Spend a Family Night with the Osmonds!
Hi! I can’t believe another month has already passed, can you? Really, time just seems to be whizzing by–but I’m glad it is! It makes it seem like I’m getting together with all of you sooner and more often. . .and I’m all for that!
There’s a very special night of the week that’s been one of my favorites for years–it’s our weekly family nights! We been having them ever since Virl was a baby–and no Osmond is ever too young to be included. In fact, I remember when Jimmy was just barely a year old and he was involved in them!
Putting it simply, family night is just sitting together and really talking and listening to each other about problems, complaints, or happy instances. We can talk about professional or personal stuff–the topics of conversation are wide open! The most important part is that were doing it together–as a family!
Oh, I’m getting a bit ahead of myself! How about if I described last week’s family night? That way you get a better idea of what it’s all about-right?
First, Mother and I usually fix a big dinner, but with 9 kids I suppose all of our dinners could be described as big! Mother tries to fit in someone’s favorite dish in the menu. Last week she fixed the Marie Salad (raspberry Jell-O top with sour cream–Yum!!) For me!
After dinner, Jimmy, our master of ceremonies for the evening, announces that our business meeting is in session. Business meetings include plans for concerts, TV appearances, and recording sessions. Jimmy is so cute about trying to keep everything organized.
Jimmy’s usually in “costume.” We help disguise him as a certain animal or character every week. At the last family night he was dressed like an old man! Can you imagine Jimmy as an old man? It was so funny! When Mother and Father first saw him they let out this huge scream of delight, then naturally all of us joined in. Pretty soon we were all laughing so hard we could hardly stand up! Sharing lots of laughter and happiness is a big part of family night too!
Jimmy sets up the order of the speakers during our business meetings. I can just hear his little voice saying, “okay, first Alan, then Donny, and next one up is Father.” The time limit for speaking is 2 1/2 minutes. Don’t ask me where Jimmy got the time limit–he’s always made a 2 1/2 minutes speaking limit! Then when he thinks 2 1/2 minutes are up he stands and announces, “Next speaker!” Then whoever is talking has to give up the floor. It may not sound too businesslike to you, but believe me, we’ve all learned to stay what we have to say in a hurry!
After the business meeting comes my most favorite part of the evening–when we can do anything we want! Sometimes Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay sing the barbershop songs that they learned when they were little. Or else Wayne does his impersonations of Ed Sullivan and Jerry Lewis. Wayne’s really good impersonations, but he’s so shy that the only ones who are going to see that side of my talented brother is the family!
During the entertainment part, the boys sometimes introduce a new song they’ve written. They like to use the whole family as a test audience. We were the first audience to hear “Keep On My Side” (it’s on the flip side of “Yo-Yo”). Alan, Wayne, and Merrill wrote it and I think it’s beautiful!
Sometimes we get Disney films to watch. Last week we saw “The Moon Spinners”–have you seen it? Good, isn’t it?
Donny is our film projectionist–honestly, he’s the only one who can operate our projector! All of us, at one time or another, have tried to work the projector without Donny, but it only works for him! It’s a family joke that the projector has a mind of its own and that it senses that Donny’s the only one who knows what he’s doing!
Donny’s a genius with electrical and mechanical things! Wayne can sometimes work the projector, but we always kid Alan about being all thumbs when it comes to machines! Once Alan couldn’t even get the projector started!
Although we have lots of fun on family nights, the most important part is that it helps bring our family closer together! By giving ourselves the chance to talk, listen, laugh, sing, and pray together, we get to understand and love each other even more than before!
Family nights have been a part of my life ever since I was born and because it strengthened our love and family ties I know they’ll never end! I wish more families could devote more time together!
Darn–out of space again! Until next month, much happiness to all of you!
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