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31 Days of December: Ideas to Make Each Day Special

31 Days of December: Ideas to Make Each Day Special

Just a few ideas of special ways to make December special and memorable...

Early in the month:

1. Create an iTunes Playlist of your favorite Christmas Carols and Holiday Music and then share a CD of the favorites with family or friends.

2. Attend the local Christmas Tree Lighting or Christmas parade.  

3. Participate in an Angel Tree by giving gifts for a child in need.  We not only love this tradition but also really enjoyed helping wrap presents for the local Angel Tree as a family last year. 

4. Go Christmas shopping for the family with the grandparents at the Dollar Store.  Our kids treasured this special shopping trip with Gram and Poppy that also includes a lunch date.  The kids are given a dollar for each family recipient and then set about shopping for the perfect dollar store gift for each person.  This has turned into a great tradition and as the kids get older, the gifts bring on great creativity and often times, fits of laughter.

5. Head to the hills to a favorite tree farm and hunt for then cut down your own tree.  We pack up our hot cocoa and some special holiday goodies, snow picnic-style.  One year we decked out the kids in all their winter coats, hats, gloves, snow boots and when we arrived up the mountain, the sun was shining and the kids melted from the heat.

 

31 Days: December To Do List - Our Annual Christmas Tree Hunt circa 2007

 

6. Conduct good deeds to accumulate straw for the manger.  My favorite tradition is one my mom started when we were little.  We use a Nativity set and we leave baby Jesus put away until Christmas morning.  All month, we encourage good deeds by all the family members. For each good deed, another piece of straw is added to the manger. The whole family is working together to make the manger cozy with added straw for each good deed. On Christmas morning, Jesus is put into the manger overflowing with straw.

For each good deed, a new piece of straw is added to the manger for Jesus' arrival Christmas morning.

7. Light Up Your Community with 50 Ideas to Light Up Your Community with Kindness to include sidewalk chalk greetings to treats and posters of gratitude to paying for someone’s Starbucks.  Have a playdate to work on working on ways that you can spread cheer.

8. Read The 13 Day of Christmas or Christmas Jars by Jason F. Wright as a family.  We are currently reading the Christmas Jars and are feeling inspired to start our own jars for next year.

9. Dress up for a fancy, candlelight Christmas dinner one night (it’s okay if it’s mac and cheese…just do it).  This could be a good refresher to practice manners.  My kids are still trying to catch each other making "frog eyes" while drinking...a lesson from a previous manner meal. Consider having a meal with all appetizers such as these Best Christmast Appetizer Recipes for our favorite Christmas Crack: Cheesy Garlic Bread Appetizer;  Blue Cheese and Hazlenut Bruschetta; Granny's Vermouth Cocktail Sausages;  Olive Cheese Balls or the Best Spinach Dip Ever (it doesn't have mayo)!

10. Make a Christmas Ornament Journal to tell the history behind each ornament.  Take a photo of the ornament as it is added to the collection each year and fill out a litle index card on why it was purchased, who purchased it or was gifted the ornament and the significance.

 

Miss Bella loves decorating for the holidays!

 

11. Make or find an ornament each year that represents their activity of the year (soccer, basketball, ballet) or a favorite memory of that year (getting braces, a family trip) and write the date on the ornament.  One year I hung Miss B's ballet slippers from her first year of ballet on the tree with the date and her name as an ornament.   

12. Wrap Christmas books in butcher paper and put in a tote to unwrap and then read every day.  

13. Trace the kid’s hands on the Christmas tree skirt and date it to watch the growth over the years.  I started out putting their hands in gold fabric paint when they were little.  It makes me cry when I pull it out.  One family has traced the kids' hands on the back of their tree skirt with a Sharpie pen on the bottom of their tree skirt to keep track of the changes.

14. Draw names to make an "Angel Gift" for the person you drew.  The rules are that the supplies cannot cost more than $10 and the gift has to be handmade.

15. Display a photo in a frame for every single Christmas to be on display all month.

 

The first year as a newly blended family, I loved the idea of color-coordinated outfits!

 

16. Put a nail with a ribbon on the tree. Poem: "This is the Christmas Nail. It is to be hung on a sturdy branch, a branch near the trunk, a branch that will hold such a spike without being noticed by well-wishers dropping by to admire one's tinseled tree. The nail is know only to the home that hangs it. Understood only by the heart that knows its significance. It is hung with the thought: The Christmas tree but foreshadows the Christ tree which only He could decorate for us, with nails such as this."

17. Shop for Stocking Stuffers early.  Here’s a great list for teenage boys.

18. Host an Ornament Gift Exchange!  For many years my mom hosted an Annual Ornament Gift Exchange similar to the goofy White Elephant gift exchange swap.  Each participant brought a wrapped ornament and after drawing numbers, the ornament would be unveiled or stolen.  

19. Get a family photo taken of all the grandkids for the grandparents. 

20. Hide the Christmas Pickle in the tree. As teenagers, my kids still love to hunt for the Christmas Pickle hiding amongst the tree branches.

21. Buy a new Christmas Movie and hide it via a Scavenger Hunt.

22. Have a “favorite things” party with sister-in-laws/friends. Everyone brings a few of their "favorite things" and you have a gift exchange to swap everything from household cleaning supplies and make-up can't-live-withouts to favorite holiday sweets or favorite accessories.

23. Write a love note and put it under the pillow of someone in the family.

24. Do a random act of kindness for someone at school or work.

25. Plant paperwhites. 

26. Make Friendship Fruitcake Starter  and then share with friends.

27. Spend an evening by the light of the tree.  There is something really special about having the house aglow in holiday lights during December.  Turn off all the other lights, lighting candles as necessary, and spend an evening doing activities via candlelight and the glow of the tree.

28. Draw a candlelight bubble bath for your kids or yourself.

29. Make a plate of goodies, this Cherry Eggnog Bread , these Chocolate-Covered Cherry Brownie Cups or even a lasagna and homemade bread for teachers, the firemen or police.

30. Host a wine and wrapping party.   Invite your girlfriends over to wrap presents together.

31. Print Christmas Jokes for lunch bags and calendars.

12 Days Prior to Christmas:

1. Surprise your spouse with the Spouse Christmas Countdown , the 12 Days of Christmas Gifts for your Husband, the 12 Dates of Christmas or check out my 12 Days of Christmas Pinterest board ideas.  

2. Treat a special family or friends to a 12 Days of Christmas surprise.  The Dating Divas  http://www.thedatingdivas.com/lisa-m/the-12-days-of-christmas/ has a cute 12 Days of Christmas activity that costs less than $30 for gifts to go with all 12 days for a lucky family of your choosing.

3. Host our own SUV Express!  After reading Polar Express or watching the movie, have the kids get ready for bed and in their jammies.  While making the tuck-in rounds, present a golden ticket and whisk them off to the sounds of Christmas music for an evening adventure.  First stop is at a Dariy Queen to get a Blizzard for everyone to enjoy as you make the trek to see holiday lights throughout the town!  Our kids love to vote on the "best" display of the year.  It would be fun to have some type of award drawn up to share with the owner of what our family has voted the "best display" for the year.

4. For the girls – have sparkling cider and give each other pedicures for a home Spa Night while watching a sappy Hallmark Christmas love story.  

For the guys – have a video games, wings and soda night. 

5. Visit a Living Nativity.

6. Make a "Reasons why I love you" paper chain. Make Gingerbread Pancakes with Lemon Sauce.

Simmer the scents of Christmas on your stove.

 On Christmas Eve:

7. Write what you plan to do in the coming year as a thank you and birthday present for baby Jesus.  We store these in a golden star box and open them to read them each year.

8. Attend a candlelight Christmas service.

9. Open an early present on Christmas Eve.  Our kids always get to open their new jammies on Christmas Eve.  It makes for cute photos on Christmas morning too!

10. Read the Christmas story from Luke on Christmas Eve.

 11. Sing a song outside at night to a shining star and remember loved ones who are no longer here to celebrate with us.

12. Prepare an elaborate plate of holiday goodies and savory snacks for Santa to include a special beverage to quench his thirst.  Veggies for the reindeer are always a good snack that we often find bits outside the next day as evidence of the reindeer visit.

On Christmas Day: 

Serve the traditional Christmas Breakfast: Sausage Rolls, Sausage Egg Casserole, Cinnamon Rolls, Fruit Cocktail, Fuzzy Navels and Sparkling Cider.

Sing Christmas carols around the piano in memory of our Granny.

Give a new Family Game each year to play on Christmas night and a new puzzle the kids can work for the rest of the break from school.

Play Family Christmas Minute to Win It - a game night with extended family members.  Plan Minute to Win It Christmas party games or this family's fun Minute-to-Win-It competition.

Take turns swinging at a Pinata stuffed with special lottery tickets and holiday candies.  My parents started this tradition years ago and we all fight over the See's candy, lottery tickets and the cash!

 After Christmas:

Host a Post-Christmas Potluck party the week after Christmas when families are winding down and have more free-time to fellowship.

 Write thank you notes on the back of photos of the kids with their gifts, either playing with them or posing in the clothes they received.  Or Use the Postagram service to send thank you notes with your child wearing or playing with the gift given to them.

 

Don't forget to have the kids write thank you notes!

 

Take a photo of everyone in their Santa hats, the goofier, the better.

After Christmas, reuse the leftover wrapping paper to wrap your holiday books for next year's daily unveiling of a holiday book.

 Have a picnic by the Christmas Tree with only the Christmas tree lights on in the house.

Hold a Christmas Photo Scavenger Hunt in which the kids and friends have to pose in photos next to traditional Christmas or holiday items.  

 

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20 Perfect Family Gift Ideas for the Holidays

Need an idea for a family for a holiday gift?

 

Here are 20 Perfect Family Gift Ideas for the Holidays

Some of our favorite family gifts we have received have been gift certificates or tickets to go have adventures and experiences together as a family.  From family memberships at Children's Museums and the Zoo to outings and trips to take together - we have definitely made some rich family memories, thanks to family gifts such as these mentioned below. 

I've put together a list of ideas families of all ages would enjoy.

 

The gift of time spent together...

 

 

1. These two books give great inspiration for experiences you should share with your kids.  101 Things You Should Do Before Your Kids Leave Home or 100 Things Kids Should See and Do (Or Else They Will Never Leave Home)

These two books have great ideas to spend quality time together.

 

 

 

2. A family pass to an area pool or many local pools have punch cards that can be used on a per-visit basis.

Gift certificates to water parks are always a hit!

 

3. Tickets to a Cultural Experience such as a Native American Pow Wow, a Jazz Festival or an Art Show.

Cultural experiences such as this Native American Pow Wow

4. Passes to an aquarium.

5. A membership or passes to a Children's Museum. Many Children's Museums and Zoos have reciprocal relationships with other museums and zoos across the country.  When our kids were younger, we had a membership to a Children's Museum and a nearby zoo with reciprocal relationship with other fun museums in an hour radius of our local museum which made for great adventures.  This makes a welcome gift for young families, providing easy access to educational outings.

 

A Visit to a Children's Art Museum - OMSI in Portland, Oregon

6. A gift certificate for a day at the mountain with lift tickets for snow skiing or snow boarding or even a beginner or advanced class. Or tickets to spend a day tubing down a mountain.

 

LIft tickets for snow skiing or snowboarding

 

7. A gift certificate for an art class or a day at an art studio.

We spent many visits at the Masterpiece Art Studio in Portland, Oregon.

 

8. Passes to visit an interactive garden or outdoor horticulture exhibit. We are lucky to have the Oregon Garden near us and we have enjoyed seasonal events, activities and the Children's Museum especially.

The Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon is a stunning destination for all ages.

 

9. Entry fees or passes to wildlife exhibits. The High Desert Museum in Bend is an example of a fun, interactive destination for kids to learn about wildlife native to high desert along with history of the area.

The High Desert Museum, Bend, Oregon

 

High Desert Museum, Bend, Oregon

 

10. Entry passes to area or regional tourist attractions. The World of Coke in Atlanta, Georgia, which was a personal favorite of mine.

World of Coca-Cola, Atlanta, Georgia

 

Museum of Flight, Seattle, Washinton

 

11. Family Memberships to a Zoo or tickets to a game park. One year we were gifted a family pass to the Oregon Zoo and we absolutely loved being able to visit the animals frequently. We are huge fans of Bandon's West Coast Game Park Safari.

12. Tickets to Sporting Events. Connor has received tickets to an NBA game, college basketball and college football games as he is such a sport buff and has loved the special memories collected from each event.

University of Oregon Duck Game

 

13. Tickets to Amusement Parks. My parents treated us to a trip to Disneyland and California Adventure the first Christmas that we had blended our family and it was one of our best family vacations ever. Many friends have surprised their kids with trips to Disneyland or Disneyworld and have not told them where they were headed until arriving at their destination. I love this idea and would love to pull of a surprise trip some time with our kids.

Disneyland, Anaheim, California

 

14. Tickets to Indoor or Outdoor Wave Parks. We are lucky to live fairly close to Great Wolf Lodge and McMinnville, Oregon's Evergreen Wings & Waves Waterpark which is not only fun but a great educational waterpark.

Evergreen Wings and Waves Waterpark, McMinnville, Oregon

 

15. Movie Tickets or a subscription to Netflix. Although families may not be interacting during the movie, there is always time for great discussions after movies or during movie breaks while watching at home. We watched Downton Abbey with the kids during one holiday vacation and had such a good time talking about the characters and the historical period.

 

A subscription to Netflix

 

16. Tickets to a play, musical or a concert.

 

17. Passes to play paintball together. Even our girls are huge fans of playing paintball together. 

These two are huge fans of playing paintball.

 

 

Here are a few gift items that can be picked up in local bookstores or toy stores (or ordered via Amazon, my crutch, during busy holiday seasons).

 

18. Outdoor Games families can play together.  My parents gifted our kids a tetherball pole set, volleyball set and a wiffleball set over the years and they have all led to fun family challenges.

 

19. Family Time Fun's Dinner Games and Activities have activities that families can do during the dinner hour.  These have been a big hit in our house!

Family Time Fun's Dinner Games

 

 

20. Family Games are always a sure bet. Fun family-friendly games we love include Qwirkle, Blokus, Kadoo, Sequence, Rummikub, Scattergories, Taboo, Bunco, Apples to Apples and WhooNu but I would be remiss to not include our kids' all-time favorites, Monopoly and Yahtzee.  Watch out for the game, Beat the Parents if you are one who doesn't like to lose!  The kids LOVE this game, the parents typcially lose.  It makes for some good laughs though.

 

Do you know how many hours I have played Monopoly as a parent? I would not trade that time for anything.

 

Family Game Night

 

Good luck and happy gifting!

 

What are your family favorite gift ideas that you have gifted or received?

 

 

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Our 25 Favorite Read-Aloud Family Books Perfect for Summer

 

Did you know that regular read-alouds dramatically increase academic achievement?

It's true and summer is a perfect time to read-aloud and help your favorite kids find the "absolutely terrific, glued-to-the-page books"! 

 

I miss the days of curling up on the couch with my kids for our nightly ritual of reading a book together. For those of you lucky enough to be in that age "zone", although Miss Bella sometimes still lets me read to her (from her teen-selected books, of course), I've compiled some of our family's favorite titles for you to check out at the library or your favorite bookstore.

When my kids were younger, I would check out stacks of books from the library and give them read-aloud "previews" of the selected books. I would not show them the title of the books, rather, I would read the first chapter or two of a book (under a blanket, mind you) and then let the four kids vote on their favorites. 

For school age books starting in 3rd grade many states sponsor "Battle of the Books" competitions. Regardless if your kids participate in these reading/comprehension challenges or not, I have found the lists to be great resources for some of the best books that are hits with kids as well as educational in scope.

Here are a few links to some of the examples of these Battle of the Books lists that are typically selected by school librarians or reading specialists. The books are engaging, popular, represent different genres and typically are kid-favorites. The lists range from grade school (grades 3-5), middle school (grades 6-8) and even high school (grades 9-12).

 

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat was a Battle of the Book list required book that I loved as much as the kids!

One of my all-time favorite read-aloud books.

 

 

 

Younger Kids

 

Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry and The Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood (also authors of the great Napping House series) - Younger kids love this depiction of how a little mouse will do anything to save his luscious strawberry from a big, hungry bear with a surprise ending.

 

Lucky Pennies and Hot Chocolate by Carol Diggory Shields - I love the excitement that a young boy has in anticipation of his grandpa visits as it reminds me so much of my "little guy" Connor's love for his grandpa, "Poppy" and all the special things they do together.

 

We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen (and Owl Babies, also by Rosen) - Some of you may remember this camp hand song that builds on each crazy predicament after another but for the younger set, this visually appealing book will captivate.

 

The Very Kind Rich Lady with One Hundred Dogs by Chinlun Lee - You will love this story of the woman with 100 dogs, reading the various dog's names and seeing her cuddling with all her dogs.

 

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff (Any from Laura Numeroff) - Oh no! What happens when you give a mouse a cookie? One crazy thing after another unfolds and you and your readers can laugh along together at any of Laura Numeroff's crazy series of books.

 

What Do You Say Dear by Maurice Sendak. This book teaches manners better than any other. I loved posing the far-fetched questions to my kids as it was a classic from my childhood as well. 

 

Dear Bear by Joanna Harrison - This book really helped night time fears disappear with the letter writing between the scary bear living under the stairs and a little girl.

 

Sweet Dream Pie by Audrey Wood - I think my kids loved imagining the pie made with every sweet ingredient they loved - think candy, like gumdrops and licorice, with chocolate and powdered sugar oozing out of a dreamy pie.

 

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson - This great read aloud tells what happens when a hibernating brown bear wakes up in a deep, dark lair after a long, cold winter.

 

The Hat , Gingerbread Baby and The Mitten by Jan Brett - actually anything by Jan is amazing! The illustrations are gorgeous and often have "hidden" pictures to discover as you turn each page. I love all of Jan Brett's books but these three are probably our favorite to read aloud.

 

Tough Boris by Mem Fox - Even pirates cry. Any book by Mem Fox is going to be a good one but this one is particularly clever and reaffirming for anyone that has had to face the loss of a pet.

 

It's the Bear! by Jez Alborough - Great suspense builds in this cute story, perfect for pre-school aged kids three and up.

 

The Dog Who Had Kittens by Polly M. Roberts - This book gorgeously illustrates how Baxter the Basset Hound comes to the rescue of kittens who have lost their mama.

 

Goldilocks and the Three Bears by James Marshall is a great rendition of the famous story that also won the Caldecott Honor.

 

A Book of Letters by Ken Wilson-Max - was a favorite of my kids for years as the interactive lift-the-flaps and "real letters" invited participation into the read-aloud session.

 

In A Cabin In A Wood adapated by Darcie McNally - I personally always loved reading this sing-song adaptation of the familiar camp song in which animals seek shelter from a hunter in a little cabin in the woods.

 

A little bit older... (Kindergarten to grade 3)

 

The Real Story of the Three Little Pigs - by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. I love how this story swaps the perspective of the famous 3 little pigs to the wolf. Adults will get just as much enjoyment as the kids from this story.

Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin - truly takes you on the illustrated day to day life of a worm as depicted in a journal.

 

Peppe the Lamplighter by Ted Lewin - This great historical fiction story tells the story from a poor immigrant child's job of lighting lamps (street lights) in Little Italy in the early 1900s New York City. You will love the gorgeous illustrations along with the uplifting story reinforcing hard work and family values.

 

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig - This classic Caldecott award-winning tale about  Sylvester Duncan who loved to collect pebbles has a great moral about making wishes.

 

Mirrette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully takes place in Paris at a boarding house blending retired tight rope walker, Bellini with a young Mirrette and the interwoven relationship between the two and the topic of fear vs. confidence.

 

Miss Tizzy by Libba Moore Gray shares a sweet story about Miss Tizzy, the neighborhoods favorite elderly lady and the way she made each day extra special.

 

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka- I'll never forget my kid's reaction when I read the "S" word (which in our house was a swear word)! This crazy, silly story is just the remedy for reluctant readers and boys who think they don't like reading stories.

 

Fanny's Dream by Caralyn Buehner- I loved this book that strays from the traditional notion of marrying a prince and happily ever after. Instead the book focuses on what is truly important in a happy life.

 

Those Icky Sticky Smelly Cavity-Causing but...Invisible Germs by Judith Anne Rice - I think every dentist office needs to have a copy of this book that illustrates the germs that cause cavities and how easy it is to simply brush the "bad guy" germs away.

 

Grade School to Middle School

 

The Wish Giver - Four wishes granted to four small-town folks with no trade backs. We read this one night while on vacation. We couldn't stop. We ended up staying up way past bedtime until we finished the book. All four of my kids adored this book and all the voices that I had to assume while reading it aloud.

 

From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg - This was my own childhood favorite so I couldn't wait to read it to my own kids.

 

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein - This book has made me so mad at the boy that takes and takes from that sweet tree but I love it all the same and think it is a perfect book to teach about relationships and the importance of giving expecting nothing in return. 

 

The Islander by Cynthia Rylant - This treasure of a story can be read in a single setting and will appeal to tweens and teens alike. Set in British Columbia on an island with a 10 year old orphaned boy, The Islander spins an interesting mystery with a magical love story that is hard to put down.

 

Gwinna by Barbara Helen Berger - This magical book will move you with the enchanted words, stunning artwork and the story of an abandoned girl paired with a woman longing for a baby accepting a gift from the owls with the condition that the girl be returned on her 12th birthday.

 

Thumbelina - Tiny Runaway Bride by Barbara Ensor (With the subtitle - a quick read for smart girls.) You may think you know the story of Thumbelina, star of Hans Christian Andersen tale about a tiny girl and a swallow, however, this book's interactive questions will keep you wanting to turn the pages in this quick chapter book we adored.

 

Choose Your Own Adventure Series - These books can be found in any library and make for a quick read. Be sure to designate who selects or takes turns choosing different endings to these engaging stories that can have countless different stories unfolding in one book depending upon what choices readers make as they read each page.

 

Tweens and Teens

 

Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio by Peg Kehret - This book is precious and profound. It totally moved Miss Bella. She ended up selecting it as her "book of the year" and reenacted the story for a report. This true story stars middle school girl, 12-year old Peg, who contracts polio in 1949 then depicts how she navigates the initial paralysis and eventually learns to walk. This book was our first Peg Kehret book and I am pretty certain we became such fans that we have read almost all her books in print.

 

A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz - My friend Jennifer, who teaches high school English, read this to her students and encouraged us to read this book when my kids were in the 4-6th grade range. My two youngest were a little more "scared" while reading it but they still could not wait to urge me to "turn the page". We ended up gifting a copy of this to our school library and then later bought the sequel, which is all a page-turner. This story twists the typical Grimm fairy tales into a thrilling story filled with warnings to not turn the page. It's a must read!

 

Savvy by Ingrid Law - What if your Grandpa moves mountains, one of your brother's causes hurricanes, another creates electricity and now it's your turn to turn 13 and acquire your secret, magical power? This must read book spins fantasy and reality into a great tween book that will keep even reluctant readers captive. 

 

Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman - My tweens and young teens loved this book that had us reading a chapter each night followed by a "clue" that we had to receive by watching a video on the computer to help uncover this captivating mystery. Warning that this book can be a bit scary for those that get nightmares easily.

 

I.Q. by Roland Smith - This page turning thriller unravels a great mystery when Q and his half sister spend the night in the White House with kidnappings, spies, terrorists and bombings - not for the faint of heart but intriguing for reluctant readers to delve into, for sure!

 

 

 P.S. Okay, okay - I'll admit my list has more than 25 books because I have so many favorites! I hope there is something for everyone this way. I could have made a list of 100 favorites!

 

 

What are your favorite read-aloud books?

 

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10 Confessions on the 10th {Keeping It Real Series}

 As part of my "Keeping It Real Series", here are my "10 Confessions" for the 10th of May:

1. Raising four teenagers.

Need I say more? No, seriously, I love this age of child-rearing but there is so much stretching and growing and letting go when you are not ready. I truly love spending time with my kids. For the most part, they seem to like to hang with us too. I just get the aching feeling that I am not going to deal well when the day comes for them to leave the nest.

My friends with older kids keep telling me that everyone will be ready, including me, but I just cannot imagine that day. I cried when my parents dropped me off at my college dorm room. Not just a few tears, I sobbed. Maybe I'm just not so great with transitions?

 

There are *several* other shelves below these...and more on another shelf...and more in my office...and more in the bedroom in a ready-to-read basket.

2. Cookbook obsession.

I'm obsessed with cookbooks. I may have mentioned my obsession with cookbooks before but I fall in love with each cookbook in some fashion. I prefer to read cookbooks from start to finish, in bed, with a notepad and sticky notes nearby to mark each recipe I plan to taste. I am feeling especially lucky as my Uncle Harlan handpicks cookbooks he knows that I am going to LOVE and sends them my way.

Cookbook treasures arrived from my Uncle Harlan!

 

I was the recent recipient of this stack of lovelies and I will have you know that the Barefoot in Paris cookbook was the missing book in my Barefoot Contessa-obsessed cookbook collection!

My new favorite cookbook "of the moment"! This is a beautiful book!

My uncle also sent this incredible cookbook, Dorie Greenspan's Baking Chez Moi: Recipes From My Paris Home to You Anywhere, and I've been pouring over this treasure and can't wait until the Hubs is done dieting to taste many of these sweets! If you can, you must just at least peek inside this treasure-trove of gorgeous desserts. Ahhh-mazing!

3. Cookie Butter is my secret love!

 

 

My downfall...cookie butter!

 

I am in love with cookie butter in all forms. First it was the Biscoff Cookie Butter, then the Trader Joe's Cookie Butter filled cookies and now, gulp, this is the worst one yet - the Ben & Jerry's Speculoos Cookie Butter Ice Cream. Gah! Watch out waistline. I must not walk down the freezer aisle until next winter. It's wayyyy to good!

These are amazing! Trader Joe's paired delicate melt-in-your-mouth butter cookies with their Cookie Butter!

 

 4. A new driver in the house.

Here's the new driver on his actual 16th birthday - a home basketball game (thus the duds).

Okay, I can finally talk about this one publicly. It was scary for the first month of having my 16-year old brand-new driver peel out of the driveway each morning with his sister in tow. Like really scary. Granted an added fear factor was the weather in February in this neck of the woods. We are talking ice...black ice that you can't see, even more daunting for a new, less-experienced driver. Grateful that my dad was willing to do some practice "skids" and ice "cookies" in the high school parking lot last winter with him. I would have been white-knuckled (which is what happened on nearly every practice drive...even on the back, country roads).

Thankfully he's a responsible kid but as a parent with a new driver it's as if you revert back to the baby days - less sleep (waiting up for them), worried that they may hurt themselves, feeling as if you don't know what you are doing as a parent. And I will be really honest here. What I am really missing now that he is driving is our one-on-one car time when I drove him to and from school and every sports activity. I miss his candor and his play-by-play of his day. A lot.

5. Proud.

Racing for her middle school 4x400 relay team.

I know it's not a good practice to be proud, but I am admitting that I'm really darn proud of this girl. I'm not sure where she came from with her speed, tenacity, confidence, beauty, love of science, observant, funny disposition and her sassy-lawyer-like persistence but I am keeping her. This baby of the house, is certainly the most self-sufficient young lady. If she's hungry, she whips up a meal. If she's bored, she whips up a science experiment or mixes up a concoction she has found on Pinterest.

If she wants to do something, she will do everything in her strong-willed power to make it happen. She's stubborn but she gets her work done, she nurtures others and she has deep insight, is loyal and has an uncanny ability to know if someone is struggling and to tell you exactly what she thinks, counselor-style. I adore her.

Miss Bella

6. I'm out of shape.

Earlier this week, I was racing against the clock to pick the kids up for an appointment to get their passports because a very strict person on the other end of the phone had told me to be at the designated appointment no later than 3:00. That being said, I left myself 45 minutes to pick up both kids from their respective middle and high school and to make my way 25 minutes away. After driving behind every slow tractor, vehicle, bus and finally making it to said schools, I had to race into the high school at full sprint (there were also zero parking spots in the entire parking lot so I had to park a half a mile away).

Needless to say, that full bore running turned me into one panting, sweaty hot mess. When the high school doors opened and I stumbled in, I realized I am SO OUT OF SHAPE! Connor had the nerve to question why I felt the need to run, while he sauntered along at a snail's pace beside me. Needless to say, we made it to our appointment with 5 minutes to spare. Phew!

7. Altoids make me sneeze.

And I almost always only sneeze in sets of three. (I used to tell my kids that it was me sneezing I love you.) I did get voted most unusual sneeze in high school my senior year. I blame seasonal allergies.

8. I loved the new Cinderella movie.

We loved Cinderella! Glad I took the photo after the movie.

 

My nephew, who stated he didn't want to attend a "girl movie", obliged attending this movie (only because Uncle Todd and my dad, Poppy were going so there were more boys than girls in attendance). Let me tell you that he was on the edge of his seat. So was I. It was wonderfully done with great acting, costumes and magic.

 

9. This quote resonates with me right now.

Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure.

We had a crazy February-March this year with a roof leak turning into an "ordeal", err..."adventure"! All of our furniture (except the bed) was packed into pods and we were without the creature comforts while our house was repaired and transformed. Needless to say, we so appreciate basic things like tables and chairs AND I fell in love with my kitchen, big time after being without the ability to cook for a month and a half! We will probably look back on that time with fond memories as we all spent many hours in our master bedroom as everything else was covered in plastic sheeting and the Hubs and I spent one weekend night ordering take out and watching Netflix in bed! Yes, true story.

Netflix and Take Out in bed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 10. I don't know what to get Miss B for an 8th grade promotion gift.

What are good 8th grade promotion gift ideas?

Mara received a special ring from her dad to commemorate her day; Connor received a junior golf membership to a nearby course; and Caleb received a guitar last year. But, Bella, who loves everything is the tough one! I'm at a loss to know what will celebrate her success with the last 8 years of school. Anyone? As I typed this it hit me that for the last four years we have had a kid graduate from 8th grade/promote to high school each year and now for the next four years each teen will be graduating from high school each year. Gulp. So not ready for this.

 

Thanks for bearing with me and my "confessionals". Being transparent with you has been very theraputic for me!

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Top 10 Favorite Family Games Appealing to Teens: Gift Ideas

Need a holiday gift idea for a family with teens?

Here are some tried and true favorite family games that the teens in our family (and their friends) always seem to love to join in and play.

Top 10 Favorite Family Games Appealing to Teens

 

1. Scattergories (ages 13 and older) - Scattergories challenges players to write down asnwers while a timer is ticking as you try to come up with words that match the letter rolled on the dice with the category on a sheet. Players need to think creatively and think outside the box to excel at this game. We spend hours playing this large group game with extended family members as well as our own family unit and laughs ensue. You can play this game on teams or as individuals. This is definitely the game where it pays to be unique and different from the crowd in terms of your creative answers. as your answer is canceled out if someone else has a matching answer. What a great message to promote to teens that being different wins points! We have played this game with our kids since they were in elementary school and play with multigenerations with great success.

Phase 10 cards get played often in our home.

 2. Phase 10 (2-6 players) ages 7 and older- a rummy-type game with the first player to reach the 10th phase wins; usually in about 45 minutes to an hour. I love how multigenerations can play this game together and how each player is working at their "own pace" to proceed through levels of collecting sets or runs. When I was growing up, my family played Progressive Rummy, which I feel is very similar.

 

Favorite family games to play with teens

 3. Apples to Apples Party Box - this award winning comparison game can be played with 4 to 10 players and is a quick game for people to learn. Apples to Apples provides great humor, eliciting many laughs, while challenging teens to also use quick thinking in comparing different things. This card game includes 1,000 different cards with a Green pile of Adjectives and a Red pile of Nouns or Actions. Adjectives are announced and then each player uses cards with actions or nouns in their respective hands that they think best match the adjective (examples such as "Scary", "Wild", "Graceful", "Happy"). A rotating judge selects his or her favorite adjective description each round. I love that this game can be played with multigenerations and ends in great laughter amongst family members or friends.

4. Loaded Questions (must be a teen or older) - I love games in which there is no "right" or "wrong" anser and this is one of those games that all you need to know or guess is who said what answer. The game is designed for 4 to 6 players and for those 12 years and older. There is an advantage to knowing players "better than others" but it definitely doesn't matter if you are playing with those you just met. We laugh so hard when we play this game as our teens often try to "throw" others off by putting down obscure answers which is a game in itself guessing who wrote down the craziest answer. This is one of those games that I could play for hours, laughing on and on, as you get to learn other people's opinions or thoughts on the nearly 1,000 questions that come with the game. This is probably my personal favorite game to play with our teens. Sample questions: For what world-changing event would you like to take credit? What is the first thing you notice when you meet someone? What book had the most profound impact on your life? Where would you hate to be by yourself? If you could rid the earth of three creatures what would they be? Who in this room snores the loudest? What are most afraid of? What's the longest you have gone without taking a shower?

5. Sequence Game - This exciting game uses playing chips, cards and a game board and is designed for ages 7 and up. The game involves a great deal of strategy to try to get a sequence of five in a row either vertically, horizontally or diagonally. A little skill and a great deal of luck make this a simple game to learn and you can play with two to twelve people but it must be in multiples of two or three. The game can range from 15  minutes to 45 minutes but averages about 15-20 minutes. There is a Kids Edition of this game too.

6. Blokus Game - I must warn you. This game is highly addictive! This award-winning strategy game is perfect for varying ages from age five and up. Using various shaped tiles, this strategic board game challenges spatial thinking and creative thinking. The game received the Mensa award for promoting healthy brain activity. The Hubs' and I have spent hours challenging each other and our kids to this game over the past few years. Although strategy is involved, it's an easy game to learn to master after just one round or one observation.

7. Qwirkle Board Game - is similar to Sequence, Scrabble and Othello as it involves strategy in maneuvering tiles in a well-planned strategic way. This game can be played by two to four players and is designed for ages 6 and up although the strategy involved helps to have similar age ranges playing together. Each game lasts from 30-45 minutes and can get pretty cutthroat amongst those that take their competition seriously. This game won a Parent's Choice Game Award for the critical thinking skills and strategy development that goes into this game.

 

8. Rummikub - This Thanksgiving this game was introduced to our teens and proved to be an easy game to pick up with strategy learned as you play, especially with experienced players like my sister-in-law Angie and niece A.J.! Using tiles with numbers in different colors, you must combine your tiles in runs or sets. This is one of those family games that are fun and challenging for the adults as well as kids beginning at age 8 years and older.

9.  Would You Rather? - This is another hilarious large group game that needs at least four or more players. Count on at least 45 minutes of outrageous discussions that really make you think with "mind-boggling questions" comparing two different scenarios ranging from the absurd, bizarre, ethical or mind-expanding questions. There is a version for younger children as this version is strictly for family members over the age of 12.

10. Tied: Monopoly and Yahtzee - these two classic games both reign supreme in my house. We have several versions of each game. I think these games have both been around long enough that they need no explanation.

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The list would not be complete in the eyes of my teens if I did not include the following games that need merely a deck of cards (and a few household spoons) so I have provided our family favorite card games as well.

All You Need is a Deck of Cards:

Poker

Progressive Rummy 

Speed/Blink

Spoons

Family Game Nights

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