picnic in the park

A picnic in the park can often be a nice change of pace for the entire family! It can be a simple affair, or you can order out. Just spending time together outdoors is often all that is needed to get the kids going and mom and dad too! Keeping the picnic simple allows for an easy time in transporting the food as well as in the cleanup. Be sure to enjoy your time in the park as well!

time capsule

At the turn of the new century, well, in the year 2000, my kids put together a time capsule. They were 3 and 6 at the time and the time capsules ended up being plastic shoe boxes. This past January 1, it was fun to watch my 13 and 16 year old open them up. There were photos, newspapers, drawings, lists of friends and even Star Wars action figures! My kids added a couple of things on this go 'round and then closed them up for another ten years. This is a great family project and fun to look back on!

ceramics

We got a great family gift this Christmas! We were given a huge block of clay! Some family members work ceramics and even have their own kiln. Since they need to fire many pieces at once, they wanted us to join in! So after opening our gifts, we dug into the clay! We have several pieces drying, waiting to be fired then painted. This is a wonderful way to spend many family nights together!

low key holidays

As everyone around us hustles and bustles around in preparation for the holidays, our family kept a low profile yesterday. Our family gathered yesterday to celebrate being together. It is our first Christmas without Granny and we did not want to give up getting together, but did not want to make a big ordeal out of it either. We ate sandwiches and chips, played games and only the youngest kids were given gifts. All in all it was a good day and the stress level was kept to a minimum, reminding us all what is really important.

500 sack lunches

In conjunction with a church mission, our family is helping to put together 500 sack lunches for those living on the streets in the inner city. Doing service projects together as a family is a great way to spend time as a family. It teaches your family values in a way that words cannot. It lets your kids see others who are not as blessed as they are. It gives them a chance to think beyond themselves. Whether serving sack lunches or handing out clothes or buying Christmas gifts, there are lots of ways that families can work together to help other families.

church

Attending church together as a family is always important to me. I think attending together sends an important message to the kids. During the holiday seasons, there are many worship services offered that are geared to giving thanks and remembering Jesus' birth. Going to church together to participate in these types of worship services is a very beneficial family activity.

puzzle

Putting a puzzle together has long been a favorite past time for our family. Even though the kids are older now, putting together a challenging puzzle is fun. Finding one that provides a challenge but does not take forever to put together is the perfect fit. Families with children of all ages can benefit from a quiet evening doing a puzzle together. It is great for dexterity, problem solving and spending time together. It allows a place for interaction and conversation. Or even some great background music. Puzzles are a great family activity!