* Boardgames and More

For the three people who read this blog and may be interested in how we spent our day - this post is for you. We had a family day today, the only item written on our board. David was quite excited about the concept actually, although it didn't stop him from asking several times "What are we doing today?" Family day consisted of several small activities

• Going through the play room yet again to donate more toys. I find our best method is to plop down a large cardboard box or plastic tote and tell the little guys that it must be filled up before we can move on to another task. It never fails - we always fill it up - the toys must breed in those organizational boxes
• A very long 45 minutes during which we attempted to play (following all the rules!!!)Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, and High-Ho-Cheery-Oh with two small children. At 45 minutes we let the smallest child go and then had some very intense games of Memory between mother and son. (His memory is great, when his strategy catches up I will never win)
• More leftover cheese pizza (I over-ordered two pizzas for the party and it is taking FOREVER to eat them)
• A nap for the youngest family member, during which the oldest child made nearly continuous star wars noises, many of which I can not duplicate - boys much have an extra sound effect gene
• Slip and slide for the kids and water gun fights for all during which Judah broke the "don't shoot at people who are refilling their guns rule" and I was required to take a shower after due to being utterly soaked upon entering the house.
• A trip for groceries - what can inspire more family bonding than that?

My favorite moment though was the end - my son cleverly got me to consent to one more game before bed, after his sister had already been put down. We sat on the floor and played four rounds of Dominoes - a game he learned at his great grandmothers. To sit and play with him as a real thinking opponent is an amazing thing. It makes me glad of the very challenging moments of game playing in the past. Rules do not always come naturally and often we all like to play the way we like - in life and in games - but rules are needed - in life and in games. To watch David play the game, lose relatively gracefully, and win relatively but slightly less gracefully is a way to see him grow. I like playing boardgames with the kids, but it is the more that I love.