:: Back to School - dinner and family theme 2013

So, my "back to school" pinterest board has been filling up for the past few years.

And this was finally the year that I could start these fun traditions since

 Ava has now started kindergarten . . . sniff, sniff.

I'd seen the "back to school dinner and family theme" on multiple blogs.

I was able to incorporate ideas from Nie Nie Dialogues and Ericas Blogity Blog.

We told the girls that they needed to get their Easter dresses on and that we were going to go somewhere special.  Ava immediately asked me, "So which restaurant are we going to?"  Ha!

They closed their eyes and we lead them outside.

So we had breakfast for dinner (on my china - yikes! . . . but figure that I should

 start using it for special occasions), made some last-minute "back to school" crowns,

 and Tommy and I came up with a family theme that we'll use throughout the school-year.

We were trying to think about a virtue that our family could work on,

 especially with Ava now in school and making new friends.

And we decided on this virtue as our family theme:  BE KIND

The quote that goes along with it (that we're having them memorize)

is "Kindness is the essence of greatness."

(which comes from a talk given by Joseph B. Wirthlin that can be seen or read here).

We also watched this short video here and had the girls point out the 

acts of kindness that were in the video.

Then I told them about our "Kind Jar".

Whenever they do or say something kind, we'll fill it up with cotton balls.

And when the jar is filled, they get a special treat.

I hope that throughout this next year, they learn that "Kindness is a passport that opens doors and fashions friends.  It softens hearts and molds relationships that can last lifetimes.  

Kindness is the essence of greatness."

It was such a fun evening.  

When we finished dinner, Ava gave me a big hug, told me that it was so much fun

and asked if we could do this again next year.

Definitely worth it.

Do you have a "back to school" dinner and theme?

{I'll be linking to these parties here}