Uno ...

the name of the game we have been playing a lot of these days.  We have some pretty intense games between the boys and girls and we laugh a lot.  We play cards down as we explain and teach the strategy and it is fun to see them getting the hang of it although their desire to have someone make the draw four and the sadness which ensues when they don't have draw is an aspect we are still working to explain.  The other day Symeon said, "Mom you should have given me the draw four that way the game could have lasted longer"  I explained why I could not use my draw four since I had cards of the color in the pile and in my mind I was thinking that after 4 hands of some rather drawn out hands I was okay with it ending. 

Marin is a riot to play with especially when she has a draw four since her favorite color is blue she always wants to change it to blue even if she does not have any in her hand.  We are still working on that and she also believes she can change any card she wants if she just says Mom I am changing this red 5 to a blue one okay. 

It has been fun.  Here is one of our more intense games since we had some extra players. 

 Cat and Monkey joined the game and it really helped make the games longer which was the whole goal because every time Symeon or Marin would run out of cards they would say oh wait I am playing Cat or Monkey's cards.