Of insects and strawberries and the FHE giggles

I got the giggles during Family Home Evening last night. The kinda giggles that make your eyes water and leave you gasping for air.

I was doomed from the beginning, really. Brynlee had informed me first thing Monday morning that she would be heading that evenings FHE. She had it all under control and I was to do nothing to prepare. We are going to learn about insects, do a craft and dip strawberries in chocolate for dessert, she said. Will you tell dad he’s in charge of the lesson? It needs to be about how God gave us bugs, okay mom.

Okay, Brynlee.

Later that day she brought in a canning jar full of leaves and Rollie Pollies. There for tonight’s FHE lesson, she told me. And I was to keep an eye on them – to make sure they didn’t “escape”.

Come FHE time the giggles were already swelling in my chest. Jace requested that we sing the Iron Man theme song to get things started. Again. It’s sort of become our little families weekly FHE tradition. Next up, Scripture Power. Except none of us could really remember the words. So you know, it sounded really good. Jace’s next song choice was The Hulk – sang to the same tune as the Iron Man theme song. Spencer made up the words and we all sang along. Trapped in the body of Bruce Ban-ner, He’s The-Green-Hulk! By the sixth superhero song {all sang to the same tune as the Iron Man theme song} I was fighting to swallow the giggles.  

When Brynlee decided to compose her own song {with hand movements and body gestures} on the spot, I lost it. Mainly because Spencer was standing right beside her swaying like a flower and trying to recite her made-up words. I caught his eyes, sensed that he was fighting his own urge to break out in laughter and could no longer control myself.

I laughed through the rest of the songs, straight through the prayer and through Spencer’s lesson – God created bugs because he loves us!

By the time that Brynlee dumped a canning jar of Rollie Pollies out on the coffee table for us to observe and touch, I could barely breathe. Especially when one of the exhibit insects was a little slow in its Rollie Pollie movements {read: dead-ish}.

Add in the strawberries + chocolate {that Brynlee served on top of the kitchen counter out of a family shared bowl} and the insect cards that Brynlee had us make and it really was one of my favorite FHE nights to date. Kids are the coolest thing ever.

Speaking of the insect cards. Brynlee's craft was to draw a card with bugs and insects and give it to somebody we love.

Jace drew his for daddy. He told us it says, I love my daddy with ants and flies on the front:

Spencer returned the favor and gave his to Jace:

Brynlee made hers for Aunt Katie. {P.S. Kate: She put it in an envelope, added a two cent stamp on it and wrote KATE in big pink letters across the front and put it in the mailbox. You should be expecting mail}.

I made mine for Jami. Because out of all my siblings she’s my favorite: