The Games People Play

 We play games - some of them good, some of them devious, some of them human, and some of them on a board.  Can't help it, we are a normal family.  If you don't do all of the above, you don't meet our definition of "normal", which might or might not actually be normal - if you know what I mean...

Bella has recently discovered Monopoly Junior - I hear she is kicking behinds and taking names.  I also hear she is learning about how to lose - gracefully, I hope.  You win some, you lose some.  That truth cannot be altered - on the board or in life.  (My philosophy for the day.)

Bryce has dropped the Junior moniker for his brand of Monopoly.  He goes for the real stuff.  It was quite the transition, actually:  from a 20 minute game to a 2 hour game - from a wink-wink "sure that's a six" to "yeah, I can count, too".  In the Harris household, if you want to play an adult game, you have to play by adult rules.  Credit to Bryce, he wanted to graduate to the "real" game.  Sometimes he wins, sometimes he loses.  (Though last time I played him, I trounced!  Right, Emma?)

Then there is Tyler with a Simpson's chess set.  He wanted to join in the fun - a grandboy/Granma game.  Tyler has his own set of rules (you get to make those at age 5).  First of all, he got five pieces - Homer, Grandpa, Bart, Bart and Bart - verses my two - Lisa and Marge.  The games was strictly along gender guideline.  I tried to insert Maggie, but it led to the exclusion of Marge.  Tyler rules - go figure.  In the end, Spider Man won.  Again, Tyler rules - go figure.

We also play Tenzi, generally with 10 dice each.  However, some hands are not big enough to hold them all.  They get 5.  Super Man won (read Tyler).  Bryce and I fought it out for second.  I think Bryce won.  The scoring wasn't kept that accurately, but I'll admit defeat.

So if you come to our house for a family gathering, you should be prepared to participate in several things:  food, comradery, noise, chaos and a board game.  Don't expect mercy - once you hit double digits, we offer none.  Just ask Bryce...