Million Minute Family Challenge

There are times when it is fun to challenge my family. In April of this year, we did a Turnoff Week. I learned about it from FamilyFun Magazine. Recently from FamilyFun Magazine (September 2011), I learned of another challenge:

Million Minute Family Challenge

It's about encouraging families and groups to spend quality time having fun together. You count minutes spent playing non-electronic games with each other, then log them on the website adding to the goal of a million minutes from September through December.

We've been having fun. We like playing board games and card games as a family anyway, but this motivates us to actually do it. I've found so many times that just because I like to do something, I don't always take the time to do it. But our family is doing it this time. We've taken the challenge, registered on the website, set our goal of how many minutes we're going to contribute, got our organization kit in the mail (including some sample games and a magnet to hang our tally sheet on the fridge),

and of course we've been having fun playing a variety of games.

What challenges have you taken to spend quality time with your family?

The KAT's Meow

Jr.: Mommy, I need to tell you something.
I... love... you.
(pause)
And I also want some milk.

I've Been Scalped

Before and After

The man responsible


Man, my hair was long


But now it has a little more "style."

Most of us got haircuts or trims recently, including Nichole's first ever haircut.

Before and After

Catch of the Day

Talk Like a Pirate Day Observed

We didn't have a lot of time to celebrate on Talk Like a Pirate Day, though Nichole made sure to talk like a pirate at school. "Ahoy, Teacher." And the kids gave a pirate twist to a card game Nichole does for math practice. They wore eyepatches and whoever won a round would say, "Arr. Me, matey, get the cards."

A couple days later, we were really able to celebrate.
Jeremy made a pirate ship, like he did a couple years ago, complete with turning wheel at the helm (an upside down unicycle) and a working cannon (balloons sculpted around a fan that would blow out balloon cannonballs).

For dinner, we had sea dogs pirate ships (corn dogs with pirate sails sticking out). Carrot hooks (thinly sliced carrot pieces that bend to look like hooks). Stormy sea clouds (mashed potatoes). Pools of... red stuff (ketchup). You can decide for yourself what it is (C'mon. It's a family blog).

And for dessert, Pirate Hat Cake. We saw the cake in the March 2011 FamilyFun Magazine and have been waiting for months to do it for Talk Like a Pirate Day Observed.

We followed our treasure maps and dug up buried treasure with our shovels.

The treasure chest had pirate jewelry in it. The idea for the jewelry also came from the March 2011 FamilyFun Magazine.

And we had a pirate battle with balloon swords.

Oh, and I went around shooting everyone with our Canon (digital camera).

I love finding reasons to celebrate.

Talk Like a Pirate Day 2011

Ahoy Mateys! Today, September 19th, be Talk Like a Pirate Day. If ye be wantin' to celebrate, here be some ideas:

Read me blog post about the holiday from 2 years ago.

View this pirate parody sculpted with balloons by me husband.

click on the picture to see it bigger

Craft some pirate jewelry.

Make a treasure map to find yer hidden booty.

Cut out and color an eyepatch.

Bake a piratey cake.

Partake of some pirate-themed swill. Marshmallow Mateys or Cap'n Crunch. Eat some golden corn, black pearls (olives), and carrot hooks (slice carrots thinly so they bend over when you hold them up).

Listen to piratey tunes. Watch a swashbuckling movie. Play a game full of piratey fun. Some of our favorites be The Princess Bride- with the dread pirate Roberts, The Pirates of the Caribbean, The Pirates of Penzance, Muppet Treasure Island, VeggieTales- anything with the Pirates Who Don't Do Anything, and Monkey Island- all five computer games.

And of course ye'll be wantin' to talk like a pirate all day. Arrr.

Well, me hearties, what other swashbucklin' ideas do you have for celebratin' this fun holiday?

National Video Games Day 2011

My kids are spending the evening playing video games. Well, the older two.

Those of you who "Like" Balloon Guy Entertainment on facebook, check out some of Jeremy's video game parody balloons in his "Medium Balloon Designs" and "Large to Giant Designs" albums. You can see some of them on his website as well in the "Parody" gallery.

A friend of mine did a Mario theme for her son's birthday this year. Check out her blog to see some of the things she did for decorations, party favors, games, and especially the cake.

Another friend and her husband dressed up as Link and Zelda for Halloween last year.

What other cool things have you seen people do or have you done yourself to celebrate video games?

Mommy, Look

It's a bow constrictor.

Jr.'s Turn

joshua with bubbling waterandssssss and with milk
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