So, I bought some foam “Pilgrim people” that we put together and we cut out our pictures for the faces! These have made us laugh daily! You have to be able to laugh at yourself sometimes, you know?




I also found some magic art leaves that were cool. You just scratch off a design of your choice with a small pointed stick and colorful rainbow-like designs appear underneath.

Then, I purchased some small turkey cut-outs. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to do with them. I thought I might use some to make some napkin holders. Then, I thought we could play a “hunt for the turkey” game with one.

So, I put blue painting/masking tape on the back of a turkey cut-out and called the kids over. I said, “We are going to play a fun game each day until Thanksgiving. Someone has this turkey, and tries to put it on someone’s back without that someone knowing about it. When the turkey person realizes it, they continue the game by putting it on an unsuspecting someone’s back, until the end of the day.”

The kids said that sounded like fun, pats on the back and all, and the game began. We all chuckled behind the back at our little turkey friend on the back of our loved one; the younger ones pointed and laughed. It was all in fun.

When daddy came home, the kids were quick to explain the new turkey game, as BC wondered why Paige had a turkey on her back. The master quickly caught on, and got my back, unbeknownst to me. So, when I had to trot over to Walgreens last night around 8:00 p.m. for some dry eye lubricant and pads, you guessed it…turkey went along for the ride. As I was checking out, there was a line behind me, and I felt like people were staring (I usually feel a little self-conscious when buying pads anyway.), and they were smiling. I just smiled back and attributed it to the cheerful Christmas music.

So, when I arrived back home, my husband sent me a text with a picture of me with a turkey on my back. I felt like I was a roasted turkey! I did laugh, though, but wondered if there was fowl play. I’m thinking we should keep this game “in house only”. As BC laughingly chided, “I got your back!” that saying took on a new and opposite meaning. But as I said earlier, “You have to be able to laugh at yourself sometimes, you know?”

Clothespin Hairstyles…

Find or buy some clothespins (like 60-we had some plain wooden ones, and some colorful plastic ones). Seriously, they are so inexpensive!

Then divide into two teams (or more if you need to-somewhere around five or six per team)

Give each team some clothespins. Draw names to see which team member will provide the hair. Then the team members decide on the style for the hair. The teams compete in fun to see which hairdo is the most creative, or uses the most clothespins. We separate the teams, and time them for about five minutes. Oh yeah, then take pictures!

Another game we enjoyed was Clothespin Tag.

Pass out six clothespins to each player. When the leader says “go”, each person tries to pin clothespins on six different players (on their clothing, not the hair for this one). Students must keep moving to avoid being pinned while trying to pin others at the same time (not pin them down, of course…remind the boys we are not wrestling). Before the game starts, make sure these modern-age kids know how to open the clothespins, and that they all understand that they are not to remove a clothespin once they are pinned. You may play until one player gets rid of all six and is declared the winner, or you may have everyone continue playing (even if they do not have any more pins, but they just try to avoid acquiring any more!

Finally, we have a new game that I came up with, and thought I would share with you…
Clothespin Clean-up…

Here is how it is played…
On the sides of the clothespins, Mom writes with a fine permanent marker all of the individual jobs that need to be done when your family does weekly/daily/monthly clean-up. For example:
Daily: unload dishes, load dishwasher, sweep floors, wipe off counters and table, vacuum, etc.
Weekly: clean out the fridge, dust furniture, toilets, sinks, tubs, etc.
Monthly: dust ceiling fans, dust blinds, wash windows, clean baseboards, etc.

Then, you start the timer and see who can collect the most clothespins. Grab one and stick it on your clothes, then go clean. This has really motivated my boys with clean up, too. Oh, and when you are done, have them return all of the clothespins into a baggie labeled “clothespin clean-up”, and store it with the cleaning supplies.

What about you? Do you have something different that you do with clothespins? Let me think…what else …oh, I also use them as “chip clips”.

However…

This game involves duct tape, some willing heads, and snow hats (or nylon stockings).

Stick with Grace and Faith

You basically divide into teams (ours were Team Grace and Team Faith) with about 4-6 people per team. Get a volunteer from each team to be “Duct Tape Head”. Then, make sure all of the hair of the willing team member is inside of the hat or stockings (pull it over ears, and down past eyebrows). Otherwise, things could get hairy! Then you wrap the duct tape (sticky side out) around the hat. I recommend the “sitting duct” wear sunglasses for added eye protection.

You say: “Ready, set, go!” and set the timer for twenty seconds (or less if you prefer). Then, each team has a bowl of pennies (or other light objects like foam peanuts, wrapped candy, marshmallows, cotton balls, etc.) which they hurriedly try to  place on their teammates duct-taped head.  The one with the most pennies (or stuff) when the timer goes off is the winner. We let both girls keep the change. It just made “cents”(sorry about that one).

Faith and I took all of our puzzles out of their respective boxes and emptied them into a gallon baggie. We then cut out the cardboard picture from the puzzle box, and either put it inside of the baggie or we put it on the inner side of the box. We labeled the “puzzle baggie” by name, brief description, total pieces, and size. We also cut out a small picture from the side, just in case someone wanted to look at that for help in solving the puzzle, or in identifying exactly which puzzle it was. We were able to fit 29 puzzles in that box…ah…much more room. Hopefully, this will help lower the incidence of missing puzzle pieces, too!

Enjoy…

http://www.sciencetoymaker.org/index.html

We love games, and have game nights…frequently. Sometimes, we have separated based on ages, but usually we all play together (little ones can be partners with the older ones). Sometimes, I have set up game stations (with those games for two) and we have played for a set amount of time (like ten minutes), then when the timer goes off, the winner goes on to play a different game with a different person (kind of like Bunco). The loser will stay and play again. Most of the time, everyone is “game” for playing games. It is sometimes a reward for hard work, and sometimes…it is hard work! We try not to get too competitive with it. We want it to be fun and stress-free, not stressful!

I recommend any of the following games:

Warning: My Long List of Games…

Bible games:

Bible Baseball-All ages (team play). We love this game.

Bible Brainstorm-This is similar to the Cranium game. It involves using words, drawing, acting, etc.

Bible Trivia- My only issue with this game is the title. Is there really anything trivial about the Bible? By Cadaco.

Bible Bingo- By Faith Kids.

Scriptionary-like Pictionary

Word games:

Bananagrams- This has been a fun game. It is kind of like Scrabble, but everyone has their own tiles that they use to make their own set of words (crossword style). Games are fast-paced, and can be played a variety of ways. It fits in your purse, and is great to play anywhere (like restaurants) because the pieces can be washed! This game was voted on as toy of the year last year, and I have to agree. It’s great!

Scrabble-A classic.

Balderdash-a hilarious bluffing word game by Gameworks Creations. You can play your own version of this game with a dictionary. Look up an unknown and archaic word in the dictionary, and one person writes the real definition down on a piece of paper. The other players write down the word and a made-up definition of the word. The person who knows the right answer will read all of the choices out loud. People try to guess which answer is the right one. One point is awarded to you, if people guess your definition. Two points are given if they guess the right definition. Three points are awarded to the one who wrote down the right definition…if no one guesses it.

Boggle Junior

Rummy Roots and More Rummy Roots: These card games have helped to increase our vocabulary knowledge by learning Greek and Roman root words (84 total). Can be played by 8 and up.

The Phonics Game-A wonderful set of games that teaches phonics. I bought this for five dollars at a garage sale…brand new (retails $100, I think)! Again, be watching for deals.

Perquacky- Ages 8 and up. Not as quacky as it sounds. You try to form single words in 2 minutes by rolling dice with letters on them. By Lakeside.

Logic games:

Blokus-ages 5-adult-Strategy game by Educational Insights. This one is awesome!

Chess

Checkers-We were given the BIG set from Cracker Barrel—lots of fun.

Sleuth-(age 10+, 3-7 30 min+) Logic and deduction mystery game by Face 2 Face Games.

Newton’s Apple- 2 players, age 7 to adult. This is made by Briarpatch. This is a great strategy/gravity game!

Mancala-Strategy game. Ages 6 and up.

Geography games:

Take Off-Geography game–fun, but long…

QuickPix-a really fun (and short) geography game-by Aristoplay (www.aristoplay.com)

USA Bingo-by TREND

Multiplication Bingo-by TREND

Electronic games:

Simon

Snap Circuits-My kids enjoy working with batteries and circuits to create different ways to “power” different things. There are hundreds of experiments involving electricity!

Battleship- have an electronic one, 1-2 players, by Milton Bradley

Connect Four-

Math games:

Mighty Mind and Super Mind-(www.mightymind.com) These are great for problem-solving, spatial relationships, etc.

UNO Spin-This is a classic UNO with a spin…lots of fun.

Goose Egg-Dice game for ages 8+. It’s a fun way to practice multiplication tables (#2-#9) by Tah Dah (www.tahdahgames.com)

Dominoes-Yes, you can stack them up for the “domino effect”, or you can learn the rules and have fun too. We like to play Mexican Train dominoes.

Conga- by Cranium. A fun guesstimate game.

Cards-Golf, Nertz, Bunco, and Hand and Foot, (directions for these games can probably be found online).

Swap-lots of fun

Splash! (like spoons, but with plastic dolphins) 3-6 players, ages 5 & up.

Family Math-An excellent book of math games by Jean Kerr Stenmark, Virginia Thompson, and Ruth Cossey.

Yahtzee-By Parker Bros. Ages 8 and up. This is a game of shaking, scoring, and shouting. Fun game, but not recommended if any one in the group has a headache…to begin with!

I SPY Eagle Eye by Scholastic ages 5 & up. This one is fun…testing skills of observation. Be the first to spy the object on the game board that matches the object on your card…and you get to ring the bell (Each card and board have only one matching object).

Mosaic Mysteries-a pattern block design activity-by Discovery Toys. I also use pattern blocks.

Tangrams-Seven piece puzzle-it’s great for spatial skills.

Hi Ho! Cherry-O!-This is a fun counting game for little ones (not too little though…small pieces).

Don’t Wake Daddy!-This is an exciting game for all, because you never know when Daddy will “wake up”, as you move your peg forward. My funniest memory of this game was stepping on it (that wasn’t the funny part…it was left in the hallway at night (?)), and I really did wake Daddy with my “ouching”!

Get to know you games:

The Ungame-2-6 people, ages 5 & up by TALICOR-Aristoplay- This is a talking game. I use the cards at the dinner table to ask questions of each one. Everyone will have a different answer.

Whonu- A great 15 minute game that gets you involved in knowing people in your little group better (similar to Apples to Apples-another fun one…We don’t have this one, but we have played the Bible Edition, and loved it.).

Girl Talk by American Girl

Life Stories-Ages 6-106 -Gets everyone sharing stories and smiles. This is a great one to bring for family gatherings.

Cranium-The Family Fun Game- This is a lot of fun…it gets everyone involved in some way. It says 8 and up. We have used this with 6 and up.

Silly Expressions-Discovery Toys-A fave of little ones…you know…making silly faces and all that. Okay…it’s a fave of the adults too.

Cadoo

You Gotta Be Kidding!- The Crazy Card Game of “Would You Rather…?”-This one is by Zobmondoa and is somewhat gross. It can be played by 2 or more players, age 7 & up.

Last Word-2-8 players, Ages 8 & up, by Buffalogames.com

Animal and History Games:

Herd Your Horses-by Aristoplay, 2-4 players age 8 & up. You learn quite a bit about horses with this game.

Zooreka- Be the first to get all four animal habitats to make a zoo.

Made For Trade-A game of early American life. You learn a little history with this one.

Tornado-Hank the Cowdog game-Ages 5 & up, 2-4 players

Classics:

Life by MB-

Trouble

Monopoly, Texopoly, and BibleOp

Generosity by Sound Principles (ages 9-adult; 2-6 players)

Clue, Jr.- logic game

Active games-

Barrel of Monkeys, Cup Stacking, Flog Flipping, Flying Geckos, Charades for Kids, Simon Says, Home-made Scavenger Hunts, and various tag games.Other games we have enjoyed are Operation, Sorry, Picture! Picture!

I haven’t even mentioned computer games, but that will have to be a different blog.

Sorry if this list was overwhelming. I was asked to share my recommendations on the games I have. Here is one more game that is a lot of fun. It is a home-made family trivia game:

Make a family trivia game on 3×5 cards. Each family member might write down an event that happened to them over the course of the year (or life), and then they put their name on the bottom. Then, we divide into teams. One person reads them aloud and the teams take turns guessing whom it is about.

We started this about nine years ago—when we were trying to get to know our new brother-in-law. Each person was given three cards to write three things about themselves that they think people might not know. Many referred to the scrapes they might have had. One had named every dog (at least four) by the name of Luke, and it was really a lot of fun. Come on, we keep track of trivia on so many things…why not keep track of your family’s trivia. We just add to it every few years.

Okay, so what exactly did we do on “Yes Day”? Well, when a child would ask me if we could do a certain activity…sometimes my  answer was “No, but write that down, and put it in the “Yes Day Jar”. This was simply a can and not a glass jar—I probably don’t need to explain why, right?—that I had painted yellow with the words: “Yes Day” in red. “Yes Day” usually happened once a month. Sometimes, “Yes day” was planned and looked forward to with great anticipation. Other times, it was spontaneous, and just as fun.

“Yes Day” helped to insure that I followed through on my answers of “No, not now…” (which sometimes was translated as “maybe in a hundred years”  to a few of my children).  We always had strips of paper and a pencil in the “Yes Day”can. So, we got their requests in writing. I would have the child write it down, or have my younger ones dictate their request to me (or an older sibling).

It’s been over a year since I have had a yes day (did life get that busy?), and I was reminded of this when I was talking with some mothers of young children the other day. I think one mom said she felt bad saying “no” to her children all the time. Then I interjected, “There is only one day a month that I say ‘yes’!” Boy, did that come out wrong. Then, I went on to explain the “yes day” idea. This was not my original idea. I believe I read about it from Family Fun Magazine (which was one of the only magazines I read during that time…and a great one at that).

So, we had our “Yes Day” on Monday (yesterday)…and we had such a nice time! The kids could hardly wait! We went out for pizza and then we went on a hike. Next was out for ice-cream, and the park. Back home, we did a 500 piece puzzle, watched 2 movies, and we had some fun food along the way! I am so thankful for my family, and the fun we have together. We look forward to our next “Yes Day”

So, yesterday, he came over to me and asked, “Momma, could you call the weather to see if it is going to rain today…because I think I want to spend my money” (as in “save it for a rainy day”). Oh, that made me smile! Then, I went on to try to explain that a “rainy day” could be the day he accidentally breaks a friend’s special toy and he needs to replace it, or the day he hears of someone else who is having a “rainy (or bad) day”, and he might want to use his money to get something to brighten their day. Then he said, “I know…I think I will spend half of it, and I will get J.D. (a boy that has been sick) something with the rest.”

Speaking of rainy days…years ago, my girls were afraid of them. I tried lots of things…even singing “My Favorite Things” didn’t cut it. So, I had a brainstorm. We would wait for a rainy day to come, and we would all pile into the car and go out looking for someone who was stuck out in the rain without an umbrella. We always had a new umbrella in our car during the rainy season. So, instead of fearing the rainstorms, we went out in them. We weren’t “Storm Chasers” or anything like that. If it wasn’t like…”raining cats and dogs”(an idiom I have yet to research) where we might get into a flood situation or something, we ventured out.

We would start praying and looking for people who were in need of an umbrella. We would roll our windows down, and offer them an umbrella, a Gospel of John, a gospel tract, and a small paper that said, “No matter what the weather, Jesus loves you. The weather is always changing, but Jesus never changes!” (these were all in a baggie). They almost always took these, very gratefully. I’ll never forget this one man whom we gave one to. He told us he had just asked God for a sign, and was contemplating suicide when we drove by. Praise God that He puts people in our path, and umbrellas in our car!

Okay, now I need to go buy an umbrella for a rainy day! It seemed like we stopped having rainy days, and when we finally did, I guess my foggy brain (lack of water, right?) also took a rain check on our “Operation: Showers of Blessings”. Now, bring on the rain!

Ezekiel 34:26  “And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.”

I remember talking with a friend who had boys, when I had my first son, and telling her, “So far so good. I don’t seem to see too many differences between them.” Then at about nine or ten months, I called her and said, “I am starting to see their differences. He really is daring. After he falls, he laughs…and proceeds to do the very same thing…all over again.” I wondered if this was normal. She assured me it was “normal” for a boy. I was relieved, yet I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. Thankfully, I had my heart fixed!

I am really thankful that my boys asked for my permission before they would carry out some of their schemes. Particularly, the time Benjamin asked me if it was okay to take his three-year-old brother for a ride down the stairs! There Bradley sat…tied (with a jump rope) to a rocking chair at the top of the stairs! The funny weird thing was that Bradley was begging me to go down! I praise the Lord every time I think about what might have happened.

Then, there was the time Benjamin asked for permission to put a jump rope over the ceiling fan so he could try to fly. In all fairness, when I was a kid I thought I could fly too (I believe it was after I saw Peter Pan). So, I attempted to fly off of a desk. In reality, all I got was a scar (and a strong desire to hold off from showing this film to my kids…until they were able to separate fact from fiction).

I share these stories because I didn’t have a clue about the mischief they could do. But, they are incredibly sweet boys, and I am so glad they are mine!

Here is a recent picture of my oldest son (age 8). I heard a crash by the stairs and found him near the bottom. I said, “Son, tell me you were NOT sliding down the stairs in that thing (a pack-and-play baby bed mat)?”

His scary, and comical reply was: “Oh, no, I was just trying to see if I could climb up without my knees. This is great exercise, Mom!” He literally gave a new meaning to that pack and play, and discovered how important knees are!

I was blown away by the money we raised…$70,000. Is that awesome or what? Even in a tough economic year, we surpassed our goal of $50,000. Also, this year we became a “Five-Star Relay”! Our chair and co-chair did an excellent job. Everyone on the committee did everything they could to make this event a success. It was great working with these special people. This was the first year that I was on the committee, and my family agrees that it was worth the effort! Paige was team captain for the second year in a row, and she did an awesome job!

I was blown away by the number of people who came out, and didn’t blow this off. I was blown away by the number of people who were out there on the track in the wee hours of the night. I think the theme laps helped. Last year, there were only two teams (Partylite and us) out there (like…actually on the track) at 3:00 a.m. This year there were lots more!

I was blown away by the fact that all my kids stayed awake all night! I think Bradley crashed around 5:00 a.m., but still…that’s pretty good for a six-year-old! Also…my sweet BC and “True Love” made it through the entire night! He loved throwing the Frisbee with the guys! Also…Grandma, Nonnie, Uh-Oh, Aunt D., Aunt C., two of our high school guys, and two cousins…16 team members stayed awake all night! Four slept there for just a few hours. Also, our other team members stayed at Relay later than we expected. Way to go, team!

I was blown away by the heat in the afternoon, and blown away by the breeze that seemed to blow things away! However, eventually it was very pleasant out there. The blow-up slides were so fun! I was totally blown away when they started to blow away! Thankfully no one was hurt! I had told the man, who set them up, to stake them down, but he kinda blew me off and said that it wasn’t necessary, as they have never blown over before. Well, the “big, bad wind” taught us a lesson!

I was blown away by the amount of survivors in the luminaria ceremony slide show. This was the first slide show I have ever done, and I have to thank my children (Paige and Michelle) for helping so much! Thanks BC, for teaching them how to do MovieMaker and PowerPoint! So many people…some remembered in memory, some in honor, some in support…whose lives have been touched by cancer! Boy, I almost blew up when I couldn’t get it to play on that DVD. Thankfully, we got it to play on a laptop…thanks to Beverly. My emotions took over as the bagpipers played “Amazing Grace”, and also when they led everyone around the track. That was too cool.

I was blown away at the sight of bubbles being blown during the bubble lap (blow bubbles, not smoke). Beautiful. My daughter Paige loved this lap the best.

I was blown away by the fact that my daughter, Grace, lost her purse with her camera in it, and some one found it and gave it to her! I (yes, we are related) also lost my camera (some time b/w pinata at 1:30, and Kung Fu Fighting shortly after). I was really bummed out. I searched everywhere. BC almost blew up at me, but then settled down. I remember sitting down (it seemed like for the first time that day) and praying that I could find it. My sweet mom said, “I bet you will find it in the morning.” Well, when the sun came up…someone found it during the Fight Back ceremony…on the ground by the stage. What a praise! I was blown away by the kind and honest people we had at Relay.

I was blown away by the last hour of singing praise songs to Jesus, especially the song: “Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord”! What a song of hope, and an excellent

reminder of our source of hope. I was blown away by the Fight Back Ceremony. The best I have ever been to. I was motivated to sign the banner. I am going to get a colonoscopy this year!

I was blown away when we won an “Oscar” (as chosen by the cancer survivors) for Best Campsite for our 80′s movie: The Princess Bride. The slides were kind of like the hill they rolled down in the movie…when Wesley says, “As you wish”. We let peopIe go down as many times “as they wished”…for three dollars! Our hope was that one day cancer would be “inconceivable!”. I was also blown away when we won “Most Creative On-Site Fund-Raising Team”. Go Team! I was blown away by one team that raised $9,000. I continued to be blown away by the team that stood up and cheered for the survivors (and the walkers) as they walked by their campsite..all night! I can’t wait till next year! I applaud all of the teams! Go Relay! Before I go, I have to say that I hope cancer will one day be blown away…far, far away.