Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Harlem Globetrotters

I have not gotten to see the Harlem Globetrotters in many years. I think everyone knows they are a great basketball team full of fun and antics. They are coming to a nearby city next month. We thought of getting tickets. But last night the Globetrotters game was aired on TV. We were not all able to be here, so we taped it and watched it together tonight.

The kids really enjoyed the show. My son talked about some of the old players he's read about. He told me about one of the more recent former players who is now playing for the NBA.

The Globetrotters are just a fun show to watch. This would be an excellent family activity for all ages, whether televised or live.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Chinese food

I am not too crazy about Chinese food, especially in the States. But since going out to eat as a family is always such an ordeal, we ended up at Chinese food last night. This can be a great family outing. The place was decorated really nicely, and I am sure will be even more so in a few weeks for Chinese New Year. The order was taken and the meal served very quickly. Everyone can try eating with chopsticks. Each person ordering something different can make it fun to share and try new foods. Even reading the fortunes at the end of the meal can be fun.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

chinese checkers

Our family loves to spend time playing games together when we have a few quiet moments. As these are getting to be more rare these days with the kids busy schedules, we take what moments we can get. The other evening we introduced my husband to Chinese Checkers . None of us could believe he'd never played. It is a simple game of trying to get your marbles from one end of the playing board to the other. The more people playing the game, the more fun. It is easy enough that the whole family can enjoy it together. Of course, it being Dad's first night of playing, he beat us anyway! Beginner's Luck! ;)

in the gym

Most of our family nights as of late have been at high school gyms in the area. Our son is playing basketball for his school, and we have been out to support his team. Right now, he is filled with his passion for hooping. Any free moments he has are dedicated to playing ball. He is always down at the YMCA for a pick up game or two or three...when he is not playing, he is on the internet checking out the latest in college and pro basketball. He loves to watch all the highlight videos he can find on YouTube. But I just learned about another website in which he will likely be very interested.

At Takkle he can learn all he wants to know about the highest rated High School Basketball players in the country. He can check out their stats and yes, watch highlight videos. Takkle is a great way for families far away to keep up on their favorite players. Coaches can use the site to organize schedules for practices. And college coaches can use it for scouting purposes.

I am sure my son will be sharing some of these videos with the rest of the family long before the next family night gathering!

Thursday, January 17, 2008

volkswalk

I had not heard this term before, but I love the idea! Coming up this weekend is a local volkssporting event , a volkswalk. These are family friendly events which are open to anyone of any age (children under 12 must be with an adult.) It is a free event. You choose your own start time (within the given time frame) and participate in the 10K walk. There is a 5K walk for those looking for a shorter hike. You can go at a leisurely pace and enjoy the historic sights and sounds of your local route. The route is monitored with check points throughout. It sounds like a wonderful way to spend some time together enjoying local points of interest you may have otherwise overlooked.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

junior college basketball

We went tonight to see one of our friends play in a junior college basketball game. We have not seen him play since high school and it was fun to get to see him play and see his family as well. The stadium was filled with quite a crowd (and one very vocal fan) of all ages. The tickets were very affordable at $2 and $3 each. The seats for the home team were great since they were stadium seats and not bleachers. This is a great way for families to get out and enjoy a sporting event without breaking the bank.

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Zodiac Birthday Meme

I was tagged by my friend Sire to do the newest zodiac birthday meme . These are often fun little cyber world games, but this one could be fun to do as a family. Here are the rules for cyber world play:

Rules:

1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months.
3. Pick your month of birth.
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you.
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve done it.

My birthday month is December:
Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention.
Loves to be loved.Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

If you want to do it for a family activity, simply print out the list of birthday attributes and see which fits each family member. Could bring out some laughs and maybe even some good discussion.

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.


FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.


MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.


APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.


MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.


JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.


JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.


AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.


SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.


OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.


NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.


DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

Those I would like to tag include Jerseygirl , MomandMore , Marthon Bird , Christine , Hifidel , Pinhole , Jameo and anyone else who would like to join in!

Friday, January 4, 2008

personal inventory

This year is the first in many that my husband has been around for New Year's Eve and able to enjoy New Year's Day with us. We tried something new this year-a personal inventory. This will be an activity for families with older kids to try. I made up a booklet of some things I wanted our family to think about, how their spiritual life was moving, how we spend our time, etc. We sat together and filled out the packet then discussed the things that we felt comfortable discussing. We helped each other with ideas and talked about ways to hold each other accountable in the future. We finished up by each getting a personal prayer packet filled with questions to ask ourselves and pray over. This is an excellent way for families to begin a new year.