Family Time

Recently we've become addicted to jigsaw puzzles...it's an awesome way to spend family time and encourages the family to sit together and talk without the tv turning us all into zombies.

Here is one we finished a couple of weeks ago..we had done it years ago..it was a hand-me-down from my mom..so now it's missing a few pieces. It was still good fun..time to toss it though w/ those missing pieces.



We have been trying so hard to figure out ways to keep our son Cameron away from playing his computer game Freelancer so much. If it were up to him, he'd live in the corner of the living room where we have his computer table set up at and never leave.

Here's Cam in his favorite spot. Over the last few months of watching him go through the symptoms of gastroparesis and eosinophilic gastroenteritus, I'm just happy to see him not laying in misery on the couch.



It's really hard w/ his condition because it makes him feel nauseas 24/7. However, addictions to any one thing is not healthy either..esp w/ your face inches away from a screen all day every day. So we take easy walks around the neighborhood..one after each main meal...we often bring the rc cars w/ us..esp at night w/ flashlights attached to the top of them. At first he was not interested..but little by little his interest is growing...



peeling out in the dirt...



we watch our favorite shows together and try to make it a family event..love the DVR! We read together and sometimes I can coerce him into helping me bake whatever allergy safe goodie I'm trying out for him, but there really isn't a lot he likes to do right now. He used to love board games but as a teenager he's turning up his nose to that everytime we suggest..and scrabble too..that used to be a favorite of his (I suck at it)..he would play with his dad and they were so serious about it. But now he says it requires too much thinking and he can't handle it with the nausea.

A few weeks ago a lightbulb went off in my head as I layed down to sleep..."Hey a jigsaw puzzle!" that one has been a hit. Now we always have a puzzle at the table..we even start to panick when we are almost done...wondering when and where we are gonna get the next puzzle. Not many places to shop here for them. And you know.. to have fun w/ a puzzle it requires some forethought..it's got to have enough color and different things going on.

Here is the latest one we are working on..it's sooo pretty and so much fun! It's about everything that flies, from birds to leaves to flying fish...The colors are amazing. I"ll post a pic when we are done. I"m definitely saving this one and will bring it out again next year.



While we may not be able to have dinners around the table together because it's occupied w/ a puzzle...at least we are doing 'something' together at the dinner table! And really for our situation it works out better because family time at the dinner table isn't centered around food as food seems to be our sons enemy these days.

Now if we could only find more puzzles!