Family Game Night Favorites

Have you all noticed that it has been particularly chilly as of late? Those of you in warm climates, feel free to not rub it in too much. Also, have you noticed that it isn't just chilly, it is at times impossible to leave the house. My brother and his fam were actually housebound.

So what should you do when you are housebound, everything is cancelled, and the mom your kids are stir crazy?

You should throw a Family Game Night. Or a Family Game Afternoon. Or a Family Game Just-Finished-Breakfast-And-Already-Stir-Crazy.

In light of all this chilly weather and the eminent case of the stir crazies, I thought I would share a few of our family's favorite games.

They are games for all age groups, because we are at that stage in our family.

The games can all be played by the whole family. The older kids can still enjoy the easier games, especially if they know they will get to play one of their games next. The younger kids can play the harder games if rules are adapted or good old mom and dad assist.

So without any more delay, here are a few of our family's current favorite family games.

1. Zingo: a fun spin on bingo, that uses cute pictures.

2. Clue: a classic, but always fun.

3. Guess What I Am: a guessing game. It includes caricatures cards in which 

you insert your face. This is pretty much hilarious.

4. Monopoly Empire: a much easier and kid friendly version of the original.

Plus, it is WAY shorter.

5. Memory: another classic. There are so many versions, you are sure to 

find one that fits any child's interest. 

6. Apples to Apples Junior: a really fun word game that will be sure

to get giggles trying to match words and/or people with a definition.

 

We really do love these games. Like I said, we play them often. Sometimes our three older boys will just go in a room and play one together.

Pop a bag of popcorn, whip out a family game, and you should be able to bond and solve the stir-crazies for at least a little while!

We are always looking for more game suggestions. I would love for you to share with me some of your family's favorite games.

S'UPper Jar: Talking at the Dinner Table

Our family is pretty good about sitting down all together for dinner every night. My Little Men are young so we don't have many conflicts in the evenings. This allows us to gather around the table and eat as a family.

Now, while we are able to gather together at the table, that does not mean that meal times are always pleasant.

In fact, it is a miracle if we don't have spilled milk, crying over said spilled milk, whining, coercing, one child poking the other, that child annoyed at the poking, a burp, a poop joke, outburst of laughter at the poop joke, humming, singing, ear plugging, and all of it resulting in the culmination in Hubby declaring in a raised voice,

"1,2,3 QUIET GAME!"

At which every member of the family is "challenged" who can be quiet the longest.

Hint...Little never wins.

A few weeks ago, while going through our same dinner routine, a thought popped into my head.

I am quite surprised I could even hear any thought in my head, but I did.

I wanted us to talk to each other, maybe even find out something fun about each other. I thought it would be fun to have dinnertime be a time to learn about each other, to ask questions, and to grow closer.

I came up with the S'UPper Jar. A jar of questions if you will.

Hence the play on word with the S'UP part...hahahaha...oh man my moment of cleverness made me giggle. It also brought to mind a phrase from one of my favorite shows

"S'up with the wack s'up, s'up!" Name the show, name the character!

Okay back to the S'UPper Jar.
  

The jar is filled with tons of different kinds of questions. Some are silly. Some are questions to help us learn something about each other. There are questions meant to spark a discussion and there are some to teach.

Every meal we pick out 2-3 questions. We answer one question at a time, going around the table so everyone gets a turn to answer or discuss. Then we move onto the next question.

The jar was really easy to put together. I am making it even easier for you because I am giving you a label to print off and a set of questions you can download.

Woohoo! It is pretty exciting.

To make your own family S'UPper Jar you will need a quart-sized canning jar, a label and the questions printed off.

Here is the label:

Just right click and save as an image on you computer. Then insert into a Word document, and resize to fit the jar (about 3" across the top). Then print off.

There are 4 sheets of questions you can download, too.

Download S'UPper Jar Questions (4 pages)

Cut the label down to size. Tape the label on the front of the jar.

Cut the questions into strips. Fold the strips and put them into the jars.

I prettied up the jar a bit, 'cause I am obsessed with that kind of thing.

At dinnertime the jar comes out. Then the conversation begins. 

Now my jar is not going to get rid of the occasional burp and it certainly is not going to get rid of all the poop jokes. However, I am excited to see what kind of things I will learn about my Little Men. I am also excited for all the discussions. It should be a pretty good time.

I hope you enjoy the S'UPper Jar and that your family will join mine in growing closer to each other one plate at at time.

Linking Here:

Lil'Luna
The 36th Ave
House of Hepworths
Tatertots and Jello
Your Homebased Mom

In a Nutshell: Flowers, Aunt Natalie, HAPPINESS

Hubby surprised me with flowers this week. In fact, he made a special stop at Costco which is not close to us and he was on a time crunch. Sigh...lovely, right?

Flowers the week before Valentine's Day?

Well that is what happens when you have a super thoughtful Hubby who recognizes that you had a miserable pregnancy week.

I am about five weeks away, and last week was rough. We laugh that for being a surprise this pregnancy really has been the most difficult physically and emotionally. However, I am still pretty blessed and I try to remember that while I am frustrated with my physical limitations.

I am grateful for a loving Hubby who brought me flowers in a hard week.

You know what else I am grateful for...how much easier my life is right now because of my sister Natalie. My sister just recently moved to town and has a little bit of extra time right now. Guess where she chooses to spend it? Yup, my house. Guess what she chooses to do? Yup, help this giant pregnant woman entertain her Little Men.

Temporarily it is kind of like having my own free Nanny. A Nanny that my kids love and that loves my kids.

I mean, it totally says love that she would bring over her own arsenal of make-up and then let them go to town on her face.

They did a great job, right??? Hahaha!

During the week when Hubby is at work, it has been blessing to have her around. I wouldn't get nearly as much done or have what little energy I do have right now without her.

Thanks to her we were able to spend a little individual time with Littlest this weekend.

Individual time makes me HAPPY. I know it makes our Little Men HAPPY.

Earlier this week Hubby got to take the oldest two to a basketball game and I know they treasured that time. They came home so HAPPY. Going to to a store and lunch with Littlest this weekend was such a treat for Hubby, me, and Littlest. Yeah individual time is awesome.

My goal in the time between now and when Bean comes is to try and schedule more individual time with our boys. I know it is good for us and them as well.

HAPPINESS this month is a family goal. Spend more Individual time together.

Favorite Gifts: Games for the Fam

Around our house we love ourselves some family game time.

Hubby and I both grew up playing games. Now we have passed that addiction tradition on to our kiddos. On any given day we have at least two games sitting out. 

With this love of games, new games are a Christmas list staple. I thought I would share a list of some of our family's favorite games in case you are looking for any last minute gifts for your family.

Zingo

Don't Break the Ice

Guess What I am

Guess Who

Sorry

These are just a few of the family favorites. This post would have been WAY too long to list all our favs. This year for Christmas we will be adding a couple of new games that I am really excited for us to play as a family. 

What games do you like to play with your family? We are always in search for more games.