Sundays are the best day of the week

Last Sunday we went to Yosemite and hiked. It was a great day.

The kids love nature.

Family time.

I've been really shy about posting things on this blog that are about the positive things that leaving mormonism has brought to our family. I don't want to offend my family- but I do want to document our journey... so, if you get offended easily then skip this post, please.... 

  Sundays are literally the best day of the week now that we spend it as a family and not at church!!  We love Sundays!  Here is a rundown of what our Sundays USED to look like.  1. Travis wake up at 5AM. Go to Fresno to attend disciplinary councils and other stake meetings. Then travel to various wards to speak, sit in meetings and set people apart. 2. MEANWHILE....  Jennifer wakes up at 6am with the babies (YIKES). I then get everyone up. Feed breakfast. Prepare for callings. Bathe kids. Dress kids. Pack diaper bags (yes, multiple bags!). Read scriptures with kids. Say prayers (personal and family). Find everyones shoes. Change diapers. Deal with melt downs and tantrums. Get everyone loaded into the car. Have everyone engage Annie the whole way to church so that she won't fall asleep while Max is SCREAMING at the top of his lungs that he wants to watch a movie, which I won't let him watch because we are listening to church music to get everyone in the right frame of mind for church. After enduring 20 minutes of screaming from Max and Annie, we arrive at church where Max continues to cry and scream that he does not want to go to church. We sit in the farthest row back that we can so that when I have to stand up and walk out about 20 times during sacrament meeting I won't be bothering anyone... then we sit down where all the kids take turns telling me they need to go to the bathroom, or get a drink- and I make them go out in pairs because of the SEX OFFENDERS (yes MULTIPLE)  that we allow to come into the church and sit (unattended) and in the hall ways during church (which causes all sorts of anxiety... if they're gonna be at church, have them sit on the stand with the bishop so he can keep his eyes on them and he can be uncomfortable instead of endangering all of the kids in the church)!!  Then Max starts screaming all over again- I pull out the BAG of toys and snacks and coloring and try desperately to keep the 2 little ones QUIETLY entertained during sacrament meeting... during which time I do not hear a single word that the speakers are saying and I'm enduring rude stares from other families (that have 2 parents there to help each other out) for not being able to keep my children quiet. Then, when the blessed last prayer is finally said and I can finally clean up our gigantic mess that we have made and run as fast as possible to drop kids off in classes and nursery or (if they're too young for nursey- which at least one of mine were for my entire marriage) find a willing adult (yikes, not so easy) to dump the littlest one off with. Then run (usually late) to my calling as primary chorister, where I get a disapproving look and a "I'm so glad you're here... I wasn't sure if I was going to have to fill in for you" in a sarcastic tone! I then proceed to work my butt off for the next two hours,  being interrupted a (usually) multiple to change diapers, calm babies or help my kids in other ways. Then, after working my butt off and sweating like a pig, I run to go and collect all 6 of my kids- not an easy task (like herding cats.. and YES! multiple ward members actually made that exact comment to me as I'm trying to collect them all... but not ONE stopped to HELP me) !!  I find one kid,  then one disappears while I'm looking for another... I'm running all over the church USUALLY holding 2 tired and fussy babies and all my bags and calling stuff. I put the kids in the car as fast as I can (usually a 20-30 minute process) and drive home... again, trying to keep Annie awake while Max screams. By the time I get home I quickly get kids lunch, change out of church clothes, put the babies to bed and then send my kids downstairs to WATCH A MOVIE while I take a much needed nap.  3. Wake up from nap. Now more than half the day is gone and it is almost dinner time. I wake up the babies (who are never happy about only getting an hour or two of sleep when they are used to 3 hours!) and we start trying to prepare dinner, I have kids take turns helping with babies while I prepare dinner. Dad usually walks in in time for dinner, then we get kids in PJ's and have FHE and then we start putting kids to bed!   WHEW! That was exhausting just REMEMBERING our crazy days!!!  And that was a very typical Sunday. Too typical. Did you notice that there is not much in there that involved Christ? That our family was not spending the day together? That there was a lot of family time missing? I don't think that is how Jesus wants us to spend our sabbath days.  Fast forward to us leaving the church....  Here is a typical Sunday- Travis and I wake up when the babies do. They come and cuddle us in bed (a great way to start the day). We slowly get out of bed and make it to the kitchen to cook breakfast as a family. We decide how we want to spend our free day as a family (our family decided that every Sunday is family day and we always plan a family outing). We pray and say what we are thankful for in our lives. We spend time together, bonding, playing and loving each other and nature. We have a lesson in our "home church" and talk about Jesus and what He would have us be doing in our lives. We talk about loving and serving those around us. This is how I believe God wants us to behave on Sundays. I love our sabbath days.