When Josh and Sophie were little you know how as parents you are all excited that they can actually start to process playing a game. So the logical thing to do is go out and purchase those two sin inducing games that you can play with your kids. Candy Land, and Chutes and Ladders. The problem is, as the parent you are experiencing visions of grandeur... We are going to gather around and sit to play this game... If only Norman Rockwell were here to see this, we could BE the picture...
Yea, I had those thoughts too. Then we purchased the games and reality slapped us in the face.
Here's how it would roll with us:
J: SOPHIE, You went to many squares,
S: JOSH, DON'T MOVE FOR ME, I KNOW HOW TO COUNT!!!
Me: OK kids, this is just a game and we can play it over and over and over and over until you go off to college. You do not need to get upset, if you can't play without yelling and crying and carrying on then we are going to have to put this game away...
J: (starting to cry because Sophie was winning) I don't like this game! I quit!!
S: (crying because I'm winning) I don't like this game! I quit!
This is how the competitive nature first reared its ugly head here. We have had to have interventions, teachings, time spent in the bedroom for being ill behaved. It's an ugly world out there when you introduce those two "cute" games into your household.
Well, over the years it has gotten better and worse. You see, the majority of people in this house can be competitive and still come out on the other side without having scarred anyone for life. There is still some weeping and wailing, but we can have fun. Come over for a game of Pit and then you'll see some fun screaming!
Enter vacation. Of course if you go on a vacation with people who have a slight competitive streak it can go downhill pretty quickly. Or it can be fun. Fortunately there weren't any tears, but it stayed fun for us. Don't think that the competition didn't extend down to the younger morsels though. They get sucked in too.
The big kids had to see who could put the tube in the water and jump in and land in the middle of the tube.
GOT IT! Now let's see what you've got, JOSH!
BOOM! One for the Miller boy, one for the Reel boy!
She just had to get her ninja on. She gets sucked into the competition pretty easily too. Poor kid.
Let's take this to the tennis court now.
They look all innocent and happy, but just you wait.
Oh look! It's Maria Sharapova. Check out that form. What she had in mind was to kill the ball and all remnants of social kindness had been shelved...
And look! It's Jennifer Capriati! Whoa buddy! She is aiming for Wimbledon, baby!
It was cutthroat out on that court, but in the end, they decided to go and do a photo shoot of each other, because the competition stuff was for the birds...
Now enter the men-folk. They took it to the tennis court a few times and whoever came back the stinkiest and the sweatiest was the winner. Of course you have the sitting around and living the glory days kind of moments. "Did you see that shot?, I twisted my back!, I can't walk correctly!, OHH I'm getting too old..."
So they decided to take it to the waves. That is what this whole beach thing was about. The waves. Boogie boards. Tennis? That's ok. Lighthouses? That's fun too. Boogie boarding? Heck YEA!
First, the goal is to not get sucked out to sea. There were two particular days when the water was so violent that the sign on the side of the lifeguard chair said, "Angry water". We could only surmise that meant, "Don't go in because it'll make me cranky to have to come and salvage your silly self out of the water."
You can kind of tell the power that is in the water in this picture. We made sure the kids didn't get in because well, I like them a lot.
Some just can't stay away though. They had to get in and go for a little boogie boarding anyway. They stare down the face of "Angry Water" and scoff! I call this attitude, "Die hard". He managed to not get sucked out to sea and he came out unscathed. I will neither confirm nor deny that there may or may not have been a very long nap after this particular jaunt into the ocean. It does tend to make one a little tired, but I'm just sayin'.
OK, back to the competition part. Rodger and Brian are both competitive. You should see Rodger play a game of Chutes and Ladders now! All I can say is you better watch out! You are going down! Candy Land? Cutthroat.
Brian? I dare you to take him to any soccer event and see what happens. Gone.
So naturally they have to boogie board and the goal is to see who can make it on a wave the longest or the farthest inland. To be puked out on the sand, well, you are the gold medal winner! Rodger was prepared for it all too. He requested a rash guard shirt to aid him in his skills of riding the waves. Ok, it was actually because he is very white and he didn't want the sun to burn him. He's so not into tanning. His arms? Great! Face, legs, neck? That's great too. Just not his back and chest. He's doesn't run around with a shirt off often so he doesn't care about that sun tanned skin.
Bring on the waves. Perfect conditions. Could be just a bit more rough, but this will suffice.
Did you know that your facial expression makes you go farther? As is evidenced in the following pictures:
You see the more you scrunch your face, the more fierce you look, hence the waves want to throw you out. It really is that simple.
This particular competition is very subdued and unspoken. There were no bets thrown out, but it is all in the body language. "Did you see how far I made it in???" It's an inner competition. I have a feeling that some people would deny that there was any competition going on. I can neither confirm nor deny the presence of competition with these two. Again, just join us sometime and you'll see!
Have a stellar week,
Tammy
*There were no feelings wounded or relationships destroyed in the making of this vacation. We all came home friends and ready to go back.*
2 comments:
Oh my, oh my, oh my. Did you see those couple of beefcakes on those boards. That is all I am going to say. Oh yes, there was competition...to see who was the biggest wave stud of them all ;)
Well all I'm saying is that it was hottie central ;) The competition was stiff... And your svelte volleyball moves? Titia just doesn't know how blessed she is :) Haha! Corolla Light next year - legit bball tourneys, tennis tourneys, sand volleyball tourneys... It never ends! How many other families can we jam in a house?
Post a Comment