Back To School Feast

I love traditions. I have thought a lot about them throughout the last couple of years. I feel like they are incredibly important to the fabric of a family. Traditions help children grow up feeling safe, secure, loved, and happy! We have some pretty great traditions already (ummm, by that I mean stuff like Christmas Eve pjs and such, I'm a pretty low-key mama) but I have really been struck by the Back To School Feast tradition (mostly taken from nieniedialogues.blogspot.com because she is kind of my mother hero). Last year we started a family theme. You can see the photo of last year's theme here

The kids had it completely memorized within a couple of weeks, but it was so nice to have it as a reference during FHE and other chats. I feel like it was a wonderful thing for our family. 

This year Sterling and I had a tough time picking a theme mostly because I wanted to make sure it had a very clear message to young kids. We're still working with our new theme on explaining what "choosing Christ" means, but I think it is definitely a conversation worth having over and over again at our dinner table! I have the kids recite it every morning at the breakfast table after we read our scripture (out of Thomas S. Monson's book that has a thought/scripture a day) and it doesn't take long before they have it memorized. 

Last year we did not do a back to school feast, mostly because I am not crafty and it was a little intimidating. Obviously, we toned the craftiness level WAY down and the decorations are med student income appropriate, haha, but I love how it turned out and am excited to do this every year!

And the birthday banner for Molly's birthday!

The kids have been LOVING these streamers! Thank you pinterest, for making a Craft For Dummies.

Ruthie wanted to help so I let her make placemats. They were soooo cute! She used a little stencil on all of them to make them fancy.

Ruth's! I love it soooo much!

I made crowns for everyone. Again, easiest thing in my life. Definitely something I can keep up. They loved them!

We had some red potatoes and corn on the cob from the farmer's market, which helped me transition away from mom's garden (sob). We talked to the kids about the theme and about going to school (Ruth is now going to school because Florida changed their Pre-K age laws, more on that later) and then Sterling gave everyone father's blessings. Since I had put a lot of thought and effort into this beforehand, I thought it turned out pretty well. Low-key enough that I should be able to keep it up. :) Happy back to school everyone!