Mirriam-Webster's Word Sweep

Jonathan here again. Carrie's given me permission to review another board game! (And here you've been looking forward to an incisive commentary on Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. That will just have to wait for another time, I guess.)

Word Sweep. Carrie got this for me as a surprise, knowing that word games are usually my strong suit. I just had to promise only to play it with friends and guests, and never to inflict it upon her one-on-one. (She would generally prefer invasive dental surgery to 2-player word games.)

So, when my family (whom I described in my earlier post) was visiting last week, I took the opportunity to spring this on them. Splitting into two teams, each has to take turns trying to guess a series of three consecutive words that can be found in the dictionary. (For example: "Sofa", "Soft", "Softball".) The game comes with three separate sets of cards (easy, medium, and hard) with clues leading to the words, and the teams are limited by a timer that keeps the game moving quickly.

Upon reading through the rules, we didn't have very high hopes -- It sounded pretty boring. But, we gave it a shot, and turned out to be pleasantly surprised! Teamwork is a big aspect of the game; the more players you have participating, the better. The difficulty of the clues and words is also handled very well, and it's easy to assign younger kids the "easy" box of clues to level the playing field if you have different ages playing. (Our teams ranged in age from 13 to fifty-something.)

The gameplay feels a little bit like Taboo, but with a more intellectual twist. (You're guessing words based on the definitions on cards that come with the game, rather than on a teammate's stream-of-consciousness clues.) I would say it falls into the "educational" game category, and the box advertises that many of the words come from SAT test word lists. (This would definitely be one of the more enjoyable ways available for teenagers to do SAT prep!)

If you enjoy word games, this is one of the few that I've felt will hold up to extended family gameplay over the years. (I would put it in the "timeless" category of Scrabble, Balderdash, Boggle, Taboo, and Scattergories.) Everybody has unique tastes when it comes to game styles, but this is one that we definitely enjoyed!

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I'm currently studying the Civil Rights movement in my American History course and I'm really fascinated by a great many aspects of it that I think have either been forgotten, covered up, or are just missing from text books in today's day and age. This is a seriously interesting subject to me and I'm blown away with realizations. I'm afraid of saying too much, least it be the wrong thing, but I'm really grateful for how far we've come as a nation. There are things in our past that we should never have done. There are things to be ashamed of, most assuredly! Unspeakable atrocities have occurred. But we have come so far. I wrote out a time line for the Civil Rights movement last night and I'm just amazed at where we started compared to where we are right now.

Anyway, all THAT to say that I listened to Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream speech in its entirety tonight for the first time. (Sure, I'd heard the most popular parts, but I haven't listened to the entire 17:27 minutes of it until this evening.) Not saying you should listen to the whole thing (although I think you should) but go to the 15:15 mark and listen to the last two minutes.



I don't think I've EVER listened to a more engaging speaker in my life time. His voice is MUSICAL. When he starts quoting lines from songs you just want to shout out, "OH SING IT, DO!" I listen to him talk and ache to hear him sing! Spectacular voice. I meant to put the speech on and continue about doing other things while listening to it but his voice is so captivating and compelling that I ended up staring at the computer screen in pure rapture.

To ME history is alive and breathing. To know history and to learn it, to see where we've come and where we are going is a form of worship. I get excited about it and I am in awe of how God works and moves in the hearts of men to accomplish great things. And then I listen to this speech and am grappling with what it meant for our nation and I HEAR how God gave this man a voice that commanded attention and I just about want to cry. God gives everyone gifts. Some of us learn how to use our gifts well and some do not. I'm still learning about MLK but it's certain he knew how to put his voice to good use!

Seriously his voice is stunning . . . (I'm getting a little obsessed. If he'd recorded an album I'd buy it. I like Nat King Cole but MLK's voice is SILK compared to NKC!) And yes, I'm aware of the fact that this speech wasn't about his voice. That's not my point here either. Mostly it's, "See how God used a magical voice to change history?!" Every little detail matters. This one included. I'm just enjoying it.

Alright, I digress. Back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Say It Forward - Fashioned Forward

Time for another Say it Forward carnival at 5 Minutes for Mom in which we bloggers are allowed the opportunity to recognize people who comment frequently on their blogs and websites. I'm glad that several of you DO comment frequently. It allows me a better opportunity of getting to know you. In turn, I'm encouraged to go and learn even MORE about you on your own blogs. It's a sweet cycle.

So this week I've gotta introduce you to another old friend of mine. Last week I introduced you to Sky. If you recall, I met Sky when I lived in Corpus Christi, Texas. This next commenter also grew up in the same area as myself and is a friend to Sky as well. Meet Calon Lan (not her real name, of course). She and I go back to diapers together, in that we were both still wearing them when our parents met. Calon Lan married and moved away before I did and we reconnected through our book blogs. Check out her book blog, Dwell in Possibility. I love how differently she approaches books, reading and learning in general. She continuously inspires and encourages me to try things I previously thought I'd hate. She makes classics sound interesting. I really, really admire her a great deal.

Her latest venture into the world of blogging is Fashioned Forward, a fashion/beauty site.

Now, if you've ever seen any full body pictures of me or happen to know me in real life, you'll be acutely aware of the fact that I'm not really into fashion. I'm way more into jeans and a comfortable t-shirt. Tennis shoes? I'm right there. I should also mention that I only wear two pairs of shoes consistently and I wear my tennis shoes more than the other pair. Some of my friends wish I wouldn't do this.

When Calon Lan (and her sister!) started Fashioned Forward, I subscribed out of Elementary Good Friendship and nothing more. (True confessions.) However! I could not recommend this site to you more highly whether or not you give two hoots for the runway. These sisters are HILARIOUS when it comes to critiquing fashion and I read it for humor sake. I'm getting some serious jollies out of reading this blog (who would have ever thought!?) and so I'd encourage you to link up, subscribe, and otherwise do your thing to follow this new blog. It's hysterically funny and I think you'll get a kick out of it.

And then when you are done laughing about the latest clothes and commentary, you can return to Dwell in Possibility and be all brainy again. It's a fabulous balance and just another reason why I really like being friends with Calon Lan.

Space Exploration & Giveaway

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THE WINNER IS #5!! Congrats to ibeeeg! Your winnings are on the way!
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If you have flown (har, har) over here from 5 Minutes for Books, then welcome! If not, then you've gotta go read my sister post on books about space exploration for kids when you get a chance.

Since I have a boy, I'm interested in finding things that encourage him to imagine things "outside the box". I don't want him to look around at his little world and be content in it. I want him to WANT to explore and push out to discover new things. What better way to encourage imagination than to explore space? It's filled with so many things that we don't know, maybe can't know (and probably won't) as much as it also posseses the capacity to satisfy a person who craves knowledge on the topic. There is so much to explore in space and I'd like to give him a head start. So, like I said, I've been looking up books on airplanes and rockets.

Why airplanes? They are much easier to know and they are easier to introduce the concept of human flight with. He's been on an airplane recently and can identify with that experience. I talked about space books over at 5 Minutes for Books so here I'll introduce you to a few things I found relating to airplanes.

Since he's two, he really, really loved Usborne's That's Not My Plane. We learned the basic parts of an airplane with this book, such as the propeller, the wings, the wheels, etc. Since this book is textured, it provided us the opportunity to explore with our fingers and not just our eyes. I can't stress to you how much he has enjoyed this book. (Hence my new desire to explore more of Usborne's That's Not My . . . series. Awesome books.)



Secondly, we looked at Barefoot Book's I Wish I Were a Pilot which not only gets kids thinking about flying planes, but also includes other methods of transportation such as hot air balloons, yellow submarines, horses, bicycles and more. The little guy is a tremendous fan of wheels and anything that "goes 'round and 'round" so this appeals to his tastes. The illustrations are beautifully done in typical Barefoot Book fashion making this an instant hit as well.



Lastly, we checked out Safari's Space Toob. I've mentioned our use of Safari Toob's before I'm not a big fan of little figures spread throughout the house, but I do like Safari's miniature replicas of "big people things" which allow kids to engage in imaginative play with things like space ships and satallites. This particular kid has the Apollo space craft in it as well as a chimp! (Times have changed.) It's a pretty cool little set and offers fun side play when studying about space travel. Best yet - Safari has graciously offered to give away a Space Toob to one of you readers.

I'm also giving a way a Night Flight set from the Big Bear Shoppe as I mentioned over at 5 Minutes for Books. To win the Night Flight set as well as the Space Toob, leave a comment in this post offering a recommendation for another space related book that I could read with my son. If you don't have a suggestion, that's ok. Let me know how you would use the Space Toob or Night Flight set and who with! U.S. Residents only place. The winner will be selected and announced on Monday, March 9th, 2009.


Enjoy! (We are.)

* I'll let you have two entries with a chance to win if you go poke around The Big Bear Shoppe and come back and leave a second comment telling me what other products of theirs you liked and found interesting. (You'll be happy to note that you can find their products on Amazon.com for easy ordering but peek on their site first!)

Booking Through Thursday

This week's Booking Through Thursday asks the following question:

(When it comes to books and collectibles.)

COLLECTIBLES?

Hardcover? Or paperback?
Illustrations? Or just text?
First editions? Or you don’t care?
Signed by the author? Or not?

Well, if I could afford it I'd always choose the hardback if I really like a book. Hardbacks are nice and I don't worry about them falling apart so very easily. But I don't necessarily mind paperback. I'd just like them to be in good condition.

As for illustrations - depends on what I'm reading, really! On the one hand, I like my imagination to go to work and provide the images for the words I'm reading. On the other hand, I need some help from the author to figure out what the scene is, or how a particular character looks. Obviously, I prefer illustrations in children's books and sometimes YA fiction. I never expect it in adult fiction so I'm not applying my answer to adult works.

First editions? Naw, I don't care. Unless it's a Lucy Maud Montgomery book in which case I'm liable to get a little excited. (I have a first edition Anne of Green Gables and Anne's House of Dreams which I'm particularly fond of.

Signed by the author? I really don't care.

What about you? In what form do you enjoy your books?

Read Aloud Thursday - Zoo Days

Time for another Read Aloud Thursday over at Hope is in the Word.

No, the weather is not accommodating enough for us to hit up the zoo just yet. Moms in rainy Oregon are looking for a goodly amount of indoor activities to keep the kids contained and energized. A few more months and we'll be free to explore the outdoors again and one of the things I am looking forward to doing is going to the zoo with our young squire. In the meantime, we dream with a few good books.

I recently discovered Sylvan Dell Publishing. I was initially attracted to them because they seem to have a good set of artists who provide the illustrations for their books. (I reviewed Little Skink's Tail last week which was another Sylvan publication and the illustrations in that book were fantastic also.) Sylvan has a title called 'Twas the Day Before Zoo Day which tells the story of the zoo as it is before the kids come. Zookeepers are bustling about cleaning animals. Animals are resting comfortably as well as keeping the zookeeper's busy with their individual antics! All of this is told in rhyme and is quite clever. Thanks to Horton, we're particularly fascinated by elephants and I'm pleased to say that the elephants make a few appearances within the pages of Zoo Day. In fact, he loves the elphants in this book so much that I'm frequently prevented from turning the page away from them. When we're done with the story I am obligated to return to the elphant page and the book will remain open on the floor, where they can be viewed conveniently as a full page spread (and floor decor). My one and ONLY objection to this book is that animal "doodoo" is referenced which kinda bugs me as the mother of a boy. I'd rather him not use that word but since he can't read yet I can substitute another word in its place without affecting the rhyme. Otherwise, the book has great kid appeal and - again - love the illustrations!

Paws, Claws, Hands, and Feet is another offering from Sylvan (you'll start recognizing the style after awhile). This book is also told in rhyme and offers children the opportunity to learn about the way that various animal's feet, paws and claws (as the title suggests!) are different and unique. This book is suitable for very young toddlers as it is very simple in nature and more about the pictures and the animals themselves than it is about the words. However, at the end of the book there is a matching game where children are given additional and more detailed information about the function of each animal's foot and "hand" design.

A Kangaroo Joey Grows Up and A Koala Joey Grows Up (published by Lerner Publishing Group) are a bit beyond our current reading range, however we like animals so much that we're content enough to sit through the entirety of these two books. Each of these titles focuses on individual animals that are being raised in a wildlife protection park. It details the animal's life from birth to adulthood and documents the changes in body and development. My two year old said of the koala: "It's cute!" so I'm not sure how much of the information this book offers that he is actually storing away, but he does like hearing their stories. There are several books in this series also, including A Penguin Chick Grows Up and A Giraffe Calf Grows Up (among others).

Lastly, just for fun, you've got to check out this great book I found to help kids learn how to tie their shoes. (Right now we're using velcro but I'm a planner and I'm thinking ahead here!) The Zoo's Shoes: Learn to Tie Your Shoelaces! Each page of this book features a different zoo animal who needs some help with their shoes! This is an extremely cute concept, not to mention package design. The book comes in a little shoe box and it also includes a certificate for the young reader that you can give them once they've learned to tie their own shoes. I love it!


I've discovered that if a book has an animal in it (the animal of choice this week being the elephant) it is likely it will hold his attention, no matter how many words are on the page. Any book all about people though is quickly dismissed. I don't know what it is about animals but, well, we really like them! Hence I am eagerly looking forward to a break in those clouds!

Blessings

This week has been monstrously difficult, schedule and stress-wise. Hence I asked Jonathan to review a book he read. Wouldn't want the website to just die now, would we?! (Please, let us not quibble over priorities.) At any rate, on top of school (getting a BA in history and had an American History exam yesterday) and a big family cleaning project, I'm feeling a bit done in. Today I have dubbed Recovery Day and am allowing myself the pleasure of reading whatever I'd like and doing whatever I want before we revisit the cleaning project this evening. In that vein, I decided that our young squire, along with myself, would go to the used bookstore. Not because I needed to (because I so do not need to) but because I wanted to. I had some books to trade and as I was browsing shelves I stumbled across this:



You might recall that I mentioned during the Lucy Maud Montgomery Challenge that I was not in possession of this book. I used to own it, but loaned it out and it was never returned. My collection of LMM fiction books has therefore been incomplete -- until today! For a ripping one dollar and fifty cents, my collection has been made whole. I. am. STOKED! SO jazzed! I called my husband on his cell. He was, of course, at work and reception was sort of bad so the conversation went something like this:

Me: "GUESS WHAT I FOUND!?!?!?!"
J: "What?!"
Me: "JANE OF LANTERN HILL!!!"
J: "What's that?" (Ok, well, you know we all have our faults and I've now admitted his publicly here in this post. He didn't know what Jane of Lantern Hill was. This falls in my Pardonable Sins category when it comes to husbands. After all, I figure he made the $1.50 with which I used to purchase the book so I'll let this question go.)
Me: "It's the ONLY LMM work of fiction that I didn't have!!!!"
J: "It's a happy day!?"
Me: "It's a HAPPY DAY!"

And it is.

Have I mentioned that I've felt a little stressed lately? Because if I haven't - I have. (Here's my Honest Post for the month, Lisa.) I've been really struggling, wanting to have an attitude that reflects the graciousness of God in all that I do. I want to learn THROUGH circumstances, not just after them when I typically look back and see that I have left disaster in my wake. I want to go about blessing people and not just charging through life trying to accomplish my To Do List. This is what I'm working on. Some days are better than others. Some days I can't seem to be gracious enough and other days not gracious at all. This is frustrating to me because I really wish I were perfect. (Heh.) On the drive home from the book store, while listening to one of my favorite albums, the following song came on:

Now, in order to really get the full effect you must blast the speakers out on your respective computer speakers and sing along with it at the top of your lungs, ignoring the curious stares of your children (or, perhaps the people in the car stopped next to you at the red light). Some songs are just meant to be yelled. This is one of them. And I'm not going to give you the lyrics in this post because the artist himself is so much more effective in sharing his message (in my humblest of opinions).



So, not only did God treat me and bless me with a book I have been looking to replace for no less than TEN YEARS but He also reminded me that He's got me covered. Though I may personally fail a few things, He can still work with me. In my weaknesses His strength is displayed. At least that's the hope I desperately cling to and believe in.

Have you been blessed today or reminded of how much God really does care about you!? Do share. Let's dance on the mountain top together. Sometimes dancing on a mountaintop in the company of friends beats out a book review. Just sometimes.

Riven, by Jerry B. Jenkins

I'm "helping" Carrie with the blogging again this week, this time reviewing the mainstream Christian novel Riven, by Jerry B. Jenkins. Some friends of ours loved this book and loaned us their copy, which I spent a few days with.

The author, who's written twenty other bestselling Christian fiction titles, describes this work as "the novel I've always wanted to write and is unlike anything I've ever written". I was intrigued by that, and, having now read the book, agree wholeheartedly. This is one of the most unusual novels I've seen in a long time.

The writing style Jenkins uses in this book is completely different from what we're used to in contemporary novels. These days, the "popular" novels are those that keep you glued to your seat from beginning to end with plot twists, gripping action, and intensity.

This book is different. The storyline is not fast-paced and action-packed. In fact, after having read the first 300 pages, it felt like the plot was only just beginning, and everything up to that point had been focused on character development. In reading this style of writing, though, you find yourself becoming much more intimately involved in the (very complex) personalities and emotions of the individual characters. You feel like you've walked with them, and know their joys and sorrows. You can empathize with their thoughts and reactions as though they were real people -- good friends, at that.

At 500+ pages long, you're given plenty of time to identify with the characters. And when an unexpected drama is unleashed on their lives, it is incredibly powerful because of what has come before it. Worlds are transformed, lives are changed, and it's related in a way that reaches deep into your soul.

Without giving details away as to the actual content and plot, I will say that this book largely revolves around the somber, darker side of human nature. Actually, it reminded me of Dickens' writing in many places. Revealing the inner conflict and struggles of man, through a gradually-unfolding story that is presented in a measured, steady tone.

A unique book indeed, and one that is eye-opening in many ways.

What's On Your Nightstand?

It's time AGAIN for What's on Your Nightstand over at 5 Minutes for Books. Does anyone else feel like screaming because this carnival just swoops down upon you and swallows you up, laughing in your face about everything that you DIDN'T manage to accomplish the month before? No? Is it just me? Bother.

I just looked at what I said I was going to do last month. Ok, I don't feel SO bad but I still didn't accomplish what I said I was going to. I read my personal reads but went off track as far as 5 Minutes for Books was concerned. So here is my proposed reading list, based on What's On My Nightstand for the month of March.

For 5 Minutes for Books I still need to read:

1. In the Shadow of the Sun King. I still think the title and the premise/subject matter is interesting and I'm looking forward to reading it. I should just DO it, right? (I got distracted in my fiction reads this past month when I picked up Fireflies in December. I devoured Fireflies, absolutely loved it, think it's something that everyone should read, etc., etc., You can see my review of Fireflies in December here. It's an awesome book!)

2. I also have the book Multiple Blessings: Surviving to Thriving with Twins and Sextuplets in my stack for 5M4B which I'm looking forward to getting to here in the near future.

3. Lastly for 5M4B I think I'd like to dwindle down my stack a bit by tackling The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party which I'm really very curious about and eager to get into.

Then, of course, there is my list for my personal and private-to-public pleasure. This list is long, long, agonizing long, folks. (But I really wouldn't have it any other way, really!) The problem is mostly that I keep wandering into used bookstores and from there everything just sort of falls apart. I make no promises for the month but I've picked up some fun titles this past month for my own guilty pleasures. These titles below represent a small fraction of the books I have actually purchased. I'm thinking the season of Lent might be a good opportunity for me to refrain from collecting any additional books, ya think? Be quiet, Jennifer. I'm not really asking YOU. - ha)

1. 101 Dalmatians, by Dodie Smith.

2. The Door in the Hedge, by Robin McKinley

3. Then I stumbled across Cry Of The Icemark and picked it up on a whim so we'll see what I think of that.


Lastly, I intend to re-read The Mission of Motherhood: Touching Your Child's Heart for Eternity along with Stephanie (of Stephanie's Mommy's Brain) who is hosting a little mini bookclub of sorts to talk about this book. She invited other readers to join her in the reading of it so I intend to pick this book up and do just that. I received this book as a gift from a dear friend of mine when I had my son. I read the book before I was a mother and had grand and lofty visions of exactly what that meant. I figure a re-reading might be in order right about now. I look forward to it and am glad for the chance to read it along with Stephanie!

These are my plans, folks, and we'll see how far I get with them! To see what other people are reading and to join in on the carnival, visit 5 Minutes for Books. I'll be seeing you around, no doubt!

Doctor on Everest

Doctor on Everest: A Memoir of the Ill-Fated 1971 International Everest Expedition (published by Raincoast Books) is exactly that. It is the memoirs written down by Peter Steele, senior medical officer on the 1971 journey. The writings are imperfect but he wanted them left as-is to better describe and define this memorable experience.

The team that Steele accompanied was designed to attempt to find a new route on the southwest face of the mountain. They were unable to complete the trek to the top, however, as quoted from the introduction to the book, the team "found it preferable to fail honorably on the route we had come to climb than to succeed on a route that had already seen 23 westerners."

Although the team did not succeed in blazing a new trail, had to deal with an unfortunate death of one of their team members, and were crazy enough (in my opinion) to face challenges of decreased body function due to the extreme cold (you'll never find me there!), learning about them was fascinating. It boggles my mind to think of anyone actually WANTING to subject themselves to temperatures below freezing for months on end. But they do this for a dream. They were setting out to accomplish something that no other team of people had ever done before and there is glory in that. Frozen glory perhaps, but glory nevertheless.

Steele accepted the position of senior medical officer for the initial part of the journey. He was only supposed to stay in the lower altitudes but as the team made their way further up the mountain he found himself on friendly terms with everyone and was invited to climb higher. I think the most interesting parts of this book are the letters which Steele wrote home to this wife, which are included in this book. (Again, why anyone would want to be THAT cold . . . !!!)

It's an interesting journey of struggle and determination. And although they didn't accomplish their main goal, I think Steele learned something about himself and he has published his memoirs so that others can know of the struggles and triumphs that scaling Everest demands and hands out. It's a brutal trek and you won't find me on it anytime soon. However, I don't mind reading about it from the warmth and comfort of my own home!

Carcassonne, by Rio Grande Games

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Note from Carrie: I think Fridays are going to be wild card days here from now on. At this point in the week I'm pretty much brain dead anyway. Today would appear to be "game day". Check out our earlier post today in which guest contributor, Sky, reviewed Number Hunt.) And then check out my note here at the end of Jonathan's review of the following game.
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Howdy folks! It's Carrie's better other half, blogging again. (Apparently you didn't "boo" loudly enough last time I posted... or she just hasn't gotten around to changing the password yet!)

Anyway, in a bit of a change of pace, I'm actually reviewing a board game this time rather than a book. (If you're only here for the book reviews, look at it this way: Here's a game that the rest of your family could spend hours on, giving you more time to read. Happy now?)

Growing up, I was the oldest of five kids, and we were all Totally Into Board Games. Particularly the serious, thinking kind. If a particular game involved any bit of luck, it was snubbed. (Yahtzee, for example. We would have rather been found dead in a ditch than been caught playing Yahtzee.) Anyway, when it came to board games, we invented them, played them, argued about them, and more. I'll never forget my eight-year-old sister coming home from a friend's house and mentioning that they had played a game which most of the other girls liked, but "the ruleset could have been improved."

Somehow, my younger siblings all became better than I was at games. I had serious morale issues as a teenager due to this. (Later on, two of my brothers went on to win national chess championships. I didn't feel so bad at that point.)

Fast-forward a dozen years, to the present. Carrie and I are not much the gaming types. (My acne is gone now, too.) But we ran across Carcassonne recently and gave it a try, to our very pleasant surprise.

Carcassonne (a French word, pronounced "Carcass-Zone") is unique in that it's a tile-laying game with extremely simple rules that don't require mind-bending strategy in order to get the hang of. At the same time, there's enough depth that you'll enjoy playing it over and over. (We have.)

It's also fun because you're creating a "landscape" of roads, cities and fields as you lay down the individual tiles, and the map is built from scratch differently with each game. By the time you're halfway through a game, you're thinking uniquely about the map that's being created, which is constantly changing and presenting new situations. This keeps the gameplay feeling very fresh and interesting, rather than becoming boring after a while.


The rules are easy enough to pick up quickly, and even most kids (8 years and up, I'd say) can participate in playing without much challenge. But there's enough depth in the strategy to be explored that it doesn't become tiresome, even to adults. The game can be played with 2 to 5 players (and there are expansion packs that support adding a 6th player.) Carcassonne can truly be enjoyed just as much by 2 players as 6 players; the gameplay scales perfectly without any difficulty.

If your family is the type that enjoys playing games together, I recommend this wholeheartedly. It's been a hit with everybody that we've introduced it to!

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I am seriously NOT a gamer in any sense or imaginative use of the word. I rather loathe playing games as a general rule. However, I wanted to play this one because we've been talking about Knights and Castles around here and this game involves both. Hence my initial interest. I played this game once with Jonathan and then volunteered him another round of it because I thought it was very fun. And I wouldn't even mind playing it again (and again and again)! If you know me, you know I wouldn't normally volunteer to play ANY game more than once. Except Clue. I do like Clue . . . (so I find it rather unfortunate that Jonathan doesn't) . . . sigh.
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Numbers and Friends

This is my first time to participate in the Say it Forward carnival at 5 Minutes for Mom. I think the idea behind this carnival is a great one, in that it allows you to really focus on someone other than yourself. Sometimes I need that. (Anyone else?) At any rate, I thought I'd mix and blend my carnival participation with some other things because I just typically tend to do that.

First, I must introduce you to one of this site's many loyal commenters, my friend Sky. Sky and I go back about a dozen years or so. We met when we both lived in Corpus Christi, Texas. (I grew up in CC and Sky's husband was transferred there by the Navy. I know Navy moves aren't easy but this is one I'm grateful for and I know Sky is also.) We met when she was a newlywed and I wasn't married at all (or anywhere close for that matter!). Since that time we've both moved a couple of times, I got married, and we have four kids between us. (She's in the majority at the present moment.) I'm grateful for blogging because it allows me to keep up with Sky. (And btw, doesn't she have a cool name? She's unique like that!)

Sky is the kind of friend I can pop an e-mail off to on a really bad day and ask for prayer and I KNOW she'll stop what she's doing and pray immediately. She is truly someone who encourages me and builds me up. We're different people, she and I, but our heart passion for our home is the same - as is our love of chocolate so you know the friendship is solid! I love her for all of this and more. One of the things I love about her is how much she cares about raising her three kids (two boys, one new girl!) to be amazing men and women of grace and truth. She encourages them in their talents and spurs them on to greater heights with love and enthusiasm. Except for when she's tired but everyone has those days too, right!? ;)

Enter the game Number Hunt. I stumbled across this game for my two year old, who is presently working on his counting skills, and was curious about it. It's a bit over his head so I decided I'd ship it off to Sky and let her play it with her boys (ages 3 and 6) and write up the review of it. She happily agreed to do so!



From Sky:

First of all this game is offered by the Taraluna company. This company's games are printed with soy based ink on recycled paper, which my boys found highly amusing as well as responsible of them.

The age group suggested on the box is 4 years old and up.
2-4 players.
About 15 minutes or less of actual game time.

Upon opening the box you are sweetly surprised by the simple game board, one die and four little cardboard playing pieces. I tend to give up on keeping games with hundreds of little pieces and either give them away or recycle them bit by bit as I find them spread throughout the house, so it was refreshing to have an easy but enjoyable box of game stuff!

Number Hunt has several ways that you can play, the two we tried were; Count It and Compare It.

My three year old loved Count It because he could roll the die, name the number and count the leaf spaces to his number, my six year old did not like it because the three year old rolled higher numbers then he did. (Yes, there must be only one winner.)

Compare It was too difficult for my three year old to wrap his head around but it was a good way to show him how four is less then five but more then three. With Compare it you roll the die and move the spaces as before, but if you land on a leaf with objects on it you have to move again; one space back if the number you landed on is less then the number rolled and one space forward if it is more then the rolled number.

As I looked at the other number games suggested I could see that they would be over my three year old's head and perhaps a little boring after the first time or two for my six year old.

This is a great way to go over math skills gently and improve new skills while having fun.

If your child can count and understands the basics of more and less, addition and subtraction then this would be a fun game to play together!

*****

As for my two year old, we've been playing with a variety of things, one of which is the 10 Button Book which has 10 buttons tied to it which you can place within the pages of the book, completing pictures as you do so. I was wondering about the sturdiness of this book but it is very well made. The buttons and strings are very well made and not inclined to come loose or fall off. The holes for the buttons are just big enough for the buttons to fit inside. There are ten page spreads, enabling the child to place one to ten buttons on each page while identifying the number. Although my son can count up to twenty, he's still working on number recognition and this book helps a great deal with that. Plus it has the added bonus of lots of stringy things attached to it which for some reason he finds greatly amusing. Go figure. At any rate, he likes it and I like it because it encourages him to continue learning about numbers. I'm all for that!

And there you have it.

Thanks, Sky, for reviewing Number Hunt for us! And if any of you who have not yet met her, well then allow me the pleasure of the introduction. A pleasure, I assure you, is just what knowing Sky is.