Sammons Family Summer Games opening day!

Today was the first event of The Sammons Family Summer Games. Last week, the children received their first “assignment” which was to build a raft using materials found in nature to enter in a Raft Regatta. Each team had a week to work together and build their raft and aside from the all-natural materials requirement, the only other parameter was size; it had to be larger than 12 inches, but less than 36 inches. (Okay, I admit the size-thing was totally arbitrary, but it made it sound more official and well thought-out than the spur of the moment real-time situation that it actually was.) They divided themselves into 2 teams and got to work. After many raft incarnations, numerous meltdowns, and two race postponements, both teams rallied and had seaworthy entrants for today’s regatta!
Okay, if we had been in any type of official event, I would have caused our entrants to be disqualified! When the children placed their rafts into the river, I held them back with a fishing net so they could start side-by-side, at the same time. But, when I lifted the net, only one of the rafts started moving, so I gave the other one a little(ish) shove. The one that I helped along ended up pulling ahead-way ahead-yikes and won the race! Fortunately, everyone was content to call it a tie (or rather a “mom altered the outcome, so no one really won”!) Either way, The Sammons Family Summer Games is off to a great start-YIPPEE! The Raft Regatta was a big hit, and I didn’t hear, “Mom, I’m bored, there is nothing to do,” even once last week! The only downside of that is that I do so enjoy the opportunity to say “If you’re bored, then you're boring!" I’m sure I’ll have the chance before the summer is over!

The Sammons Family Summer Games event for next week is to ”Create an Original Parlor Game” (it was “Create an Original Board Game” until one underage smarty-pants pointed out that Yahtzee isn’t officially a board game because there isn’t a game board and “what if I come up with a really awesome game that also doesn’t have a game board-then it would stink because I wouldn’t even be able to use it, and that’s SO not fair and….blah, blah…whine…blah”). So, being the flexible, it’s all about the creative process, think outside the box..er… board, Mom that I am, I renamed the event. (Although I must admit, can-can girls keep doing a kick-line across my mind’s eye as I envision my children playing “parlor games” in a prohibition-era, smoke-filled back room!) But, fingers-crossed, the parlor game project will be as fulfilling (and time-filling) as the raft regatta!re bored, then you’re boring.” But I’m sure I’ll have the chance before the summer is over!