Playing Games

One of the great things about being a SAHM (and having Unplugged Children) is that I get to do crafts and play games to my hearts content with my munchkins. Em is huge into patterns right now... among other things... and he likes to play Blokus and Connect 4 almost daily!

Now, some of you may be saying.... "uuumm, Em is only three! How is he playing these games designed for 5 and 7 year olds..."

We don't really "play" them. Em focuses mainly on patterns and learning to take turns. Here's a pic of a recent adult version of the Blokus game. For those of you who have never played, the object is to get as many of your plastic color pieces on the board as you can with only the corners touching. There are, I think, 21 different shapes from 1 square up to 5 squares. Your color can touch other colors... like here:

The way Em plays is more like the way the old fashioned game of Tetris is played... stacking the pieces and trying not to leave any spaces. It's a lot of fun to watch him think and twist the pieces around to see how they can better fit together. At first, he would just get mad and say "I can't do it! You do it mom!" But I was persistent in telling him to try again or hinting maybe to turn the piece (but not doing it for him) and he would be all smiles by the end of the game and wanting more. Here's what his game board looks like...

His other current favorite is Connect 4, only again not the original way the game is intended. For us parents, it was about learning to take turns, but now it has turned into a fun pattern game. Em and my hubby, make checkerboard patterns, arrows, letters, etc... He often second guesses himself and asks us what we think, to which we reply "what do you think?" and then he tells us.

Other current games are Barrel of Monkeys and Memory... but I don't have pics of those.

What board games do you play?

Crocheted washcloths

I finally finished the washcloths for my future sister-in-law!

The idea came when I found out that they might not get washcloths in their rooms while on their honeymoon... this is apparently a fairly standard practice in many areas and countires throughout Europe.

So... I made them each a set of 8 inch square white ones and 10 inch square brown ones. The note that I wrote explaining the idea behind it is here... hand written with a glass pen and brown ink.

I renamed the colors of the yarn to reflect on where they are going on their honeymoon (Greece & Italy) to give it a cute little twist. The white ones are Mykonos Island White and the brown ones became Tuscan cremini brown.

At first, when she was opening her gifts, I was worried that mine would be labeled (by others) an inferior gift... since I did not spend $100 like most of the ladies did. But, then I realized, that that's not me and it is not up to these other ladies to decide!

Additionally, I knew that these came from the heart and that I spent a lot of loving hours working on them and making sure they were perfectly done... having unraveled them more than once!

I had hoped she would agree, but if she didn't, I knew in my heart that I did and gave something I thought was genuinely thoughtful... she loved them!

Cold Cucumber Soup

My friend Roussa (with the great smile on the left) makes the most delicious cold cucumber and dill soup! Before she and her family moved back to Bulgaria, she told me that many people live on this soup in the summertime in Sofia... often watering it down and drinking it from a cup!

This past weekend, I attended my future sister-in-law's bridal shower and they served a similar, creamier rendition of Roussa's soup. My future SIL was so excited and nervous about the shower that she hardly ate anything... so I am going to surprise her this weekend by making the soup for her. I was lucky enough to get a copy of the version served at the shower and wanted to share it with you all... it's so yummy! If you make it, please let me know what you think.

COLD CUCUMBER SOUP
(MAKES 5 SERVINGS)

2 Whole Cucumbers (Peeled & Seeded) cut in small pieces
1 Shallot
1 Clove of Garlic
½ Avocado
2 Cups Chicken Broth (cold) *Can substitue water or vegetable broth*
8 oz. Plain Yogurt
2 sprigs of Fresh Dill
1/4 Cup White Vinegar

Salt
White Pepper
Liquid Maggi Seasoning
Crème Fraîche or Sour Cream (optional) for garnish
Chopped Chives

Blend first eight ingredients together in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add salt, white ground pepper and dark liquid Maggi Seasoning to taste. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour. Served chilled in cups and garnish with chopped chives and crème fraîche.

Goes perfectly with a crusty bread or croissant. Enjoy!

Finished & Continuing Projects

My sweet neighbor had her 2nd baby six weeks early and I was not done with the baby's blanket that I intended to give her... aack! But his 100th day celebration (a Korean tradition) is coming soon and I cannot wait for her to see the blankie.

It is a single crocheted blanket, 2 1/2 feet wide and 3 1/2 feet long. I finished the edges with two wrap-around rows of single crochet to give it a little border.

I kept a journal of my thoughts and memories of when and where I worked on it to go along with it as a gift for her... so she will know it began in January at my in-laws... just when she found out she was having a boy. And it was completed shortly after Michael was born while I was sitting with my boys in the back yard. I hope she knows how much fun and love I put into it for her and for her sweet wee one.

Here's a pic of Michael at 6 weeks (so around when he would have been born) old. The hands he is holding belong to his 4'10" grandma to give you an idea of size. He is a super healthy and chubby swetheart now who loves to just lay on your chest for hours-- I love holding him!







The second yarn project I have been working on are these cotton washcloths for a bridal shower. They are half double crocheted, back loop stitched with a single crochet border at the top and bottom. 2 down, 6 to go! The next two will be double crocheted in a linen green color.

Father's Day

It's been pretty busy for the past couple of weeks... Rob has been working with his side company SideworkPC on the weekends-- 12 hour days ick! So, it was wonderfully rewarding to have him all to ourselves for Father's Day.


I made breakfast at home and we relaxed with the boys by going to the park. No one was there! We had the park all to ourselves for about two of the three hours we were there. It was warm (about 87 degrees) but I was really amazed that no other families in my neighborhood had the same idea.


Ro loved the swings and sitting under the trees with me. We played with pine cones and pine needles and just watched the trees. Em had the entire run of the park so he slid every slide, swung every swing and filtered sand to his hearts' content.


After that, we had dinner with Rob's parents and grandfather... a happy and robust 83 year old and the only one left of his generation. The evening was calm and cozy and just the way Rob wanted it!


What did you do on Father's Day?

It's Quiet...

I've stopped counting days of having the munchkins be "Unplugged" because I'm not going to keep track forever (and I slipped one day, see below) and would rather consider this a new reality for them. The benefits keep on coming too!

Derailed! It wasn't really a slip-up, it was deliberate. Em was playing with his new train set in his room and saw a hummingbird right outside his window. (Pic taken about 10 minutes before the incident.) He tapped on the window, and the inner pane cracked! Ack! He came to tell me and I didn't believe him until I actually saw it myself. There was glass everywhere! In the toys, on the carpet, the windowsill, etc.

I put him in the living room with Ro at which time Ro decided to pitch a full blown fit-- naptime luckily. My neighbor wasn't home to babysit for a few minutes and I could not keep Em in the living room, he kept coming back. The baby gate doesn't work... he climbs over it and it was way too cold to put him in the back yard. He read two books and drew me a bunch of pictures and ate a snack and then came back to watch me, at which point, I gave up for 20 minutes and let him watch Thomas! I felt bad that I was breaking my new habit, but could not think of another thing he could do alone. I cleaned every single toy (no small feat!) and dusted and vaccumed at lighting speed to get it all done and got a quote for a replacement window.


Daddy and overtime:
My husband works at UCLA but also co-owns a company that he does jobs for on the weekends. This weekend, they were rewiring (for network and phones) an entire 3 story building. Taking out the old wiring and installing new wires and then punching them down (to each desk). This meant, I'd he home alone with the babies all day both Saturday and Sunday... not unusual, but I'm tired by Friday! What to do... what to do... bike rides, baking, play dates, sprinkler amok running... etc. Rob worked 12 hours each day... it was so exhausting for both of us! But the TV stayed off and we had a grand time without it. The TV is an it you know... not a family member.



I also noticed that being more mindful of things, Em's potty training is going much much better! He is more aware of when to go and that saves me a bit of laundry!


This was Ro's first real time playing in water that wasn't meant for bathing. At first, he didn't want to go near the water, but by the end, he was giggling and walking back and forth through the little hoses as fast as his newly useable legs could carry him. I think I took over 100 pics!

Certain relatives keep trying to understand my desire not to have the TV on, but sometimes they forget and reminding them is kinda funny. They do like the benefits of a longer attention span and the exploding language useage in Em, but do not think any of it has to do with television. I just think differently I guess.


Lots more to babble about, but I've got to get bike riding with the babes before it gets too hot!

Irony of day 7 unplugged

The munchkins and I took a long walk after breakfast this morning... a lovely side effect of an unplugged house. Em is on the tricycle, Ro is in the stroller... and what do we happen to pass? A TV show being filmed! This is Southern California after all!

*UPDATE* It's not a TV show, it's a movie called Night Watcher. Keanu Reeves is filiming over there. He's tall! I didn't see Hugh Laurie or Forrest Whitaker who are also in the movie... so I don't know if they were there or not.

Unplugged Evolution (a.k.a. Day 7)

Today will be day seven of many many more days of being "unplugged" in the house. In just six short days, I have noticed a change in Em's play habits and attention span... here are a few tidbits of how it has been for us:

Day 4 was spent seeing PaPa Pat, Aunt Mary Kaye and Cousin Lisa for lunch at Bob's Big Boy. (Photo by hubby) Since my dad, aunt and cousin live rather far from us, they are often surprised at how much the babies have grown and changed since they last saw them.

Lunch went well. Both munchkins were well behaved... though I probably should've left the kids harmonica in the car rather than subject everyone in the restaurant to a concert, but it was fun... anyway, being unplugged means unplugged everywhere, so the mini-DVD player stayed home. My minor worries were for naught. Em played with my Cousin (who is 40) and they drew on his portable chalkboard while Ro flirted with my Aunt and munched on french fries.

Day 6, Em and Ro had Daddy all to themselves for the majority of the day while I caught up on officework in preparation for a busy week ahead. Rather than zone out in front of the tv, they played in Em's room with his train set and the creativity flowed endlessly. After dinner, rather than wind down mindlessly, we took the munchkins for a bike ride! They were so tired from the non-stop activity of the day, but half an hour in the bike trailer was a perfect end to their Sunday I think. They didn't even get baths, they both just conked out the second they hit their beds. Rob and I watched our one guilty hour of tv (I cannot miss the end of the Sopranos!) pre-recorded from HBO's east coast channel and we got to bed early. As I drifted off, I thought about everything we'd done this weekend and realized much of it could not have been done if the boob tube had been on.

Misc. things about being Unplugged:

• The looks you get from family and friends... you'd think I've grown a second head when I mention that we are not watching TV to some people.
• Finding the remote control: it took me a few minutes to find it Sunday night since we hadn't had the tv on in several days.
• Dusting off the board games. Now that Em is of board game playing age, we spent some time finding good games to play with (and without) him. More on those later.
  
• Cooking: Rob is fantastic in helping out while I'm making a meal... but it's even better now with the living room nice and quiet. Usually, while Rob is outside with Em and Ro, I have a cooking show on while I'm in the kitchen. Now, I turn on my own music and chop and cook and bake to my hearts' content!
• Mealtime: We already make mealtime, family time and have been eating in our dining room (house renovation updates later) ever since the walls were put up. But, being unplugged seems to have made meals more enjoyable... see Peek-A-Boo pic above.
  

That's it for now! I've got to eat a quick breakfast before the munchkins are up. We're going for a nice walk this morning around the neighborhood.