. There was a lot of  “changing of plans,” but we finally got everything straightened out.

Before we knew it, it was 5:30 on Friday,  October 30, and everyone was arriving. What followed is very difficult to describe in the exact   details and excitement in which it occurred – maybe the pictures will help! 🙂 The games included Pin the Leaf on the Pumpkin, a relay race, donuts hanging from the ceiling, “Leaf, Leaf, Pumpkin” (the same as “Duck, Duck, Goose” :)) a candy hunt  in the dark, 🙂 tractor rides, a time for munching on delicious snacks, and then, as the evening drew to a close, a bonfire, jumping on the  trampoline and playing on the swing set. As we all celebrated the joy of family life, there was a lot of laughter and talking that followed each activity. The evening ended close to midnight, but the memories of the evening will last for a long time!!

Thank you, Dad and Mom, for taking the time to  start such an exciting, family-centered tradition in our home!

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”