Three Things : Weekdays + Creative Family Giveaway

My husband is on his third deployment. So the kids and I are always trying to find ways to pass the time. Our latest favorite is a simple picnic dinner in the back yard. We talk about our day and listen to the birds...watch neighbors walk their dogs...find bugs in the grass.

Hi Ali... Our favorite thing lately is eating at the kitchen table together, and sharing a high/low. It's a game where you tell your high point and low point to the day. The kids love to give us advice, and I love all the ways they tell us to deal with daily life. (ex: I said that my low was seeing my kids get on the bus every morning because I know that I will miss them. My son said: Mom, maybe you could come to school with me everyday and then you wouldn't miss me so much.) Thought that was beyond priceless - and a scrapbook page in the making !!! Have a great day Ali... ¥

Sunday dinners together comes in first with painting time (just me and the kids)coming in second.

The four of us like to lie on our hammock under a shady tree and read books or magazines.

My momma is an art teacher. Some of my fav memories are her arranging things for us to draw. Fruit, folds in the blanket, hands. She would move the small lamp around so that we could see the different shadows forming. And then we'd all sit and draw.
When my kids are old enough to do this, I am totally going to do it too!!!!

Right now my family is just my hubby and I... but one of the things we do along those lines is to pack lunch for each other. Not every day mind you, but often enough. And the most important part: a little note, poem, drawing, etc. to say I love you. My mom did this for us as kids whenever we had a special day, i.e. fieldtrips, or assemblies. It always made me feel special right smack dab in the middle of the day. I wish I still had one of her schoolbus-on-a-napkin drawings.

We always have dinner together as a family, sitting down at the table and hearing about each others day... It's so simple but it is a great way for everyone to connect and share. We also have family game night, though we have trouble making it the same day/time every week. It'd say A for effort on that one...

Totally spaced on this giveaway!!! I guess I can still drop in !!! The book looks very inspiring.

When we were younger always go to church on Sundays to attend the mass. Afterwards, we have a little picnic at my parents house. Just a simple lunch nothing elaborate. Years later, although my sister and I are both married, still do keep our little family tradition. Even the our kids look forward for the picnic at gramps' house!!1

The four of us like to lie on our hammock under a shady tree and read books or magazines.

Our family is Mackenzie and I but our extended family reaches all over the states. Our neighbors are family to us and one of the things we do is neighbor dinner night. It is "scheduled" for Wednesdays and one house is the host family who will make what ever they choose for everyone. Sometimes it is two or three families sometimes it is all seven households ....any way it is fun, it is bonding, it is neighbors becoming friends instead of hiding behind front doors, it is getting the kids together , it is getting all 11 dogs together to play and it ROCKS !!

I have been hearing so many great things about this book -- would be thrilled to get my hand son it!
Our busy little guy is almost two, so the thing he loves most in the world is just for Mom and Dad to simply PLAY with him at the same time! We dance, we play hide and seek, anything he wants and he is just in heaven having 100% of our attention when Dad comes home from work.

I love this layout-a-day project -- that could be just what I need to make some scrapbooking progress! You are so inspiring... And I am so impressed with your ability to blend digital and non-digital elements into your work. So much quality family time can be consumed with busy-ness... I love to make the effort with my son to enjoy every small moment -- even the little things like trips to the grocery or traveling from point A to point B in the car...

I love road trips for spending time with family. There's something absolutely lovely about literally putting things behind you and having nothing but time just to talk!

This was the kind of book I loved to pick up when my children were young and I now pick up for my daughters as they start their families.

With four kids it is difficult at times to get all schedules aligned. We try to have a movie and pizza night every Friday. We like playing games together, especially with the older two. Lots of dinners with either set of grandparents, and aunts/uncles and cousins. Time outside is vital, riding on the golf cart or taking a walk to the river.

We love to snuggle in bed!!!

Ali-
My parents and I go golfing. Yeah I know it sounds weird, but that's what brings us together. We go golfing and for four to five hours, it's just us. We talk about what's going on with each of us. It's really nice. We're outside enjoying the weather and each other. We've been doing this since I was little and it's really comforting when we're out there TOGETHER!

My favorite thing to do is eat as a family everyday and when we do this we say grace together and hold hands. In a time where we are so busy it is nice to know we will all be at this one place everyday. (Something I didn't do when I was young)

We love to sit and read together before bed and we try to eat dinner together every night.
Thanks for sharing these products and the book with us!