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When you love to play games, but sometimes there isn't a large crowd to play with, what do you play! A while back I wrote about the big crowd games that our family loves on this post. But, we don't have a large crowd around everyday. Sometimes we only have two of us around, but we still want to play a game. Newlyweds and oldlyweds, like my husband and I, need things to play, too! Sometimes there are only 2 kids. Or just a parent and child.
Games make great gifts, so for a wedding gift it is nice to give a couple something that is just as fun for the 2 of them as it is to play with their friends. For kids, it is great to have games that they can play with each other with little supervision, or mom having to constantly give instruction. And for families it is fun to get games that are fun for both parent and child.
What games do you love that are fun even with just 2 of you playing!
Here are some of our Friday Faves!
Games for 2 Kids That Require Little Supervision:
2. Battleship, who doesn't love it? This game is also fun for parent and child! The original edition
great, but look at this awesome Star Wars version! You know that your Star Wars Buff of any age would love this game!
3. A great game that helps kids learn to think and observe is Connect 4.
an adult might not hate too much.
Parent and Child Games:
1. Jenga is a game that can be enjoyed by young and old. Most of the time, my young grandchildren are better at it than I am. Who doesn't love a good tumbling of the blocks!
2. Lindsey loves problem solving games, so she chose Mastermind! Lindsey grew up with the original (what they now call "retro" version), but I am surprised at how many versions there of this game that uses STEM principles and helps kids learn deductive reasoning. There is even one for younger players. Look at these! They are all clickable.
3. Another game my kids always had fun with when they played in pairs is Mancala. Madalynn always enjoyed this game. This game is played around the world and is also called "the sowing game", or "count and capture." It does take strategy and there are some tricks that kids can learn as they play.
Games for Couples:
2. Alicia and Adrian love to play games together, and they introduced me to Dominion, which is just as much fun with 2 players as it is with 4. It is a game all about building your kingdom and getting more money that your competitor. It is different each time you play and you can even set up your own scenarios. There are also many expansion packs! I love this game!
3. Carcassone is another kingdom building game that is fun with just 2, but also more players. There are a lot of versions and expansion packs to keep this game fresh!
4. Another game that I love so much that I also play it online is Ticket to Ride. This game changes with more players. Playing with 2 is a different kind of challenge and a lot of fun. There are many versions and expansions for this railway building game that cover the history
of the railroad from the beginning, in the US and throughout many countries. It is a ton of fun.
Most of the games on this list we received as gifts ourselves at one time or another, and we have enjoyed them all immensely. It is great to get together and play with our noses out of our phones or tablets and just enjoy each other's company! Let us know what games you enjoy playing with just two!
If you do want to give a game as a gift, we have created this free subscriber printable that would be a cute thing to hang in a game or rec room. It will remind your loved ones to take a break and have some fun every once and awhile. To get the printable without the watermark subscribe to our emails and you'll receive access to our subscriber printables all for free! Just enter your email below to gain access!
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My oldest son is that guy who loves bacon so much that he has a bacon print wallet. When anyone finds a great recipe using bacon and posts it on Facebook, they tag him. So, when we noticed that tomorrow is International Bacon Day, well Friday Faves was a no brainer! We had to feature bacon and my son's fave will be part of today's post.
What is your favorite way to eat bacon?
The fact that I used raw bacon as my opening photo may gross some people out. But, true bacon lovers will be drooling and ready to cook it up, nice and crisp. We do have some true bacon lovers in our family, despite the healthy lifestyle we strive for. Let's face it, bacon is one temptation that is hard to resist. It is a guilty pleasure for sure. Coming up with just a few favorite ways to use it was difficult.
Madalynn
The veggie bacon is a healthier alternative to real bacon. Maddy tries to eat vegan as much as possible for health reasons. I wasn't sure if vegan bacon would fit the criteria for International Bacon Day, since I am sure that pork farmers promote that holiday. But, we don't want to leave anyone out and many people are eating vegan these days, so here is an option. If you will eat meat but have an aversion to pork, there is always turkey bacon.
Alicia
Lindsey
Lindsey said that she and her husband also really like this children's book about bacon, as a side note.
It is the story of bacon being so popular (sizzling with popularity) that it goes to his head and he forgets about what is really important. This is a cute read for all bacon lovers or kids who worry too much about popularity.
Helen
I pretty much love bacon with everything. I love it when things are wrapped in bacon. So, thinking of that, I was reminded of rumaki.
Rumaki was invented by a Hawaiian chef. It originally always included chicken liver and water chestnut wrapped in bacon. The little nugget was then marinated in soy sauce and brown sugar before being baked. Since I love chicken liver, this is a delicious dish to me. But, some people do not like chicken liver (all of the rest of my family) and now there are other variations, all of which still contain water chestnuts. Although, I have had the chicken liver kind with an apple slice instead of the water chestnut. I have also seen versions of rumaki replacing the chicken liver with pineapple. That sounds very good! I may have to try out some various versions and post the recipes.
Aaron
Before we asked Aaron to participate in today's blog, we were wondering what he would choose as his favorite bacon dish. Lindsey thought he would choose bacon, stuffed with bacon and then wrapped in...bacon! When I told Aaron about that guess, he explained that if you were to sprinkle bacon bits over the top of that, it would open the time vortex! So be careful!
But, actually we were all just a little surprised that his choice wasn't more elaborate. He chose a classic, the BLT! Yup! The good old bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich. It really is a great choice!
So, admit it, everybody does love bacon! How do you like yours? Let us know!
And here is a big PS! This is September 1st, so that means it is day #1 of Cupcake Diaries 30 Days of Halloween! Be sure to check it out! It will be a lot of fun. Be sure to go there on September 9th, and you will see us taking part! So exciting!
This post contains affiliates and I may be compensated if you buy from our links. Thank you for your support. Today, the 25th of August, is National Parks Day. It is the birthday of the National Park Service. To honor it, I purchased my husband a Golden Age Pass that will allow him to get into the parks for free from now on. Actually, Alicia has been bugging me since he turned 62 to get him one. That is the age when you are eligible to get the pass. I had to order it for him online yesterday because on Monday the passes are going up to $80 from the $10 that they used to be. It still isn't too late for you to get yours. Since I ordered it online, it ended up costing $20 instead of $10, but that is still a lot better that $80. The great thing about this pass is that the entire car gets into the park for free as long as the Golden Age Pass holder is in the car. If you aren't old enough yet for the Golden Age Pass, there are other types of passes available as well. You can to to this site to find out about them. Do you know that there is actually a free pass for 4th graders? Also, if you don't qualify or can't afford any of the passes, there are free park entrance days! Here is the list: January 16: Martin Luther King Jr. Day February 20: Presidents' Day April 15-16 and 22-23: Weekends of National Park Week August 25: National Park Service Birthday September 30: National Public Lands Day November 11-12: Veterans Day Weekend Well, all of this talk about National Parks got us thinking about the ones we have been to, so today's Friday Fave's question is... What is your favorite National Park? Of course, since we live in Arizona, we have to list the Grand Canyon. I remember the first time I visited it, I was amazed at the grandeur of the wide expanse of the canyon and the colorful rocks. Looking at it, it still looked like a painting. I also worried about my children falling off the cliffs, so that pretty much is what dominated the trip. The Grand Canyon is definitely worth the trip to see such amazing views and rock formations. I grew up in Clovis, CA. There is a sign right on the main street of Clovis (Clovis Ave.) that says that Clovis is the Gateway to the Sierras. AS the gateway to the Sierra's, it is also the gateway to Yosemite National Park. That is the National Park that my heart belongs to. My dad drove a tour bus there one summer, so I feel like that makes it even more special to me. But, really, the park is gorgeous with its meadows and waterfalls and trees and trails. Thank you John Muir for finding it! Apparently, you are allowed to use the Golden Age Pass in National Forests, too. One National Forest in Arizona with a really cool feature is Tonto National Forest. That feature is the Tonto Natural Bridge. It is awesome and a fairly short, but slightly steep and strenuous. But, I made it, so it isn't that bad! The geology of the naturally formed bridge is fascinating and the travertine rocks are beautiful. For more info on trails into Tonto, you can check out this website by Lukas Savela. In Southern Utah there is beautiful Zion's National Park. I remember going there when I was 16 years old and the thing I remember the most is the big rock that you can walk on a trail under. The rock constantly has water dripping out of it. It is called Weeping Rock! It is so awesome! Alicia loves this park. She says, "My favorite national park is Zion. There's so many breathtaking views and hikes for people of all skill levels. Plus it has sentimental value as the first place Adrian and I went camping together." Here is their adorable picture. They are on top of a point in Zion's called Angels Landing. Another park that is way across the country from us is Niagara Falls! What an amazing place! I could hardly believe the power that was in the Niagara River that you get to kind of walk along really closely, then suddenly there is that wide expanse of falls that is amazing! Lindsey and Austin just went to the Canadian side when they were back east. They got to take the boat ride towards the falls and also go behind the falls. You get very wet when you get near them. Well, those are just a few of our favorite National Parks. Tell us about your favorites! Now that my husband is getting his Golden Age Pass, we may be visiting a lot more!
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My husband and I went on a trip in May, and I left my favorite dress shoes somewhere along the way. They were starting to get worn out anyway, so it was a good reason to get a new pair of shoes. But, here we are in August now and I haven't replace them. The shoes that I have been wearing just aren't cutting it, so I really need something cute and stylish, but also practical and not high.
My girl's all adore shoes so I thought that they would get a kick out of today's Friday Fave question:
What shoes would your favorites be today?
We decided to shop on one of our affiliate companies, Lulu's! Lulu's carries clothing, shoes and accessories for any price range. We just stuck to shoes today, and wait until you see the selection we came up with! Look for the great offers at the bottom of the page! You can click on the pictures to go to the site yourself.
Alicia says, "I like these sandals because they're neutral and will go with a lot of things. Plus many of the reviews say they have problems with bunyons and wide feet and these sandals don't bother them. Also, they are vegan leather and best of all, only $17!" She also pointed out that she is the type of person that will wear sandals in all types of weather, so cute sandals are important.
Maddy says she chose these because, "I love heels and I love wearing black. Black matches everything. And, the embroidery on them is very trendy right now! It will add more interest to otherwise basic outfits!" These fashion forward shoes are on sale for only $23 right now!
Lindsey adores a cute pump heel! She wears them well and these are to die for. They also come in red and wine two-tone. They are Daya by Zendaya and cost $89.
I think all of the above are adorable! But, I am going to have to go with these...
I could wear them with pants or a skirt and they would go with so many things. They aren't high and the pointed toe elongates the foot and leg. At $25, these cute black loafers are a great price.
So what shoes are your favorite? Do you like any of these? You won't believe how many cute shoes they have on the Lulu's site. And, here are some great deals...
Shop Lulus and enjoy $15 off + Free Shipping on orders over $150 - Use promo code 'take15' at checkout. Click here.
Shop Lulus and enjoy $10 off + Free Shipping on orders over $100 - Use promo code 'Freeship10' at checkout. Click here!
So, have fun shoe shopping!
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Creators of Hot Cocoa Bombs! (copyrighted)
Author
Helen Reynolds: Mother of six children , grandmother to eleven! I love to cook, craft and create things and I especially love doing that with my family, So, when my lawyer daughter, Lindsey, my artist daughter, Madalynn, and I came up with the idea of Hot Cocoa Bombs, this blog was born. Then, one more daughter, with her technical and science skills, plus creativity has joined in to round us out! Read more about us here! Archives
June 2024
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