Vonerable

Right Now

Trying hard to stay in a good headspace about the dinner/bath/music practice/homework/bedtime part of the evening ahead. 

Right now it's all bikes and road rules and chilly, golden, afternoon sun.

Wandering

Big on Cards

Just road tested three new games. In one night. With tired little vonerables. My ears are still ringing. And it was F.U.N.!  

First up: Ruckus. It gets a big thumbs up from all the rugrats. It's noisy, it involves stealing, and there's no waiting for turns! If you want a game that takes a minute to learn, just a couple of minutes to play each hand, and gives you a break from Snap and Go Fish...this is IT.

Then there was Scopa, supposedly a traditional Italian card game. Not really designed for the littlest ones. I'm sure they could get the hang of it, but as there's no yelling or stealing, why would they bother? If you're looking for a new and very different game for the holidays for upper primary children, I think this is it.

 

Lastly, we had a try at Risk. Hmmm. The 10+ guide is definitely overkill, but it was out of Geronimo's (5) grasp. He pretty much cried the whole way through it: part tired, part "if I'm not winning, it's because you're all mean". I found the tiny, fally-overy pieces very irritating (I'm sure there'll be several in the vacuum cleaner bag by the end of the week) and it's not something you can play expertly from the outset. I guess that makes for a more interesting game in the long run? Disturbingly, there's something about it that unleashed my competitiveness, even more than Monopoly, though I think I did a sterling job of appearing disinterested. Since Killer hates Monopoly, I think we've found our new 'whole family-whole afternoon' board game. 

 

And you? What are your school holiday/rainy weekend card or board games?

 

Deflated

   

This is what flu would look like, yes? Except it would be floating in a sea of used tissues and butter menthol wrappers. It seems this one is a three week deal so we are more than halfway. Geronimo and I now have some antibiotics to give it the final kick so, hopefully, this time next week there will be no posting due to some overdue school holiday outings. Or just due to the myriad of school holiday traditions like painting our fingernails, building indoor cubbies, watching dvds (might have covered that one already though!), and playing board games.

I would love to know about one of your favourite school holiday traditions. Or nail polish colours. Okay?!

 

Wintersun

 

Everywhere I turn I hear this: "You have something to say. Are you the first person every to say it? Maybe not. But go ahead and say it." Am I writing this for you too? Maybe you also need to be encouraged to speak it out - despite your fear that someone, somewhere has already said it/done it and maybe done it better. Go on. Speak.

 

 

This Month's Sponsors

Too Poorly to Park

I don't ever remember the little vonerables asking to go home from the park before the grownup vonerables were ready. Sparkly and Superboy had another fever come on while we were out and could hardly walk home. Seemed like a good idea...

 

 

Did you notice the earrings? Twirly is just a bit proud of having her ears pierced. Being very old fashioned I told her it wouldn't happen until she was 13, but two special little friends have had theirs done this year and, all of a sudden, 10 seemed old enough.

 

Average of Five

I've heard it said that we are the average of the five people closest to us. Self hi-five. I must be a lot more awesome than I think! Whether I average my immediate family, my family of origin, or my closest girlfriends, I am looking goooood. Take this talented, beautiful, generous woman. We rarely catch up but when we do, I leave with a full heart knowing someone has heard me. Somehow I always feel challenged to grow too, though she never expresses it in so many words.     

 

   

And the talented bit? Remember this photo of Sparkly wearing a dress I had as a little girl? (Did I blog it?) Here it is as a drawing from my artist friend:

  

It made me cry (happy tears).

And you? What talents do you have lying dormant? Or are too nervous to 'put out there'? Imagine if she'd never shown it to me; worried that her skills were 'rusty' - crazy, I know, but that's how she felt. There was so much joy for me in seeing this picture but my friend had to ignore the "It's not good enough" voice. To hell with that...