I think I’ve mentioned my writing partner, Genevieve, here a time or two. She’s absolutely hilarious and keeps me on track (or encourages me to actually step away from the keyboard) just when I need it. I’ve always been amazed at the empathy of dogs, but this one also demands attention when she feels I’ve spent too much time at the computer. I can’t exactly say she’s wrong, either.

Case in point, recently I was really logging the hours so I could possibly take some time off for the holidays. She obviously had had enough because when we went out she started barking her fool head off at her favorite tire. “Play with me! Play with me now!” (At least, that’s what I pictured her saying.)

I love the way her head turns up when she’s really howling and stressing her point, don’t you? Silly dawg.

I have to admit, Halloween is not one of my favorite holidays! LOL The family loves it, but I just don’t get into it as much. Still, we did this fun thing this year where we put up plastic pumpkins and then put those faux tealights in them. Aren’t they cute?

Why do I get the feeling that my writing partner is bored? Typically she bugs me to play or gives me ideas by barking them out (or at least that’s how I imagine it), but…

… it looks like I’m on my own today!

We picked up this game called Outrage, and it’s so fun I had to tell you about it. It’s sold at the Tower of London, but did I get it at the Tower when I was there? Nope. Instead, I waited seven years and got it on Amazon. LOL! (Hey, at least I didn’t need to figure out how to get it home.)

The game is based on the concept that you have to steal the crown jewels and then escape. It has the tower green and traitor’s gate, and all the fabulous things we think of with the Tower, but the playing pieces are really spectacular. Check these out…

… Sentries to block your way to the white tower…

… the crown jewels (which are so cute I could play with these all by myself! LOL)…

… and coins (so you can make your “escape”).

If you enjoy board games and you’re Tudor-obsessed like me, I think you’ll have a blast playing this.

A few weeks ago the hubs and I are watching Piers Morgan on CNN, and he was interviewing Jimmy Fallon. I have to confess, I love me some Jimmy Fallon! Isn’t he just the cutest? I love the way he described his relationship with his wife and how he looks at comedy… the whole thing. So we’re watching and Jimmy mentions having a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavor named after him.

Now, despite the fact that I heart Jimmy Fallon, I don’t often get to stay up and watch his show. But he’s so so funny. Anyways, Jimmy mentions on Piers Morgan’s show that he’s got this flavor called Late Night Snack, and that it has vanilla bean, chocolate covered potato chips, caramel swirl, etc. Sounds good right?

Well you know me, I don’t get much into these hugely sweet things, but this sounded intriguing. Then a friend of mine tried it and said it was fabulous. So hubs bought some and it is so delicious! I put it in one of those little custard cups, because it’s rich and you really do not need very much. So good.

Here’s the video of when Ben and Jerry (the actual Ben and Jerry!) presented the new flavor to Jimmy:

In fact this ice cream inspired me to add an item to my forthcoming “More Stuff That It Would Be Cool If It Happened” list. More to come on that!

This just cracks me up.

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are witren, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe….

Image: Morguefile

Did you ever have a time where you just could not get to sleep? I have recently. We had a boatload of things happen to us: racoons tore up our roof, driveway got messed up, hot water heater broke, tree fell down, garage door broke… and all within a month or so!

I did a lot of crying. I felt like the world was against us. You know, house things happen, but when they happen all at once, it can just make you feel so overwhelmed. As a result, I couldn’t sleep.

Then my online pal and fellow writer Sharon Falsetto recommended I try aromatherapy. You guys know Sharon because I interviewed her at Working Writers a while back. She’s not only a professional writer, but she is also a certified clinical aromatherapist. She recommend an aromatherapy spritzer called Sleepy Time, and let me tell you the name alone was enough to make me try it! I was desperate for some shut-eye.

Sleepy Time has lavender and Roman chamomile in it, which help you drift off to sleep. All you do is spritz it on your pillow right before you go to bed. I had never tried any type of aromatherapy before and I thought: what do I have to lose?

Turns out, the stuff works great. I noticed right away that I was able to fall asleep easier. I also liked that it became part of my “bedtime routine,” which in and of itself is helpful to sleep. I also liked the fact that it wasn’t perfume-y or overpowering. The scent is really lovely and now when I smell the spritzer it really does put me in the mood for a good night’s sleep.

I am so thankful to Sharon for her knowledge and friendship! You should also check out her pages. She has this fabulous site dedicated to Chocolate Aromatherapy, which I didn’t even know existed until I met her. But I love the idea, especially for someone like me who is diabetic. (I want to try this Coco Havana Spa Candle next.) She also has her Sedona Aromatherapie business, where I got my Sleepy Time Spritzer from. She started Aromatherapy Wedding and if that’s not enough she also writes Girly Chat and at places like Suite101. (Yes, she’s busy! I wonder if her aromatherapy knowledge helps keep her energy up? She makes me tired just thinking about everything she does.)

Everyone has their holiday traditions, and one in our family is playing games at the holidays. Actually, it’s a tradition my husband and I started when we got married! (Traditions have to start somewhere, right?) DH and I love playing games, and we often have friends over throughout the year for game nights. During the holidays, we like to play something light and fun to get us laughing. This holiday was no different.

I have a lot of favorite games, but here are a few which really make the night fun.

Cranium
Cranium never ceases to bring out the laughs. Just having people hum and sculpt and act out a clue… it can get pretty hilarious. We played this with my sister and her family last time they were over and we laughed so hard at one point we were almost crying. Some of the clues make you do some stupid stuff. Like acting out a clue for the thigh-master. Or drawing out a clue with your eyes closed. So funny. I like that this game combines trivia, drawing like you usually do in Pictionary, and charades.

Apples to Apples
This is about the most perfect game for family because people of all ages can play, and it’s low stress. We even played this with my niece when she was here. There are no right or wrong answers. You simply put down a card that you think the person will like, and it’s different for every player and every round. The thing that’s fun about this game is what people put down for a certain clue, and what each person feels is the “right” answer.

Scrabble Slam
This is a new one we just started playing this year. I got it as a Christmas present, so we opened it right away and tried it. So fun! I’m a huge Scrabble lover, so DH got me two of their new games this year. Scrabble slam is fun because it gets everyone involved, you’re shouting out words, and your brain needs to work quickly to make out new words. This isn’t the same as the regular Scrabble where you sit and think of just the right word to get the most points. There are no points in this one, it’s whoever can get rid of their cards first wins. Very fun.

Scrabble Switch-Up
This is the other Scrabble game I got for Christmas, and it’s brand spanking new. It has about five different games centered around the concept of Scrabble, but with a twist. The thing I like about it is that there are games for all skill levels and ages. So if you’ve got someone in your house who is awesome at Scrabble and you aren’t, you will have a very good chance of beating them.

The Settlers of Catan
Only the true geeks of the world play this one, but one thing I like about it is that it’s great for older kids as well as adults. It’s unlike any other game, and allows for conversation, which is key to having a great time game playing in my opinion.

Taboo
This is another game that makes you laugh so hard you will cry. It’s like Password or Ten Thousand Dollar Pyramid (remember those old games shows?) and you have to get your partner to say a certain word without using key phrases that would usually describe it. This game is a blast, especially because every once in a while you get a word that you have no idea how to describe, and your partner is sitting there guessing all this crazy stuff. You play with either four or six people, but we’ve played with an odd number at times when we’ve had a large group.

Scene It
We first got Scene It a few years ago from one of our aunties, and man did she know what she was doing! This game was right up our alley. You use a DVD player, TV, and the board, and answer different questions based on movies. This is a great game for a few players or a big group. We played it one year when we had a large group of our friends here, and again when my extended family came for a visit last year. It’s also good for just two or four people. One thing I like about it is that you can play with a variety of people, and sometimes the kids know more than the adults. There are tons of different Scene It games, too, like Scene It? Disney Magical Moments, Scene It? Seinfeld, Comedy Movies, Twilight, and on and on. There is sure to be one your family will love.

Trivial Pursuit
This game has been around forever, but they’ve continually updated it and the DVD version is very fun. Again, it’s great for either a small or large group, and the kids are often able to come up with things the adults have no idea about. To me, it’s fascinating to see what kind of knowledge people have.

That’s my list of favorite games, but of course we play a ton of others. I didn’t really list the card games we like (besides Scrabble Slam) but I may have to do that in another post. Everyone has traditions at the holidays, and games are a part of ours.

A friend sent me this and I thought I’d share. Hope you are all enjoying this special day.

I’m enjoying the day with the family, and I hope you are as well. I hope your Christmas is stress-free, filled with happy memories with your family. Thank you to all who visit this blog, your questions and comments inspire me!

Blessings to you today and throughout the year.