Car Games

We've been spending a lot of time in the car this summer.  Between errands, rides over to the beach (and getting stuck with the bridge up!), traveling to amusement parks and all of our other fun adventures, not to mention vacation, our time on 4 wheels adds up.  To put a stop to the bickering and make the time go faster we have some favorite games we like to play in the care. 

Sausage:  We actually end up playing this one out of the car a lot as well, it is a lot of fun!  The person who is "it" can only respond with the word "sausage" as the other players do everything they can to get them to slip up.  We ask questions, tell jokes, say outlandish things all in a quest to get the "it" person to laugh or respond in a manner other than "sausage".  When they eventually slip, they are out!  Only rule, no touching the person who is it! 

I Spy:  This one is also great waiting in restaurants and waiting rooms.  "I spy with my little eye something the color red" and then everyone makes guesses until someone gets it right.  You can switch it up by saying "something that begins with the letter T"  (mix up colors and letters)

Would you rather:  We ask each other Would You Rather and pose two outlandish options.  This always seems to bring giggles.

The Animal Game:  My kids are getting big for this one but was great when they were younger.  My kids would take turns making animal sounds and we would have to try to guess what animal they were.

I'm going on a trip and I'm bringing...  Start with the first person who names an item.  The next person names a new item plus the first item.  Continue around that way until someone misses an item and then they are out.   You can either end the game then or continue to play until all players but one are eliminated. 

Alphabet Game:  pick any category and name something related to the topic for every letter of the alphabet.  (names, vegetables, etc.)

Family Ark:  You need to build an ark.  Name an animal to bring aboard for every letter in the alphabet.

Story Starters:  This one is getting easier as the kids are getting older.  One person starts a story and then you go around the car each adding the next piece of the story. 

Name that Tune:  Hum part of a song and everyone tries to guess the name of it.

The Quiet Game:  1,2, 3 Quiet!  And everyone gets quiet.  First person to talk or make noise is out.  A parent favorite!!


Now it is your turn, share your favorite games with me!  I am always in need of new sanity savers. 

Wordful Wednesday

I was so excited to purchase myself a new camera last week. After I had everything in place and the battery charged, I couldn't wait to try it out. Nobody was home at the time (a miracle in itself!) so I couldn't use the kids as guinea pigs so I decided to head outside and see what I could snap a pic of. This bird house has been hanging in my yard for years and each spring it gets a new inhabitant. As you can see it is beginning to fall apart, all the new homes built in it has caused it to burst at the seams! Well, I didn't realize anyone was home when I started taking pictures so imagine my surprise when this little bugger flew out at me and began "yelling" at me!

He (or she) really wasn't happy that I invaded his (her) space and came so close to home.  It flew out and landed on a nearby branch and was chirping up a storm.  It truly sounded like it was yelling at me.  See that open beak?  That was this little bugger telling me where to go!  It was so agitated it kept flitting from branch to branch making it difficult to get a shot.  I decided to let the poor thing calm down and I went about my business elsewhere in the yard. 

What's in a name?

Sarah over at Mommy Lite offers up one of my favorite blogs.  Her post I like to be called Ms. Maizes got my blood pumping because this is a topic that drives me crazy.  Apparently, in this area at least, my husband and I are among a dying breed where we like to be addressed by Mr. and Mrs.  I was always taught to respect my elders and I expect kids to show me respect. 

What I have found over the years of being a mom, is that because so many people like to be called by their first name, they assume everyone wants to be called by their first name.  They introduce me to their kids as Beth, not as Mrs. K.  When I state that I prefer to be called Mrs. K I get a funny look and a quick comment to their kids of "okay, remember to call her Mrs. K".  Then that seems to be the end of that.  Nobody ever seems to remember.  The simple fact that my children address you as Mr. and Mrs. should serve as a helpful reminder, yet this seems to go unnoticed as well. 

I'm tired of hearing "Mrs. So-and-So is my mother-in-law" or "Mrs. makes me feel old".  Get over it.  Welcome to being an adult. 

Would you have ever walked into your friends house and called her mom by her first name?  I doubt it.  If by some chance you did have that permission, what about your coach, your scout leaders, or other adults in your life?  I really doubt you ever would have done it.  Yet, despite me telling my scouts and their parents numerous times I prefer to be addressed as Mrs., I still kep hearing my first name out of these kids.

Want to make me really cringe?  Call me Miss Beth.  Again, you are using my first name and I'm not a Miss.  I'm a Mrs.  I'm proud to be married and have been happily so for 11 years now.  If you are going to insist that your child show some level of "respect" by throwing in the Miss then please lets upgrade to the Mrs. K I've been trying to get across. 

I will take some blame.  I've gotten tired of sounding like a broken record and so after a few reminders I just give up.  I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle. 

What do you like to be called? 

Best of the week...

With summer in full swing and the 3 kids home, I've been having a hard time keeping up with both my blog posts and reading.  I've been catching up on my blog reading by sitting down with a beverage and reading days worth of posts at a time.  This week I have come across two posts that I loved and wanted to share with you all. 

The first one is from Mrs. 4444 over at Half Past Kissin' Time.  Her post Note to Self was a beautiful reflection.

The second one is from Mellisa over at Getting All My Ducks in a Row.  Her post Ten Signs Your Little Boy is not So Little made me sigh.  As a mom to a 9 year old boy who is almost as tall as me, has a foot larger than mine, and constantly amazes me with the things he says and does, I really related to this post. 

Take a few minutes to pop on over to each of these ladies and send a little bloggy love their way.