Wordful Wednesday - Games

So, I think it has been about 6 months or so since I actually was on the ball enough to participate in wordful wednesday!  I am super excited to actually be on the ball today! 

This week we are to talk about games we played as a child. 

I have been hard at work through the last 13 years trying to re-create the things I loved the most about my childhood, and instilling the old fashioned kind of fun into my own boys.  We do things a little weird around here...the cheaper, the more fun it seems to hold for us. 

Here are a couple of my favorite memories that I have made with my kids, that I also remember as a child:

I found a book on old fahioned fun one year and in it there was a section on marbles.  I had about 5 left from when I was a child, so we took ourselves to the dollar store.  There were MULTITUDES of marbles there and every year since then we have had our fun playing so many different games with them.  Our favorite is still the good old fashioned target shoot.

Bubbles will always hold some special place in my heart.  I remember one year as a child having a HUGE bubble blower and blowing some massive bubbles.  My boys still spend hours each year blowing bubbles and it never seems to lose it's appeal, even for my 13 year old! (who will probably die of embarassment that I just said that...sorry KC!)

For some reason, no matter how old I get, swings always draw me.  (even now that my butt barely fits into one!)  I remember hours of swinging.  Even as a teen.  I would go to the park close to my house and just swing. 

My boys have found a joy in the simple play at the park. 

Sometimes we would go to a lake close to our house where they had a "beach".  We would play in that lake and walk around the park. 

Now, years later, my children also enjoy the same lake.  We also spend hours walking around the park, finding crawfish, discovering tadpoles and fish, and counting geese. 

Who can beat the joy of flying a kite?! 

Laying on the grass, watching that kite fly higher and higher in the sky, with the beautiful backdrop of a blue sky and clouds floating on by...

I enjoy rolling down hills.  Maybe not so much now that I am old, but when I was a kid, if there was a hill, I would almost always take that chance to roll down it.  Even in my dress!

Camping each and every summer was something that we did as children.  My favorite memory was of wading through the stream that ran past our campsite and catching minnows. 

I love the relaxed feel of being able to run out and play catch or just relax in a hammock. 

I spent many hours outside as a child.  Playing in the sprinkler, walking a trail, skipping rocks at the river, drawing with chalk...

The list goes on. 

I am sure that many don't think of the things I did as a child as fun, or even as some sort of game, but to me it was a thrill and still holds so many good memories.

I want my boys to have those same sort of memories, so we are working hard on providing the chance to build them.

Join in the fun over at Cocoa's.

Cheers

Kids

My boys had never heard it, but it was an old joke...

This is the only time that the Queen...

....Has a "bear" behind!

*for those who don't know, here in Canada we have a "loonie" and a "toonie" instead of a dollar and two dollar bill.  This joke came out when the toonie did.  :)  My boys got a really good laugh yesterday when I told them.*

Cheers

Middle and Highschool Memories

If you haven't entered the giveaway for Pajama Sam...its the post below...contest closes on Friday.

Here are a few more memories...this has been fun to do for me.  Hope you are enjoying it as well. 

Just before I turned 16 I quit playing piano.  I couldn't balance that, jobs and school.  I really hated practicing and it was something I just couldn't do anymore.  I was told over and over that after 9 years of playing, I would regret not finishing and would wish I kept it up.  I figured that I might miss it, but I felt I needed to be done.

I wish I had kept it up.

Now I can only plunk out the RH part, but my son is playing for me.  :)  We did buy a piano and I am trying to play now and then.  Maybe someday I will actually pick it up again.

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When I was 16 I finally earned enough money to go to EFY.  I really wanted to go.  I chose to go to a session at Ricks college.  I have an aunt that lives close to Rexburg so my parents could stay there when I went.

I didn't know a soul.  Did I mention how shy I am?! 

I chose this place for that very reason.  I wanted to see how well I could do there. 

I had one of the very best times of my life.  The kids I was with were great, the atmosphere was amazing, the classes inspiring and I loved every second of it. 

When I got home I made the decision to change schools.  The high school I attended was not a good environment for me so I switched.

This was the hardest thing I have ever done.

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My first month of High school was torture.  I knew kids, but they already had friends, I was a pretty large geek and there was really no place for me there.  On my first day though, there was a boy that I knew.   He saw me wandering around lost and showed me where my bus came.  I was so thankful for this small act of kindness. 

A while into the school year there was a girl that I met.  She seemed to take pity on me ( :D)and became one of my very best friends that I had.  We were pretty inseparable.  I am so grateful I met her.  She literally saved me in that huge school.

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At about 15 or so...love my hair!  Although, my mom's perm is also stylin!


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When I was 18 I graduated.  I was so relieved to have that part of my life done.  I had all the highest classes done, my ACT's completed, and was accepted to Ricks College.  I was so excited to get there.

I had been working 2 jobs through most of high school, but picked up another for the summer.  I was determined to pay for myself the best I could. 

I moved to Rexburg, Idaho in September 1995 and started a whole new chapter of my life.

Elementry Memories

I was really shy growing up.  Still am really.  Big crowds intimidate me and always have.  School was really hard for me.  I remember escaping into books alot. 

I was so shy that often I would sit in the hallways for recess and read a book. The librarians always knew me well. I had read almost all of the books in our Elementary library by the time I finished Grade 6.

Often kids would make fun of me sitting in the hall reading a book, but that was my sanctuary, my escape. I loved the world of a book.  ( I like to tell my dh that is why my vocabulary is so huge...doesn't translate to writing because I can't spell most of them, but speaking, I know what the words mean and it is a constant source of amusement of all my boys...they especially love to play freerice with me!  :D)

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When I was in grade 1 I met a nice little girl that had been in a different Kindergarten class then me.  I was so excited.

We walked to class together for a few years.  (until about grade 8 or so, when as girls so often do, she had a problem with my religion, I had a problem with the way she hated me...and we were not friends after that)
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There was a really mean kid that lived just down the street from me.  He would follow me home and bully my brother and I.  I was scared of him.  When I was alone he would take his hockey stick and place it across my neck, holding both ends.  He would choke me if I didn't walk fast or slow enough. 

One day he started picking on my littler brother.  That was not OK.  I went after him.  This was my very first fist fight.  I was in grade 4 fighting a grade 5 boy who terrified me.  I used my fists, I called him bad words I had never said before, and I made him stop picking on my little brother.

He never bothered us again.  (look at me...big scary sister!  :D)

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When I was in about grade 6 my bother came in my room to hug me.  He ran across the room, threw his arms around me, and dislocated my nose.

I forgave him... :)

Later that year we were playing a fun new game walking home from school.  It was called "Dog".  I would throw a stick and he would "fetch" it.  One time I threw the stick and accidentally hit him on the nose.  I ran home screaming.  He was fine, but needed a couple stitches.  I swear it was not in retaliation.
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My brother and I...about age 6 and 5 or so.


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In the winter one year (grade 5 or 6) I was outside at recess and was kicking at some ice.  I kicked several pieces away and kicked at a large chunk harder.  It sprained my big toe and it was huge, black and blue, and hurt to walk on for weeks.

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When I was about 5 or 6 we had some relatives from Scotland come and visit.  I was thrilled to meet them.  To this day it is hard to remember their real names as the whole visit I called them "Auntie Bill and Uncle Margret."

Early Memories

It is my birthday in April, in preperation for the "big event"...I thought it might be fun to remember some things from my life.  If there is anything you want me to answer, please leave it in the comments.  I will do one of these once a week or so.  And now...some pictures and stories!

Yes, there is a bandaid on my mouth!  I love how on my bib it says "I love everybody"!  Ha ha!

Notice that I am IN the playpen with my brother on a RIDING TOY! :)

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When I was younger I remember skipping rope with the two girls next door.  I was so excited to go to school in a couple of months. 

The two girls were aged 4 and 6, so one was already going into grade 1 and the other was a year behind me.

When the older girl asked me if I was going to go to Kindergarten I proudly explained that I was going to ECS.  I was thrilled.

She teased me mercilessly and told me only the smart kids went to Kindergarten.

With tears running down my face I asked my Mom why I had to go to ECS and not Kindergarten, was I not smart enough?  Not pretty enough?  Not good enough?

My Mom was nice enough not to laugh as she explained that ECS and Kindergarten were one and the same.




me in "ECS"


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The first day of Kindergarten was very memorable.  I am shy.  I always have been.  As I get older, I get a little better at hiding it (somewhat) but at 5, well, lets just say I am sure I tried my parents patience.

The teachers must have went all out for the first day.  I remember so many fun activities.  There were lots of really fun games, tonnes of fun centers to visit, and crafts to do.  I did none of them.  I was so scared that my Dad would leave me there (the whole point really!) that I stayed glued to his leg for the whole day.
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When it was snack time I would pull out my brown bag.  I was always thrilled when my Mom would pack me two or three different things.  I reveled in my status as the "weird girl".  I would mix my many things together and tell the kids to try it.  Pudding and carrot sticks were my favorite thing to mix. 

Often I would even get a few kids to try them.  :)  Looking back I am sure I was only preparing myself for my very adventurous palate as an adult.

Part two next time...older elementry.

Cheers