Feature Friday - Movie Night Essentials

What are everyone's weekend plans? I personally tend to vary week to week... sometimes there's the burst of "let's clean EVERYTHING while I have the chance!" energy, some days it's a day to travel, and some days we just sit around and enjoy the 'nothing' day.  The only thing each of these weekends tend to have in common is movie night.  Pretty much every weekend, there's one night that consists of cuddles on the couch and the whole family sitting down to take in a movie together.

That's why I'm excited to bring you a little snippet of my movie night essentials for your weekend!  (or 'take it easy' weeknight for that matter!).

First up, the movies.  It seems lately that there's been a few 'kid's' movies that I kind of wish I had screened before letting the kids join us to watch it, due to jokes and material I'm *hoping* went over their little heads'.  But really, who has time to watch a kids' movie twice?  That's where PureFlix (and their free one month trial!!!) come in!  I included a few personal picks that I'm sure our family would enjoy on the next movie night. Every choice is family friendly, without the need for a parental pre-screening. Which leaves even more time for the other essentials!

You've got to have cuddles, and we usually build makeshift blanket and pillow nests on the couch to all get cozy.  Big A for sure loves this, as her love language is cuddles and one on one time with her mama.

Next is the snacks.  The salty crunchy side would definitely involve popcorn, and the easiest option I've found is this homemade 'microwave in a bowl' option.  Another favorite is chips and salsa, and THIS is my favorite easy recipe (I usually swap in a sweet onion instead of the white, and add a dash of white vinegar and sugar.  YUM).

On the sweet side, our MUST HAVE is peanut butter M&M's!  This is a deal breaker for movie night... really.  Other things are swappable, but not these. :)

The drinks can vary, but since we do want the kids to sleep at some point, we usually go with hot chocolate, gingerale, or caffeine-free Coke for a special treat.  For the parents, who will probably want some kid-free time after the movie, we usually opt for something with a little kick.  I recently discovered these bai5 Ginger Ales, and they're AMAZING.  For winter nights, a homemade Chai Latte is also a winner.

This is one of our family weekend traditions that I truly treasure, and I hope you enjoy the little tips and tricks I included this Friday.  See ya'll next week!

What are the ESSENTIALS for your family movie nights?  I'd love to hear them, let me know in the comments!