Family Favorites

I was just thinking this morning, as I'm here with a sick 5-year-old and missing church, of some of the things that have made us smile over the recent weeks.

We received a card game called "Sleeping Queens" a few weeks ago. I can't remember if a day has gone by when at least part of the family hasn't played it. It became an instant hit. It goes quickly and is really fun. I anticipate several rounds this morning as Elijah hacks and coughs on me. (I love that we have a card holder so that Elijah can hold his cards easily. The card holder was one of my best purchases ever.)

Joseph and I read through a couple of Beverly Cleary books. "Henry Huggins" and "Henry and Ribsy". Loved them. We laughed so hard. Joseph had tears in his eyes from laughter a couple of times. There was one chapter we didn't like as well, but it gave us a good chance to talk through how sometimes life brings us scenarios that don't seem to have a good resolution.

Elijah continues to have me read "Are You a Horse" over and over over....It is very important to read it dramatically and with a Texas accent. It is a very funny book and I'm sure I will be reading it this morning again.

Brian found a new war book. It's called "The Pacific" and is a big, thick book about WWII in the Pacific theater. I have to say, I am not that interested, but he has sure been reading it a lot lately. It is also in miniseries form, just like "Band of Brothers" was a few years back. I cannot even tell you how many men and teenage boys have done a "Band of Brothers" marathon at our house. There is something quite gripping about true stories of courage, pain, failure, and redemption.

The boys and I are way behind schedule, but we received a book that is designed to be read each day during Advent. It is called "Jotham's Journey". They love to hear me read it and are rather distressed every time Decha of Megiddo shows up. Elijah actually welled up in tears in one chapter, but they insist I continue to read it. We are looking forward to our next chapter, probably this morning.

I love getting ideas from other people, so I'd thought I'd share some, just in case anyone out there wants some new ideas.