I am thankful for dinner time.

Family dinner is a sacred thing around our house. It's a time for us to shut out the world, be together and eat good food. As a mother who stays home all day, dinner is one of my most important priorities. That doesn't mean I always make a fancy meal or have everything just perfect, but I know that if I don't put forth the effort, dinner time is stressful and chaotic. With a little preparation and a lot of love, dinner can be the most special time of day.

On Monday, we ate by candlelight. It was such a big hit that we kept the candles out and ate by candlelight every night this week. It's brought a quietness to our meal and that is always a good thing when you have four crazy boys. Surprisingly, the baby has loved eating by candlelight. I think it's given him the freedom to express himself without getting in trouble for making such a mess.

Lights off:
Lights on: