Games

Life has been busy around here (to say the least). The kids were out of school 3 days early due to the snow thus setting me back three days to finish my Christmas shopping. Today was a somewhat laid back day. I had a doctor's appointment for Sam today and did some shopping before returning home for a meeting. Then Michael left to pick some things up in Asheville (he's been gone for about 6 hours now). I actually had the energy to make dinner (my mother-in-law's potato soup...a favorite at our house). While making dinner I was attempting to listen closely to the three younger girls play so that I could break up any arguments and make sure they were all following the rules. It made me start to remember the games I played when I was a kid with my sister and friends. After almost getting hit hard in the head with a bouncy ball, I remembered when my mom used to let Heidi and I sit at the entrance to the kitchen (when no one was in there) and throw bouncy balls at the garage door. At times we got a little rambunctious and it would land in the sink with all the dirty dinner dishes or on the stove. So much fun though. I, however, stopped this game very quickly today. I didn't like my head being a target and the baby in the house just happened to be napping. I was also reminded of all the games that I played that were NOT safe. I'm sure if my mom had known we played some of these games she would have put a stop to them VERY quickly. The main one that came to mind was Swamp Monster. To understand this game you first have to understand the layout of my room growing up. Heidi and I had twin beds that sat at opposite walls. We would throw all of our blankets between our beds (about 3-4 feet of space) and we would take turns (we usually had a friend over or our cousins). One of us would hide under all the blankets while the other kids would jump between the two beds, at times either falling off the bed into the "swamp" or stepping in the "swamp" on the way to the other bed. The person in the swamp was hidden under all the blankets (are you beginning to see the danger?) and would try to grab someone as they jumped (the danger continues). The game went on like this. Amazingly (praise the Lord) no one was every stepped on or hurt (at least that I can remember). Also amazing, my mom never learned about this game...although I'm sure that if she had caught us we would have had no reason to think it was dangerous. All I can think of now is how thankful I am that none of my kids can play in another kids room. It saves on so much of my sanity and keeps me from having to make a trip to the emergency room (except that they get pretty bored in the living room at times). As I was thinking about this today while the kids were playing I had to smile. If only they knew that the one telling them not to play a "dangerous" game was also the one who played the game above. If only they got a glimpse of how I was growing up they would probably have a completely different opinion of me. Now, I fear that I am the strict parent (Michael is too, but I'm the one that gets on them more about what they play...Michael gives them a little more freedom). Perhaps it's something I'll explain to them one day...I think they would laugh pretty hard, or tell me that it was a dumb game to play. Who knows??



Mom, Heidi and I building a snowman.



A. Denise, Heidi and I on Christmas eve. Heidi looks like she's about to bite A. Denise. She's mischievous.



Heidi, Adam, Joseph and me...we were always together and teaching each other new dangerous games.