Dark Chocolate Rambling

I have a love/hate relationship with Monday nights. On the one hand, I love and look forward to Family Home Evening. I love putting everything else aside, getting off line, turning off the TV, ignoring the phone, and just concentrating on our family for a little while. I love the sweet lessons teaching gospel principles or scripture stories the kids come up with. I love the crazy activities they want to do. I love the yummy treats that are always involved.

But on the other hand, on normal nights my kids are in bed by 7 PM. I am not capable of being a nice parent any longer than that. Starting at about 6:45, they are pajamaed, scriptured, tooth-brushed, sung to, and by 7, they are in bed with the lights off. Even if they aren't asleep, they know that it's time to leave mom alone. But FHE throws a giant monkey wrench into all of that. Between homework and dinner, we don't start FHE until 6:30 (on a good night). And then it's an internal battle - do I rush them along, so they can be in bed by at least 7:30? Do I relax and let them stay up until 8 (or later), knowing that at least one of them will have a melt-down and I'll lose my temper and the happy family-bonding-mood will be destroyed?

What's a mother to do? How do you make it work? What's most important?

And most importantly, where is the chocolate? It's late and they are finally in bed and I need some post-FHE therapy...