Where do they learn this stuff?

This is a very recent conversation between Suzanne and Jacob:

J - After I go to Primary I'm going to grow up to be a dad, right? [pronounced 'white']

S - Yep, you're going to be a good daddy.

J - Yeah, and I'm going to drive my wife crazy all day and all night.

S - Why would you do that?!

J - Because it's fun to do!

Amazing. He already gets this stuff.

The Original Nintendo: Part III of the best Fam Reunion Ever

This awe-inspiring photo captures, for me, some of the true joy of video games. Favorites at the reunion were, namely, Jackal. I don't even think Legend of Zelda was played. There was a tiny bit of RC Pro-Am. Some brave souls attempted to fight all the way up from Glass-Joe to Mike Tyson, but were stopped by Soda Popinski or Raging-Bull.

April - you really should get one of these. They're awesome.

Airborne, Part II of The best family reunion ever

Many things come out of the air. But if you catch a water balloon without it breaking, you get $20. But, it's never been done. A water balloon at near terminal velocity has an almost assured tendency to explode on the slightest initial contact of anything harder than air.


Two veterans, notice the balloon fragments in their hair.



And who can forget the bombs bursting in air? A nice encore following the Beatles and s'mores.


Anything that hits you at 90 mph + is going to hurt. Right, Mom? Sorry about that. Hope your head is okay. Thanks for playing, though. You're always a good sport. You could hear those wizz by - incredible that air really does have friction.

We also found some kid that hung out at the park. He joined in. On the wrong team. He got hit multiple times. Then he ate some of our pizza. I hope he enjoyed himself. We enjoyed having him. What was his name?

The best family reunion ever (part 1 of like 10 or something)

When Suzanne and I started off planning for this reunion, we had so many great ideas, but there was no way that we would ever get it all done. Having Suzanna dance in her pajamas was one of the first things on the list. But Aaron's always trying to steal the limelight.


Mandi, newly returned missionary, was delighted to exit the crime smitten and gun forbidden DC and come to where she can shoot freely. That's what being an American is all about.



One of our new favorites is the bloodsport called 'Spoons.' I don't know how your family plays it, but basically you try to get all 4 Queens, or Kings, or 8's, etc. And once you have all 4, you grab a spoon. There is one less spoon than the number of people playing. That means that there is no holds-bar, there will be pain, and almost everyone will lose their dignity in one form or another.


This picture doesn't do it justice. You should have heard the screams of writhing pain. Because you don't want to not have a spoon. If you end up not having a spoon, you get a line of red lipstick (or the most horrible color of lipstick you can find) across your face.


And the person who puts it on you hopes to remove the shred of dignity you might have reserved after the big spoon fight.

More to come ...