# 24 Seven great ideas for a family games night...

Did you have a chance to play MAKE TEN?  Playing games together creates good memories, but it can be tricky to find a board or card game that works for all ages.  

Three well-loved games in our house are: BOHNANZA, MEXICAN TRAIN GAME AND THE SETTLERS OF CATAN.

With a regular pack of cards, you're all set for a game of SPOONS.  

If there are some little ones, try a classic...OLD MAID!   Other card game ideas can be found here.

Just two of you?  Try a pencil and paper game, CAPTURE.  

Lastly, don't forget some treats...popcorn, anyone?

#23 A math card game...easy, educational, fun...perfect for kids (grades 1-6)!

Learning addition facts at home?  Try this game!

Make Ten Solitaire

1. Remove the Jokers and face cards.  Lay out 12 cards.  Ace = "one".
2. Pick up two cards that add up to ten. Or, pick up just the 10 card (10 + 0 = 10). Replace any cards you pick up with more cards from the deck.  
3. Keep picking up pairs that add up to ten.  If all of the combinations are correct, every card will be used and the player wins the solitaire game.

Two kids?  Take turns (teaches cooperation).

Need a challenge?  Time yourself, then beat your record.

# 22 Handy item for the kitchen...

Today I'm a busy girl, finishing laundry, catching up on emails and organizing cupboards.  

No lollygagging, as my grandmother would say!

lollygag |ˈlɒlɪgag| (also lallygag)

verb ( -gagged, -gagging) [ intrans. ] informal

spend time aimlessly; idle : he sends her to Arizona every January to lollygag in the sun.

• dawdle : we're lollygagging along.

ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: of unknown origin.

In the kitchen, I've been gradually tidying up my pantry with the help of this product:

As I buy spaghetti sauce, etc., I've been using these plastic lids (Canadian Tire, Safeway) and recycling the jars to store rice, barley, lentils, etc.  

Try them!  : )

# 21 Sex in a Pan

Yesterday, we had a "mid-century" theme meal that included tomato aspic and this tasty dessert:

1  1/2  cups flour

3/4  cup melted butter   

1/2  cup chopped pecans

Mix.  Spread in a 9 x 13 pan.  Bake 20 minutes at 375.  Cool.

8 oz. cream cheese

1 cup icing sugar

1 cup Cool Whip (buy large container)

Mix well.  Spread over first layer.

1 large pkg. instant chocolate fudge pudding

3 cups milk

Beat 2 minutes at low speed.  Spread over second layer.  Finish by spreading the rest of the Cool Whip over top. Serves 15 - 18.

# 20 Time to mellow out...

On my own all weekend, this morning I've had to "hustle and bustle" around, cleaning and prepping food for a family dinner tonight.

I'm taking a break now, listening to Enya and having a cup of tea.  On the stove I have my own version of a simmer pot:

peel of one orange

12 cloves

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups water

Simmer gently.  Add more water if needed.

You can find more simmer pot recipes over at Apartment Therapy.  There's also a great article on relaxing music, heartbeats and brain waves that you should check out as well.  

Happy Sunday!

# 19 Three Tasty Teas

"As far as her mom was concerned, tea fixed everything.

Have a cold?  Have some tea.  Broken bones?

There's a tea for that too.

Somewhere in her mother's pantry, Laural suspected,

was a box of tea that said, 'In case of Armageddon,

steep three to five minutes."

- Aprilynne Pike, Illusions

Three tasty teas from the Banff Tea Company

One month before 

My sixth birthday,

Sitting beside my mother

On an airplane,

Late at night.  

Flying

To Canada!

A new life for our family.

Exciting!

An adventure!

My mother, bent over, crying,

Her tears confused me.

Flight attendants hovered.

I asked her

If she wanted a cup of tea.

- Maggie

#18 Liquid Candy

Today, the Board of Health in NYC decided to bar any establishment with a food-service license from serving sugary beverages in cups or bottles larger than 16 ounces.  Sadly, six in ten New Yorkers (New York Times poll) are opposed to these restrictions.

Sugar!  My goodness, it sneaks in everywhere.  I learned that when I made grape jelly last week!

Did you know...

Coca-Cola (355 ml can)  =  10 tsp. sugar

V8 Splash (473 ml.)  =  14 tsp. sugar

Fruitopia (600 ml.)  =  16 tsp. sugar

Sunny Delight (547 ml)  =  16 tsp. sugar

Pepsi (600 ml.)  =  17 tsp. sugar

Not good : (