Happy to report, we're finding our rhythm.
I did a little summer cleaning in the family room over the weekend, replacing our woolly rock collection with some shells we've collected on
our trips to Florida. I tend to do things like this when I have other things I should be doing. Peter calls this procrastinating, but I call it organizing (which it is, right? right?). Aren't the colors on the cover of that book just gorgeous? Goes perfectly with a quiet morning house, a lap kitty, and a cup of coffee. Anyway, I put our favorite family games out, front
and center, so we don't have to dig through cabinets to get them. Although our favorite games these days are a deck of cards. (Speaking of which, does anybody have any favorite, lesser known card games for 8-11 year olds and a mother who's played 50 rounds of Go-Fish a week for several weeks now? Please?)
Ian won that Four-In-A-Row game from his math teacher during the last week of school, an accomplishment of which he's infinitely proud ("I've never won anything!"). He will happily play a round with anyone who shows interest. Actually, even if you don't show interest. Actually, even if you avoid it entirely, he'll find you. Which is kind of cute.
A few summers ago, the granddad of one of Emma's classmates invited a few kids to a week long summer "cribbage camp". It was held every morning for a couple of hours. The kids would meet, pair up, and learn all the components of cribbage from the granddad. It was extremely cute and quite serious, and we would often come in at pick up time to a completely quiet house, a roomful of kids completely absorbed in their games. It was a huge success for Emma, she ate it up, and even made her own cribbage board (in the photo above) that summer with her Papa. The game pieces are tiny little shells.
And, well, I just like the sound that mancala pieces make. Clink Clink. A game that looks quite simple, but I assure you, I got my buttocks kicked 3 times yesterday.
Be sure and check out Molly's summer games list.
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Thanks for those who let me know about our Komforte Chockolate's press in the newest Food Network Magazine! We need to find a minute to grab a copy, its very exciting for us!
