a good game of checkers

I'm enjoying Christmas break.  The kids have two weeks off.  We have had a bout of several weeks of sickness at our house.  The stomach flu has seemed to make it's way slowly but surely through each member of the family.  It hasn't been brutal, but it's annoying that it's taken weeks to leave us.  We have enjoyed a lot of at home relaxing time because of it though.  It's been good to say "no" to filling our time with all kinds of other obligations and to take time to do what's important.  We've played lots of games, colored lots of pictures, made lots of crafts, and read lots of books.  I rarely find time/ make time to sit down and play board games.  It's just so much concentrated time.  When I do it it's so rewarding though.  The pictures below were snapped with my iphone during a very long game of checkers with Ella where she truly almost beat me!