Relief.
____________________________
Linking up with Trifexcta: 33 words to tell a story only using words from the page below.
The 33rd page of Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kitteridge.
Showing posts with label Playing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Playing. Show all posts
Friday, February 22, 2013
Hide and Seek
Standing in the back of the kitchen cupboards, quietly hidden. A sensation pricked him like needles, urgent and all but discovered. No noise, carefully still. A child peering in shouted, "Found him!"
Relief.
Relief.
Friday, August 17, 2012
small things {music-er}
small things #60 ... music-er
Lydia is strapped into her car seat. Baby S gazes appreciatively at her buddy from across the van. She bobs her head and smiles with all seven teeth, clapping her hands with enthusiasm. Lydia proudly plays Ashley's "music-er".
eeeeeeeehhhh-aaaaaaahhhhhhhh
eeeeeehhhh-uuuuuhhhhhhhhh
uuuuuuuuuu-eeeeeeeehhhhh
eeehh-uuuhh-eeehh-uuuhh-eeehhhhhhh
ooooooooeeeeeeeeeeuuuuuuhhhh!
The audience goes wild! A round of applause erupts from the middle seats of the van as Lydia begins the next song in her lengthy repertoire.
uuuuu-eeeeh-uuuuuu-eeeeh-oooooooh ...
Music-er ... even a three year old can feel like Yo Yo Ma with a harmonica on their lips!
Friday, March 23, 2012
Snapshots from Spring Break ~ Park Day!
Last Friday, Brett took the day off and we made plans to "Pretend It's Summer". Not too much of a stretch considering it was around 70 degrees outside!
We started with a trip to our favorite park and a picnic lunch and then enjoyed getting wet for a bit at our nearby Rec. Center.
Here are a few of my favorite snapshots from our almost-summer day:
Inherited my humor. And worthless arms.
We started with a trip to our favorite park and a picnic lunch and then enjoyed getting wet for a bit at our nearby Rec. Center.
Here are a few of my favorite snapshots from our almost-summer day:
While climbing over all the apparatus, the girls spent a lot of their time on the monkey bars. Ashley has crazy strong hands and arms and will happily traverse back and forth on the bars until she has worn little blisters in her hands.
Norah, not to be outdone, follows close behind. She added the extra challenge of closing her eyes. What a goofy girl!
Aaron, on the other hand, is truly my son ...
Inherited my humor. And worthless arms.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Snapshots of Spring Break ~ Games!
Last Tuesday we enjoyed a Movie Marathon. But, seeing as a post about that would consist of me describing the happily glazed over looks on my kids faces as we watched Puss 'n Boots, Mr. Popper's Penguins and, later in the evening, Hugo, I think I'll move on to Wednesday.
We invited our cousins and neighbor-buddy over for a day of games. And boy, oh boy, did we play! The day before, Norah noted down all the games we have in our house and put the slips of paper in a popcorn bucket. Then we brainstormed outside games and filled another bucket with those slips of paper. When the rest of the kids arrived, we were ready to go!
First we covered just a few rules:
1) Everybody plays every game ... even if it's a game you don't like or you don't think you're good at.
2) Be a good sport and cheer on everyone else. (Coincidentally, Kindness was the virtue of the day)
3) Have fun!
The first game we pulled from the bucket was Charades. We had filled a ziplock bag with prompts so that we didn't spend our time thinking up something to act out. Some of the answers were blurted out quickly while others required a few pointers from the adults. The kids were great about cheering on the "charader" ... it was a great warm-up to our game marathon!
Before we got bored of acting out "Wizard of Oz" and "Phineas & Ferb" we quickly moved on the next game ... and the next and the next and the next.
Some games took just a few minutes to play through, like Hat Stackers Memory Game, while Ticket to Ride was the 2-hour tournament that kept the big kids busy through nap time. (My kids still talk about the train game ... looks like we have a new family game to purchase!)
It was fun to see the kids enjoying one another and playing some of their favorite games. The laughter and giggles were music to my ears. I also loved that we didn't hear the words, "I'm bored" all day. They never had a chance to get bored because we kept them busy, busy, busy!
My favorite games of the day were outside.
Just before lunch, we drew Obstacle Course ~ Outside from the popcorn bucket. Within a few minutes we had pulled our mini-trampoline out into the driveway, rounded up frisbees and beanbags, and set up some cones for the scooter-portion of the race. It was a hodge-podge of tricks and skills that everyone could do and it was a delight to see all the kids maneuver through the course being cheered and encouraged with each bounce, skip and scoot! My mom actually has a mini-video of me demonstrating the course ... but I'm far too proud to share that with you. The kids did it better anyways!
At the end of the day, the kids were getting twitchy so we headed out to the front yard again. After a little game of Keep the Beach Ball In the Air (that is it's technical name...) we pulled out our big frisbee, a Skyo, and played a random game of 500. Without the trouble of keeping score.
It was fun to see the kids laughing as they vied to catch the big orange frisbee. Seeing as the boys were bigger and brawnier than the girls, we had to handicap them a few rounds to give the girls a chance. One time they had to stand with one hand behind their backs, cross their legs and hop. Another time they had to put their hiney's on the fence while the girls got to stand closer to me as I tossed it in the air. Still another time, they had to lay on their bellies until the frisbee was airborne. Remarkably, in spite of these severe disadvantages, the girls still couldn't seem to catch it! And that was even more funny!
I was thrilled to see that during these two particular outside events, the kids had positive attitudes and truly cheered on their opponents. (Or at least 98.57% of the time!) In the midst of a lot of silliness, laughter and goofiness, kindness stole the show!
In fact, that I have decided to begin researching more games for this summer's Game Days. So, if you find yourself looking for something to do on Wednesdays come June, the odds are good that we'll be hosting another Game Day and you're welcome to join us. Just be sure to bring a snack, your excitement for playing, a good attitude and a kind spirit ... we'll provide the rest!
We invited our cousins and neighbor-buddy over for a day of games. And boy, oh boy, did we play! The day before, Norah noted down all the games we have in our house and put the slips of paper in a popcorn bucket. Then we brainstormed outside games and filled another bucket with those slips of paper. When the rest of the kids arrived, we were ready to go!
First we covered just a few rules:
1) Everybody plays every game ... even if it's a game you don't like or you don't think you're good at.
2) Be a good sport and cheer on everyone else. (Coincidentally, Kindness was the virtue of the day)
3) Have fun!
The first game we pulled from the bucket was Charades. We had filled a ziplock bag with prompts so that we didn't spend our time thinking up something to act out. Some of the answers were blurted out quickly while others required a few pointers from the adults. The kids were great about cheering on the "charader" ... it was a great warm-up to our game marathon!
Before we got bored of acting out "Wizard of Oz" and "Phineas & Ferb" we quickly moved on the next game ... and the next and the next and the next.
 |
| The boys in the midst of an intense game of Minotaurus. |
Meanwhile ...
 |
| The girls playing a cut-throat game of Spot It. |
Some games took just a few minutes to play through, like Hat Stackers Memory Game, while Ticket to Ride was the 2-hour tournament that kept the big kids busy through nap time. (My kids still talk about the train game ... looks like we have a new family game to purchase!)
 |
| That's a lot of train cars! And smiles! |
It was fun to see the kids enjoying one another and playing some of their favorite games. The laughter and giggles were music to my ears. I also loved that we didn't hear the words, "I'm bored" all day. They never had a chance to get bored because we kept them busy, busy, busy!
 |
| Even the little ones kept busy with puzzles. Lots of them! |
My favorite games of the day were outside.
Just before lunch, we drew Obstacle Course ~ Outside from the popcorn bucket. Within a few minutes we had pulled our mini-trampoline out into the driveway, rounded up frisbees and beanbags, and set up some cones for the scooter-portion of the race. It was a hodge-podge of tricks and skills that everyone could do and it was a delight to see all the kids maneuver through the course being cheered and encouraged with each bounce, skip and scoot! My mom actually has a mini-video of me demonstrating the course ... but I'm far too proud to share that with you. The kids did it better anyways!
At the end of the day, the kids were getting twitchy so we headed out to the front yard again. After a little game of Keep the Beach Ball In the Air (that is it's technical name...) we pulled out our big frisbee, a Skyo, and played a random game of 500. Without the trouble of keeping score.
It was fun to see the kids laughing as they vied to catch the big orange frisbee. Seeing as the boys were bigger and brawnier than the girls, we had to handicap them a few rounds to give the girls a chance. One time they had to stand with one hand behind their backs, cross their legs and hop. Another time they had to put their hiney's on the fence while the girls got to stand closer to me as I tossed it in the air. Still another time, they had to lay on their bellies until the frisbee was airborne. Remarkably, in spite of these severe disadvantages, the girls still couldn't seem to catch it! And that was even more funny!
I was thrilled to see that during these two particular outside events, the kids had positive attitudes and truly cheered on their opponents. (Or at least 98.57% of the time!) In the midst of a lot of silliness, laughter and goofiness, kindness stole the show!
In fact, that I have decided to begin researching more games for this summer's Game Days. So, if you find yourself looking for something to do on Wednesdays come June, the odds are good that we'll be hosting another Game Day and you're welcome to join us. Just be sure to bring a snack, your excitement for playing, a good attitude and a kind spirit ... we'll provide the rest!
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people,
holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves
with compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience.
(Colossians 3:12)
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
We Played. A lot.
For the week after Christmas, I set myself three goals:
Play with the kids,
Knit,
Read.
I am happy to report that I did all three!
It was glorious to not have school, gymnastics or anything else dictating to us schedules and routines. We got dressed when we wanted to. We ate meals when we got hungry. We traipsed outside when the sun was highest (and almost warm). We played repeated games of Pirate Fluxx ... "Aarrgh, Matey, we be plundering your booty!" And we did this:
I knitted. And knitted some more. And still have knitting to do. I am three-quarters of the way through a fire engine red infinity scarf and I'm excited to finish it up and wear it! (It's sorta like this ... but made by my slow and fumbly fingers.) Here's hoping the final several inches of this scarf can be finished before the sweltering summer sun makes the scarf silly!
And I read. A few times more than I intended. One afternoon as I sat snuggled in the recliner, I told Ashley that as soon as I finished the chapter I would join her in a game. She got distracted with a baby doll and I got sucked in again. Twenty minutes later she inquired if I was still on the same chapter. I sheepishly apologized and forced myself to put the book down. At the next available moment, however, I was right back in.
It's entirely possible that I am the last person on the planet to get involved in the Hunger Games Trilogy. And I'm okay with that. :) I had actually finished the first book just before Christmas. As I turned the final pages, I was relieved and uncertain about continuing on with the second book. I was both intrigued and disturbed by the story. The intrigue won out.
Now I'm just biding my time until the kids get back to school to start the final book. My goal is to not neglect my children too much and to get to sleep before midnight. I'll let you know how it goes!
This break was bliss, but I'm looking forward to getting back to our normal ... whatever that is! :)
Play with the kids,
Knit,
Read.
I am happy to report that I did all three!
It was glorious to not have school, gymnastics or anything else dictating to us schedules and routines. We got dressed when we wanted to. We ate meals when we got hungry. We traipsed outside when the sun was highest (and almost warm). We played repeated games of Pirate Fluxx ... "Aarrgh, Matey, we be plundering your booty!" And we did this:
I knitted. And knitted some more. And still have knitting to do. I am three-quarters of the way through a fire engine red infinity scarf and I'm excited to finish it up and wear it! (It's sorta like this ... but made by my slow and fumbly fingers.) Here's hoping the final several inches of this scarf can be finished before the sweltering summer sun makes the scarf silly!
And I read. A few times more than I intended. One afternoon as I sat snuggled in the recliner, I told Ashley that as soon as I finished the chapter I would join her in a game. She got distracted with a baby doll and I got sucked in again. Twenty minutes later she inquired if I was still on the same chapter. I sheepishly apologized and forced myself to put the book down. At the next available moment, however, I was right back in.
It's entirely possible that I am the last person on the planet to get involved in the Hunger Games Trilogy. And I'm okay with that. :) I had actually finished the first book just before Christmas. As I turned the final pages, I was relieved and uncertain about continuing on with the second book. I was both intrigued and disturbed by the story. The intrigue won out.
Now I'm just biding my time until the kids get back to school to start the final book. My goal is to not neglect my children too much and to get to sleep before midnight. I'll let you know how it goes!
This break was bliss, but I'm looking forward to getting back to our normal ... whatever that is! :)
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