I'm here again at last. Let me share where I've been and why I don't know whether I'll be back... back here, that is.

Since Last I Wrote...

This March, we got the news: I was pregnant! This was exactly what we’d hoped for.

Over the past year, I’ve occasionally wondered whether I spent too much time blogging about simplicity and not enough time living that lifestyle. However, hoping to make a difference in my readers’ lives, I had pressed on.

Within a few weeks, though, the feelings intensified. Exhausted from pregnancy, absorbed in baby blanket projects, and thinking about the future, I wondered... How can I be the Mama I hope to be when my time is split between family and the computer? Unsure what to do, I continued, but with less-frequent posts.

Until April 27th.

I started bleeding.

Though scared at first, I had hope. A disappointing ultrasound came next, but we clung onto the words of hope we were hearing from friends, music, and scripture. During this time of waiting and hoping, nothing mattered to me but relationships: God, family, friends. And we wanted their words of hope to mean that our baby was okay.

But they didn’t.

Two weeks after the ordeal began, I miscarried. After returning from the hospital the next day, I journaled, “We shed no tears - all those throughout the week had been enough... yesterday just gave a sense of finality to it all and reassuring hope that He was in control, since everything happened naturally and no further procedure was needed.”

What Now?

It seems to me I now have two options. I’ve recently realized it’s the same options Jesus’ followers had when they heard Him make the incredible, mathematically inaccurate statement “this poor widow put in more than all the rich people” (Luke 21:3). Option one: assume He’s wrong, or else a (in my case, cruel) liar. Option two: realize that He means something different than I understood.

The disciples had to realize that Jesus’ “more” didn’t mean money amounts. I have to realize that His promises of “hope” didn’t mean “this baby will make it”. The truths Jesus was teaching the disciples, about His value of money, giving, and motives, were far greater than what the disciples’ own eyes saw. I’m waiting... and, yes, hoping... to see what greater good will come out of our experience. I know I might never see it... but I can hope.

Simple Living?

Simple living is still what I do. In fact, my simple living has been refined as I’ve seen the uselessness of things that were clearly unimportant compared to our baby. For the moment, this workaholic-produced blog, SimpleMakes, is one of those unimportant things to me. I’ve decided to begin blogging again, but at a more personal, less time-consuming site. In the next month or two, I plan to begin regular posts there. I hope... there’s that word again... it’ll be an inspiration to readers and to myself.

I still get sad sometimes, I still wish I were pregnant, and yes, I have to fight jealousy when I find out about friends who are. But hey, Abraham “hoped and believed against all hope, and that’s how he became the father of many nations” (Rom 4:18, my paraphrase)... who knows what will happen to me!

I'm away, but wanted to introduce you all to a website I've been using more and more lately. Check out SpringPad and play with it for the next few weeks; I personally use the Weekly Meal Planner, Date Planner, and several others.

When I come back, I hope to post some ways you can use SpringPad in conjunction with SimpleMakes posts. Think one-click grabbing the content from the Efficient Packing List into a SpringPad list you can customize and use as your own!

Enjoy Valentine's Day with your tastebuds and your crafty hands! Here are some treats & meal ideas from the kitchen, plus craft ideas to share.

Snacks: Sweet Snack Mix from scrumdilly-do

Drink: Healthy Strawberry-Banana Smoothie from SimpleMakes (er, me!)

Dinner: Candlelight on a Budget from MyRecipes

Dessert: Valentine's Day Treat Hit List from TipNut

Handmade Valentine: Little Acorn Valentine from Little Acorn

Crafty Gift: Valentine's Treasures from Schlosser Designs

Decor: Origami Cherry Blossoms from The Flirty Guide

Comment for a chance to win February's giveaway: an adorable panda pillow from My Dear Darling!

Chun Jie Kuai Le! I live in China, so figured I should share something of Chinese New Year with the rest of the world. Crafts, recipes, and characters... oh my!

When is it?

Chinese New Year, or "Spring Festival" (Chun Jie) is celebrated on the first day of the lunar calendar, so it began on January 26th this year, 2009. However, in many parts of China including my own, the holiday is celebrated all the way through the Lantern Festival 15 days later... so you still have time to have some Chinese New Year fun!

What do you do?

Everyone who possibly can returns home to spend the holiday with their family. On any given day during the Spring Festival weeks, but especially on New Year's Eve and New Year's day, kids and adults set off firecrackers just before they eat their dinner meal. Kids get cash in red envelopes, red being the color symbolizing happiness. Families prepare and eat large meals together on New Year's Eve and day, plus any other days they're off work (some do get the full 15 days off!).

How to Celebrate?

What about some crafts? Kids Craft Weekly put out a tutorial series with four craft tutorials for the Chinese New Year: a Shiny Lantern, Lucky Garland, Paper Plate Ox, and Red Packet Lantern. Check them out here.

What to Eat?

You probably have heard about foods that are eaten for symbolic reasons: whole fish for success and family togetherness, oranges for wealth, uncut noodles for longevity, eggs for fertility. To celebrate at home, try a noodle dish, serve some oranges, have eggs in your fried rice, and if you want to be really authentic, have a JiaoZi (Chinese dumpling) making party! They're shaped like the old form of Chinese gold, so they symbolize fortune in the new year.

...and you?

Take pictures of your family's Chinese New Year celebration and add them to our flickr group!

Comment for a chance to win January's giveaway: Layla Legs!

Don't forget to check out Mary's Jewelry shop on Etsy and use the 10% discount code for this month.

Organizing family events always seems to be a hassle... can the new Qlubb.com help? My answer: Yes... but only if you can convince your family.

I signed up on TwitterMoms a few months back to review Qlubb.com, but then life happened (travel, class, readjusting schedules) and I never blogged about it. I did, however, start a Qlubb for the only group I could think of: my family.

We live in 2 countries, 3 states, and 5 cities. We have birthdays that are hard to remember. We plan trips that are hard to coordinate. We host Christmas exchanges that have to be planned. Most of those activities seemed to require a half-dozen emails or phone calls, so I was excited to have an online club ("Qlubb") to keep it all in one place.

I set a password (it gives the same one for every member) and began playing with the features. The birthdays I remembered, I added to the calendar. The ones I didn't, I posted a request under the "Blurbs" (kind of like an ongoing chat) feature for other people to post.

I explained how family members (especially those with cute kiddos) could upload their photos. I used the "files" section to post our 2009 Christmas gift exchange list, generated at Random.org.

And, of course, since this is a group, not a personal message center, I sent invitations to my family members.

All the above-mentioned features work great, and unlike a previous site where we hosted a family group, it actually LOOKS great, too! Stylish and clean-cut, I like being able to see everything at one glance, though there are some limitations (I can't find any way to delete things like calendars that aren't relevant for a group I run, and everyone has equal editing permissions, so I don't feel safe inviting people I don't know to a group).

The problem isn't Qlubb's layout or features, it's what happens after the invitations go out. I reworded the default invitation so it wouldn't sound spammy, and sent them out on Nov. 30, 2008. Last week, I was chatting online with one sister, resent the link to her, and she finally joined. Member number two. I've resent all the invitations, texted them, and mentioned it. No more members.

I'm not sure whether this is a Qlubb.com problem or a problem with online groups in general (though our previous Yahoo! group saw everyone join the week invitations went out). If most people are like me, I'm pretty member account-ed out from everything online these days that requires a sign-in.

I used to stick with major accounts, like one on Yahoo, that let me get into multiple features (chats, games, website, groups, email, etc.). Nowadays, it doesn't seem to be realistic (partly because the big guys seem to me to spread themselves too thin and are no longer good at all of what they do), so I have accounts all over: google, flickr, twitter, ravelry, tons of single-topic forums, bookcrossing, several social networking sites, wordpress, Amazon and multiple other online stores, several bookmarking networks... you get the picture.

But is adding yet another place to sign in too much?

...and you?

Start your own Qlubb (for a book club, a Bible study, a coffee group, or your family!), and let me know how it goes. Do people join?

Even if you don't want or need a Qlubb, what do you think about the way the internet is going? My simple life sometimes seems overburned by so much to keep track of. What about you?

Comment to enter January's giveaway: Layla Legs!

Don't forget to check out Mary's Jewelry shop on Etsy and use the 10% discount code for this month.

Plans to travel with your family? Not traveling with your family, because of the hassle you fear it'll cause? Try these tips for simple, memorable, and enjoyable family travel.

1. Read up on your destination - We always use Lonely Planet (usually in print format), but I've heard We Just Got Back has good destination guides specifically for families.

2. Prepare ahead - I like this recent article guest-posted by Emma on Simple Mom. She both argues for family trips, even with a baby, and shares tips to prepare a good one.

3. Pack well - I'm of course biased towards my post on simple travel via packing light. I refer to it myself all the time!

4. Help the kids - Directed towards holiday travel, this Simple Mom post has great ideas for enjoying travel with kids.

... and you?

What tips would you add for families taking trips? What do you like to do to ensure smooth travels for your family?

Comment to enter January's giveaway: Layla Legs!

Don't forget to check out Mary's Jewelry shop on Etsy and use the 10% discount code for this month.

I remember anticipating Winter Break with so much excitement every year! Before long, though, I was bored and ready to go back to school with all my friends. Here are some free printable activities I've found lately; ideas for keeping kids (or yourself!) occupied these last days. Try them out with your kids and let me know what you think!

Holiday Village from Claudine Hellmuth
Craft Calendar from Canon
Pop-Up Cards from RobertSabuda.com
Victorian Nursery Craft from Victorian Magazine
Paper House from Whispering Wind
Gingerbread Baby Board Game from Jan Brett
"Believe" Stitchery Pattern from You Can Make This

...and you?

What is your family doing to enjoy the winter holidays? Share your favorite activities (and links, too!) in the comments, or tag on delicious for:simplyla.

Don't forget to comment to enter January's comment giveaway: Layla Legs!

Aren't siblings amazing? I'm so proud of my little sister. Read below for the story, plus a great deal for Simple Makes readers!


My younger sister, Mary (who's not so little anymore!), has been making jewelry since she could crawl, and has been refining her skills ever since. Around 10 years old, Mary opened a tiny 'shop' in our house: "Mary's Beads and Accessories." She sold bracelets, necklaces, and other cute items she'd made from wire and beads. I remember the Christmas gifts we got for her each year: beads, bead organizers, bead supplies. Mary just couldn't get enough of beads :-)

Since the time I went off to college, Mary's gotten even better at beading! Now, she uses more advanced tools: pliers, wire cutters, and little parts I don't know what they are :-) Beginning the freshman year of college herself, Mary's caught the entrepreneurial bug and opened her very own etsy shop!! I love that she named it Mary's Beads and Accessories; the same name she had for her shop as a kid.

Though Mary's been selling her jewelry to our family and friends for years, she's new to Etsy, so I wanted to share about her new shop here on my blog to help get her name out. When I suggested the idea to her (via skype, since we live across the world from each other), she offered a discount to all Simple Makes readers for the whole month of January! You can get 10% off anything in her shop. Here's how it works:

1. First add an item(s) from her shop to your cart and start the check-out process.
2. Enter the code "simplemakes" in the 'notes to seller' and the email address where the revised invoice should be sent.
3. Complete the order but do NOT go to Paypal to pay.
4. You will receive a revised invoice, and a link to complete payment, via email reflecting the discount.

That's it! I hope you can treat yourself to a post-holiday gift, or just bookmark the shop for a future purchase. Enjoy!

...and you?

Post in the comments what you think of her stuff, like those gorgeous earrings in the photo above (almost enough to make me get my ears pierced... but just almost).

If you have an etsy store you'd like featured on SimpleMakes, contact me. I'm looking for a shop to give away an item to a reader each month in 2009, which would get your shop's name and link out as I mentioned the contest in each post that month.

Time's running low if you're still preparing for Christmas day! (as for my family, we'll do gift-giving for Three Kings Day / Epiphany instead of December 25th; not just because it reduces the stress and flurry around Christmas day, but it helps!!)

Here are the links for the best and fastest projects I've found this week. All are great for last-minute cooking, making, and/or giving! The recipes are more of something special to give as a gift or cook as a special treat for family or friends in lieu of a gift (i.e. not so much "Big Christmas Eve Dinner Meal Ideas").

Crafts for Last-Minute Gifts

1. No-Sew Scarves from Little Birdie Secrets
2. Picture Perfect Rubik's Cube from Diary of a Crafty Chica
3. Fridge Magnet Tutorial from Our Daily Chocolate (though Whitney taught me these in college!)
4. Record Baby Sounds from Rookie Moms
5. Quick Quick Mittens from Just Tutes

Alternative Gifts (also take little- to no- time to prep)

1. Alternative Charities from Deliberate Life
2. Give the Gift of "Experience" from Rookie Moms
3. Gift Catalog from Heifer International
4. Alternatives from Buy Nothing Christmas
5. Most Popular Gift Ideas from Rethinking Christmas

Foods for Last-Minute Meals

1. Fluffy (chocolate chip! & plain) Pancakes from Joyful Abode
2. Homemade Cracker Jax from Frugal Village
3. CrockPot Toasted & Spiced Nuts from A Year of CrockPotting
4. Milk Chocolate Fudge from Our Red House
5. Masala Chai of Gratitude (vegan) from Cheap Healthy Good

...and you?

What do you have to add to the list? What are you fervently crafting or baking before the big day arrives? I'd love links to patterns, pictures, and other ideas! Comment here or tag on delicious as for:simplyla.

With cold temperatures outside, we're not as active as we were during the past few months. Here's what we're doing instead.

If you were to ask me to name my favorite season, I'd almost always tell you whichever one it currently is! Oh sure, there are summer activities (like my favorite, picnics!) that would be nice to share now, but they'll be just as nice in about 6 months. For now, I enjoy our simple and peaceful winter activities.

Lately, our evenings have looked like:

1. Spooning dinner out of the rice cooker/crockpot and eating & chatting together
2. Soaking the dishes in the sink and leaving them til morning (and deciding this is okay)
3. Playing a few games of Uno
4. Me knitting while he reads the news
5. Curling up a bit early in bed with a good but sleep-inducing book

...and you?

Share in the comments some of your winter family activities. I'm always looking for more ideas!

For more specific family activity ideas (general; not just for winter), read these posts.

I like to be prepared with a fully-stocked first aid kit in our home at all times. It sure beats running to a medical clinic when minor accidents happen!

I'm not a medical professional, so I can't guarantee that this is the best list you could find, but here's what we keep in our home. I recommend finding two small containers (we use a travel toiletries bag for the "big kit" and a tiny plastic case for the "little kit") and making sure you have everything in one place.

Our "Big Kit":

tools -
digital thermometer
tweezers
eyedropper
small scissors

supplies -
adhesive bandages (various sizes)
sterile gauze pads, sealed in a plastic ziptop bag
medical tape
safety pins
cotton balls
q-tips

topical treatments -
Doctor Burt's Res-q Ointment
antibiotic ointment
hydrogen peroxide
rubbing alcohol
aloe vera gel (for sunburn)
anti-itch stick
Absorbine Jr
Johnson's Baby Oil

pills -
antidiarrheal medicine
allergy medicine
headache medicine
pain medicine

Our "Little Kit":

antiseptic wipe packets
hydrocortisone ointment packets
pills, in sample packs or tiny jewelry ziptop bags
sterile gauze pad
adhesive bandages
safety pins
cough drops
headache medicine
stomachache medicine

...and you?

What'd I miss? What's in your first-aid kit? Any other fans of Doctor Burt's Res-Q Ointment? (I've had the tiny tin for 5+ years, use it all the time, and yet somehow have not run out yet! It was the "special cream" to help any and every 'owie' when I was a summer camp counselor... and my husband and I run to it for small cuts, too!)

I love seasons... both for the way they attune us to life's rhythms and for how they refresh us with change. November 30th began the season of Advent (from Latin for "coming," as in, preparing for Jesus' coming). This week's link love focuses on simple ideas to help you prepare for the coming of Christmas!

Here are the best Advent activities I found this week. Because it's important to me, these all focus on holidays that are handmade, meaningful, peaceful, or all three. What links would you add?

Feeling Crafty?

How to Make a Bunting from Joyful Abode
Christmas Tree Card Pattern from Makes and Takes
Holidays by Hand from Simple Mom

Ready to Read?

25 Storybook Surprises from Makes and Takes
Advent & Christmas Read-Aloud Book List from Teaching Mom
Advent Poems from John Piper

Late start on the Advent Calendar?

Our Advent Calendar from A Little Wonky
Countdown Calendar (Christmas, Hanukkah, or Winter Solstice) from maya*made
Advent Calendar from Wood Between the Worlds

Tried a Jesse Tree?

The Jesse Tree from Simple Mom
Make a Jesse Tree from Rocks in my Dryer
Jesse Tree Readings from CRI

And for the little ones?

A Different Kind of Advent from scrumdilly-do
Christmas Activity Garland from Problem Solvin' Mom
Make-your-own Nativity Stable from Disney Family

Tired of 'Buy, buy, buy'?

Advent Conspiracy
Rethinking Christmas
Buy Nothing Christmas
Buy Handmade

Enjoy!

...and you?

Have a link I might consider for a future top 10? Comment here or tag it for:simplyla to my delicious network with "top10".

What are you doing to prepare for this season (Christmas, winter, or whatever it is for you)?

Achy tummy days? My family's had several of those since we moved overseas at the beginning of this year. What do you do?

My husband's had a stomach ache, but we don't have any peppermint leaves to make him that soothing tea. So, this morning, I took some local Yunnan tea (Pu Er, it's actually getting quite famous) and steeped it with a soft peppermint, one of the few candies we still have left from the States. It actually turned out quite tasty, and with a gorgeous rosy color, though I'm not sure whether it had any of the medicinal qualities of a true Peppermint tea.

...and you?

What do YOU drink, eat, or do to soothe an aching tummy?

I've heard the wive's tales, the doctors' research, and the modern-day talk about cold weather. It's hard to sort fact from fiction in what others say, but it's clear to me what's true in my life: I get really tired during the winter!

Question

As the temperatures began dropping in our town here in rural China, my husband and I started noticing the same thing: we wanted to sleep all the time. 10:30pm as a bedtime suddenly seemed unnecessarily late. Getting out of bed in the morning got a lot harder. We felt kind of lazy, and I wondered what was up: were we just losing our usual motivation because it was so cold both inside and out, or do we humans actually need more sleep in the winter?

Answers

My online findings were mixed, but two apparently reliable sources came to the same conclusion: though we don't hibernate like some mammals, our bodies have an internal clock based on the sun's presence and absence. When the sun goes down sooner, our nights last longer, so it's natural for us to sleep more. The Total Wellbeing Blog says "don't be too hard on yourself when you can't drag yourself out of bed as quick on those colder, darker mornings," and the UK's NHS suggests using winter as a time to improve your health by finally getting the sleep you actually need all year round.

What to do?

Since we still have jobs, families, and other committments, we can't simply sleep the days away just because it feels good. Here are some of my family's tricks to keep warm and active during these cold days. Share your own in the comments!

* DO sleep! - Getting enough sleep, even if we don't during the rest of the year, seems to help us stay active during the hours we should.

* Hot water - When I'm cold, my tendency is to snack on something carb-y, which just keeps me going for a little while and then drains me of energy soon after that. I've found that drinking hot water - the temperature you would use to make tea or coffee - is actually a sweet and pleasant treat that makes me feel warm all over.

* Heating pads - In a place like we live where homes don't have heating, all the stores are selling heating pads to keep your hands warm. I like to put mine on my feet while I type. Make your own with TipNut's instructions.

* Walking - My husband and I always love after-dinner walks, but during this time of the year we like morning walks, afternoon walks, and pre-dinner walks, too! Getting moving gets our bodies warm, and, if the sun's out, our apartment's probably colder, anyway!

* Layer clothing - You've heard this one a million times, so I'll just share one tip: knee-highs under regular socks are GREAT in the winter because you can pull them up to your knee while you're outside, and, if you are blessed with a warm indoors, just push them down to your ankles. Easier than taking off heavy socks that make your feet sweat inside.

* Electric blanket - We're forming a habit of turning the electric blanket on 30 minutes before we want to go to bed (and of course we turn it off before getting in). This way, we don't go to bed too soon, because we want it to be warm when we get in! Electric blankets are also more energy-efficient than heating the whole room, so they're better on the environment and your pocketbook.

* Warm breakfast - It's a lot easier for me to get out of bed in the morning if I know warm food is just minutes away. I've been making my own "instant oatmeal" packets and keeping plenty so I can eat it with breakfast every day.

...and you?

What are your winter tips? Share 'em in the comments so we can all benefit!

Oscar the Pig goes to China! Ooops, that's not right, but since I live in China, I do love that part... before I give away the rest of the book, here's my review.

Last week, I got to read Megan Calhoun's new book, Oscar the Pig: Mommy Goes to Work. It's the first in an upcoming series and is full of cute piggy illustrations like the one above.

Who's it For?

Megan wrote Oscar the Pig for both kids and parents. Kids whose Moms are returning to work will identify with Oscar, and kids and parents alike will giggle at the cute artwork, including "piggy kisses" shared by Oscar and his Mommy pig. It's also good for people like me who love China, thanks to a special visit and introduction to a Chinese Panda whom Oscar befriends (I'm only partly joking)!

What's it Teach?

Oscar's panda friend, Chow Chow, reminds Oscar and your kids that even though Mommy's gone at work, she'll always come home and always loves her little piggy (or, kiddie :-D). Megan also wants the book to give moms practical techniques to help ease the transition, but I think a supplemental page in the book or online would better help us make the jump from 'what Oscar's mom did in the book' to 'what I should do every day.'

Is it Simple?

I love to see kids' books that are just that: kids'. Oscar the Pig teaches and comforts kids without any jargon (well, except one humorous reference for the parents about "bringing home the bacon"). The illustrations, apparently pencil and watercolor, are colorful but simple, the kind of art you could use to inspire your child to get creative: suggesting, "draw for me what fun things you will do while I'm gone!," could result in a beautiful, magical scene like Oscar experiences with his caretaker.

That said, and though I realize that books take a lot of work to produce and materials to prepare for publishing, I feel that this, like most new children's books, carries a bit of a high price tag for a 32-page story. It's still a great idea for families who are about to go through Oscar's situation, but I personally (who am not in that situation) would wait to buy it until some more books come out in the series; as a set, Oscar could become a child's favorite character.

Mom's Perspective

Pamela Kramer, whose little one is struggling with separation anxiety right now, wrote about the book on BabyCenter and shared that it's exactly what her family needed. Read her review here and draw your own conclusions!

...and you?

A few questions:
1) what's your favorite educational childrens' book?
2) what topic do you wish you could find a book on to help your kids?
3) is it just me, or are children's books really expensive!?

If you do purchase Oscar the Pig: Mommy Goes to Work, buy from Amazon through one of my links, and you'll be helping support Simple Makes while you're at it!

As I said in the first part of this packing light series, the key to packing light is a personalized, ever-evolving packing list. Yours won't look just like what I use, but here's mine as a guide to writing your own. Use the links to springpad-it and make it your own!


to wear:
* comfy pants
* layered shirts (tie warmer layer around waist if it's not cold yet)
* 4 elastic hair bands around wrist (for braids or repairs later)
* watch with alarm
* pantyliner (if it'll be awhile before I can change, i.e. international flights)

clothes:
* 1 pair sleep shorts OR pants
* shirts (1 for every other day)
* pants (wear 1, pack 1)
* underclothing
* socks (only if bringing sneakers)

toiletries:
* travel-size toothpaste, baby powder, shampoo
* toothbrush, small comb
* husband's earplugs, my eyeglasses (only if destination involves reading, i.e. conferences)
* napkins
* diva cup (only if... well, you know)

first-aid kit:
* bandaids
* allergy medicine
* tummy medicine
* head medicine
* cough drops
* antiseptic towelettes
* small squares of clean gauze
* safety pins

entertainment/electronics:
* journal, Bible, pencil
* 1 book OR 1 craft
* (for longish flights) ds OR iPod
* camera, cell phone

snacks (only enough for the first flight):
* granola
* granola bars
* dried fruits
* crackers
* refillable water bottle - emptied before flight security

etc.:
* money
* ID
* paperwork (official, as needed, plus directions to destinations, letterboxes, books, etc.)
* empty tote back (only if planning purchases)
* charger to electronics
* electronics’ accessories (memory card, ds games)

... and you?

What did I leave out? Comment with your mini-list or modifications to mine. I'd especially like tips from light travelers with kids!

This weekend, my father-in-law came to visit for my husband's birthday. He brought in several books, plus 100 Organ needles, which I've ordered over the past months!

Each of the books was recommended to me, so I'm super excited about them. I've broken all but one needle on my sewing machine since we've moved here, and I can only find industrial needles to buy, so I ordered a bulk package online. (Of course, 100 needles still doesn't take up very much room!)

The items include:

Devotional Classics

Treasuring God in Our Traditions

Doodle Stitching

Organ Needles

The Creative Family

*I'm an Amazon affiliate, so I get a small commission if you buy anything on Amazon after clicking one of those links. If you're in the market for an Amazon order, please help me out by going through my links! Check out the new Amazon Green program for sustainable products.

...and you?

What was your weekend snapshot? Share photos at our flickr group and comment here with the story!

Also, if you have any book recommendations for a future Amazon purchase, let me know... the best books always seem to come from referrals, and we don't have much in the way of English-language books here!

Weekend snapshots: My life, one weekend photo at a time, 'cause life is beautiful and so is sharing.


Preparing the table for lunch as my husband cooked this weekend, I decided it would be much more fun if I was conscious about how I set the table: angling the chopsticks, alternating the spoons, putting the pear slices in a crystal (well, pretend crystal) bowl, and lining the bread basket with a pretty towel. It made lunch more fun!

I'm still new to blogging but would sure love some comments. Please go ahead! Log-in not required.

Share your weekend snapshots in words (via the comments) or photos (via the flickr group). Enjoy!

It was my turn to plan family night, and I had a craving for arts & crafts, while I knew my husband would be in the mood for games and competition. Thankfully, I found a great combo in the Puzzle People Game!

I got the idea for Puzzle People from Scrumdilly-do's Boredom Busters: Crazy Creatures post. You can follow her thorough & colorful how-to there; basically, you want to:

1. Line up index cards (we did 3) and draw one character across the three: head, body, and legs/feet. It's okay if it's not humanoid, so long as it can fit across the cards.
2. We then wrote "head" "body" and "feet" on the back sides, but won't do this next time - see below.
3. Mix up the cards.
4. Make up games to play with them! Use your imagination, use her ideas, or try mine, below.
5. Keep 'em for more fun later - we used a simple plastic zip-top bag.

Our Games

Game #1. Story Telling:
After separately drawing our characters, we introduced each with a little (funny) story. The body (middle card) in the photo above, for example, is a young chef who loves cooking, mixing, and his fun checkered pants.

Game #2. Crazy People:
We mixed up the heads in one stack, bodies in one stack, and feet in one stack, all upsidedown. Because we could tell by handwriting what was what, we dealt them out rather than choosing cards (next time we'll leave off the backs). We each had one minute to come up with a name for the newly-created person, along with a story about why they look the way they do.

Game #3. Build-a-Person: We shuffled all the cards together and dealt 5 to each player. The goal was to get a complete, matching, head-body-feet character.
We held our cards so only we could see them and, in "Go Fish" fashion, asked, "Do you have a _____?" Since we not kids, asking "Do you have a bee," "Do you have a car," etc. would be too easy, so we could only ask for body parts.
"Do you have a head? Body? Feet?" If the player had any, they had to pick one and give it to you. If they didn't have one, you drew one from the top of the card pile. Either way, you always ended your turn by discarding one card to the bottom of the draw pile so that your hand ended back up with 5 cards.
The winner, of course, is whoever first puts together a complete, matching person!
This was a fun, silly, game since you didn't have a lot of control over what you got, and you had crazy looking people in your hand the whole game.

...and you?

Share links or ideas in the comments section with other games you get to make & then play. You can also upload Puzzle People photos to the flickr group!