Games People Play - Old Fashioned Games

Bored?  Never.  Not with Board Games. Or with cards. 

And popcorn helps.

I know.  My brother and I grew up playing with Monopoly and spent many summer days with friends trying to pass the time.  And Jiffy Pop.

And my parents taught us to play canasta and gin rummy.  Every Saturday night. 

So it's my turn to pass along the games - those good old fashioned games.



 

And the next generation seems to like playing them too.

Having someone come over to visit and eat popcorn and play old fashioned games with us is something to celebrate.

Games People Play - Shooting Hoops

Teresa was always the one who could do an underhanded throw or an overhanded throw and get it in the basket. 

In junior high school and high school she had bragging rights.

It's been over ten years since she's played hoops, or dribbled the ball and at least that long since we have even thought about it. 

But you know what they say about riding a bicycle.  Just get back on it.

We are looking for excuses to celebrate happy days, or happy hours, or happy minutes at our house.  In between the bleeding episodes, the medication issues and Seattle's raindrops.

Recently, we had several things going in our favor. 

First, Teresa's cousin was hanging out with her for the purpose of playing games.  Second, the basketball just seemd to showed up out of nowhere.

When you get two people who like to shoot hoops together with a basketball, and a hoop outside the back door, there's only one thing that can happen.  They go for it.

So this is what happened last week when it was still cold and for a few moments, the sun came out.

....and sun, in Seattle is something to celebrate.

Games People Play - Computer Fun

I remember Teresa assembling puzzles in her teens - upside down - sideways - even without knowing what the puzzle was about.  She can see shapes and quickly put them together.  And playing cards was just her cup of tea. On any given day, she would diligently play word puzzles.  Or, she would pull out her calculator to use with math workbooks.  Or, she would pick out just the right magic marker to color a beautiful drawing.  On occasion, she would put a "Good Job" or a colorful star as a reward sticker on the completed page.  As a young woman who has much time on her hands, she has become the student, teacher and recognition coordinator all in one person.

I've recently acquired a new computer with, of all things, games on it.  There is no comparison to a paper workbook.  It's ten times the fun.  I had no idea.

Watching her eyes light up I notice how she is intrigued to learn how to do things on the computer.  You don't need stickers because the sounds on the computer are silly, and sassy and make you grin from ear to ear.  The colors of the games on the computer screen make the paper workbooks seem almost boring now.  You can even play a card game with your computer if no one is around.

Our goal of one new game each week is easy to reach.  We are assembling a page of internet links of really fun games that she enjoys - all of them are free. (that is if you don't mind watching a commercial in between each game). 

Bravomundo to the online game makers, who provide us with this incredible entertainment system.  This makes every day, a celebration at our house.

Planting for the Future

I remember, when I was newly married, an Italian woman telling me that she only allowed her husband to have two fig trees.  Over the years I understood what she was talking about as we have had as many as 6 fig trees at once -- each being a labor of love.  They grow quickly, produce wonderful fruit, and need to be pruned each year.  We now only have two fig trees, having cut down a few last year. 

Yesterday, my husband proudly received a package and I should have not been surprised to see what it was.  Another fig tree.  He couldn't have been a happier guy.
The little tree arrived two days after we received a doctors report summary for our daughter who suffers from her seizure disorder which occurred as a result of injury from a brain bleed when she was two months old.  The report that narrates what changes have occurred in her over the past year-and-a half states her epilepsy is not well controlled, and that her behavior changes including intense raging, could be a result of her seizures.  Further testing is needed.  The report says, as others have told us, that we should consider surgical approaches to clarify where/how the seizures are starting.  They've asked us to find an expert epilepsy surgeon at an expert epilepsy center.  Whenever the word surgery is used, we first think of getting a hematologist on board because of her bleeding disorder (factor V deficiency). 
By next year, we will have progressed with our daughter's epilepsy - both her treatment and possibly recovery from surgery.  By then, we'll also include a comparison photo when we celebrate our fig tree's one-year birthday.  Planting for the future is planing for the future.  By next year it is our hope that both our daughter and our fig tree will be happy.  We hope our daughter will be doing better and strong enough to enter back into something fun in her life.  And by next year we hope that our little tree will be getting rooted and stronger in her life - in order to bear many delicious figs in the years to come.  Both require a labor of love.

Now that I think about it, two fig trees just aren't enough. Yesterday's arrival was truly something to celebrate.

Beading with a Purpose - The Rosary

Teresa would like spend time each day to pray for others.  She is making her own rosary to do this. 
Trying to find the instructions to make a rosary is very easy to do.  There are instructions right on the internet and there are beads that will work at all the craft stores.  We printed out two patterns and read the instructions before we selected our beads and began our activity.

First, sort the beads into an easy to use container. Second, use the pattern shown on the instructions to arrange your beads on a bead-board.

Teresa selected the pearls for the "Hail Mary's" and a crystal bead for the "Our Father prayer".  She is using a metal bead to separate them and a few other beads to add sparkle. She is using the pearl on the cross for the "Glory Be".

Put your beads on your bead board.  Once you have things on your bead board, check the pattern to make sure it is consistent and symmetrical.  String it, tape the ends, see if it's the best length for you.  Get an espresso.

Finally, tie as many knots as you can stand to make and put a few crimp beads in place to hold things together.  We've added a few extra beads to the necklace because Teresa likes to put her necklace on over her head instead of using a clasp, making most of her necklaces longer than expected.

A completed necklace in under one hour.  That makes for a good day.
Now it's time to start praying.
                           Amen.

Beading with a Purpose - Celebrating the Christ in Christmas

I remember the first year I met the D'Ambrosio family.  After knowing them just a few months, the holidays rolled into our lives.  We decorated a Christmas tree at Tony's house.  Teresa, age 13, pulled out a raggedy wooden Manger scene and took it into the family room.  After a while, she called us into the family room and pointed to it and said, "This is the real meaning of Christmas."  And she proceeded to tell us about the Manger scene she had assembled.

After becoming part of the family, and helping the girls complete their necessary communion classes and prayer classes, it became clear that going to church never made the priority list.  We have so many things going on at our house during the week, that the weekends are a time to catch up on things.  The thought of getting dressed up and attending a worship service on a Sunday morning would be a luxury.  Generally, we are trying to get ready for Monday morning and doing all that needs to be done to make it happen.  That includes addressing multiple lingering nuisance bleeds. Those bleeds can catch up with you - first it's a nose bleed that comes and goes, then a finger cut that needs another layer of another band-aid, and then if one more thing happens, it's time to take care of things and go get some FFP.


It's been eighteen years since Teresa first told us about the Manger scene.  This year, her wish was to not have any Christmas shopping, events, gifts, decorations or a tree. All of this mixed in with medication issues caused just too much noise and anxiety.

So, on Christmas Day, I asked her if she wanted to attend a Mass.  She nodded.  We got dressed and went to the same church where she grew up and took her communion classes.  We took it all in, admiring the Manger scene, the stained glass windows and the sermon, most of which we couldn't understand because the Priest had a thick accent.  The calming effect of attending a place she remembered brought a sense of hope and we lit a candle to welcome in the New Year.

Later that week we began making a necklace, one with a cross.  Teresa wears it most days now.  Some very good days.

Beading with a Purpose - Medic Alert Necklace

Incorporating purpose into a beading activity is not difficult.  It brings ideas for new projects and makes for interesting conversation when people admire your jewelry.

Anyone with a chronic medical condition knows about Medic Alert bracelets and necklaces.  It's the first thing a paramedic will look for if you call 911, and they come to your rescue.  You can purchase these online and they cost plenty.  So, why not make one, instead?  Why not make a few and you can wear different ones, depending on your outfit!
 
The actual charm needs to have the correct information engraved. Teresa's has Factor V deficiency engraved right on it.  That will tell them she has a bleeding disorder and it also tells who to call.  One of her charms has her home address information and the other one tells them to call the Puget Sound Blood Hemophilia Care Program.  They are there 24 x 7 and can help someone with a bleeding disorder when they need support.

What a sense of accomplishment in making your own Medic Alert jewelry.  Congratulations to Teresa for taking a snowy day and putting it to good use!