A Poker Table Top For Games

Happy (almost) New Year! We are having a quiet afternoon before we head to a friend’s house for a family party tonight. I’ve got oral surgery scheduled for Friday, so it’s nice to have a little down time. Earlier today the kids and I played some of our new Christmas games on our new poker table top! The poker table top is actually something I wanted for Christmas. Our dining table is long and oval and was never good for playing board games on. It was hard for small children to reach the far side of the board. We had … Continue reading →

A Tree For The Birds

We’ve read stories about families who decorate trees, and even snowmen, for the birds and animals. Some people go all out with lemon and orange slices, several different types of bird food, and animal themed shaped feeders. This year we finally got around to trying the tree, but we did a very small version. The main thing we did was to string cranberries and popcorn. I explained to the kids that people used to use cranberry and popcorn strings to decorate their trees and homes. There is something very homey and pretty about a cranberry and popcorn string. This was … Continue reading →

Holiday Season Sick Days

Eeek! It’s less than two weeks until Christmas! We haven’t been having much fun our house for the last few days. The stomach bug bit us hard. We are camped out in the living room – one boy on the sofa, another on the love seat – trying to make the best of an unpleasant situation. It’s a bad time of year to be sick. We’ve had to cancel quite a few plans. The kids are frustrated because they are missing out on Christmas fun. And it’s not just fun activities they are missing. People with upset stomachs don’t need … Continue reading →

Gratitude Trees

I’m on a mission to create gratitude in my children. My husband and I work very hard to provide them with a happy childhood, clean clothes, a warm house, food, and even fun toys. Sometimes though, I think we are doing too good of a job, because they sure don’t seem to appreciate it. Years ago, I read Simple Abundance. The author, Sarah Ban Breathnach, suggested that every night you write down five things you are grateful for. They didn’t have to be big things, they could be a cup of hot tea, or finding a parking space, or a … Continue reading →

Opposite Day

This fantastically fun idea is inspired by a clever new tune by veteran kid’s singer/songwriter Steve Roslek (aka SteveSongs). In the track, off SteveSongs’ excellent new disc “Marvelous Day!” we hear about what life would be like if we put shoes on our head, shirts on our legs and our pancakes tried to eat us instead of the other way around. The song is so much fun and so is the idea to flip the script on the daily routine of life. Try switching places with your kids for a spell, having them make dinner (but make it breakfast food!), … Continue reading →

Family Yard Day

Today our family headed out to the front yard armed with brooms, rakes, and hedge trimmers. And no, yard work isn’t as fun as the amusement park, but that’s okay. I want the boys to participate in keeping up their house and yard. I want them to appreciate some of the work that goes into keeping a place together. And I want them to learn how to do that work. And besides, working together as a family can be fun. And along with sprucing up our yard, we did have some unexpected fun. We edged around the sidewalk which left … Continue reading →

Family Dinner Conversation

I’m a big fan of the family dinner. As the kids have gotten older though, we have less and less nights where we are all home for dinner at the same time. And I’ve noticed our dinners are more rushed either because the kids need to move on to homework or we need to leave for a meeting or activity. Honestly, sometimes the family dinner almost feels like I throw food at the kids and they throw their empty plates back. I try to ask them questions about school, but most parents will relate to the “not much”, “boring”, and … Continue reading →

Water Balloon Fun

Yesterday, I helped my boys get ready for a water balloon fight. It was a perfect afternoon for playing with water balloons. It was hot, dry, and being hit with water actually felt great. I’d bought the balloons on an impulse purchase at the dollar store. Next time we will spend a little more. They were not quality made. We were all more than a little wet by the time we’d filled and tied the balloons. Several burst before we even touched them. A couple of balloons had tears in them and wouldn’t hold water. Quite a few tore as … Continue reading →

The “I’m Bored” Activity Chart

Every summer, there’s one week where the novelty of no school and a slower schedule passes over into boredom. I am busy this summer with writing, trying to reorganize the house, and doing some long needed home improvements. I’ve always hated hearing “I’m bored” but when I am finally sitting down from stripping wallpaper it’s really the last thing I want to hear. I complain that I don’t need to be their tour director. So I created a different kind of chore chart for the boys. It still has their daily chores, but also a few hours of things to … Continue reading →

Planets & Stars

When I was young, I slept under dozens of small glow-in-the-dark star stickers. I loved staring up at my faux-night sky and dreaming of all the far away places I would visit and all the zany adventures I would have, as I grew taller and older. It goes without saying then that I was in heaven as my little gal gleefully expressed her desire to affix illuminating stars above her bed. She received a solar system mobile for her 3rd birthday and once her new big girl room was complete, she helped build it and hung it up in the … Continue reading →