Every year my sister organizes an annual family game day. My dad pays for Little Ceasar’s pizza, everyone leaves the kids with sitters, and the adults who can get together crowd into Kristi’s house. She organized sets of games with rotating players so we had a chance to play with almost everyone during the afternoon. Some of the games were simple like Candyland (my brother was a wizz at this game!) up to Pahse 10 and Chinese checkers (which as least require a modicum of skill or planning.) Pictured here is my mom, brother and brother-in-law.
We also have a great tradition started last year where the winner gets to take home the trophy-and Kristi provides both a booby prize for the lowest scorer and a celebration prize for the highest scorer. You can see I hit the jackpot and miraculously came away with the best score–thus the play money. And the fun ‘trophy’ has bits of game pieces glued to the top of it (my sister tells me she labored hard and long on this–for about five whole minutes). When we are awarded this priceless trophy, we get to put our names on it in marker and take it home to display with honor for the year.

I think my sister Pauline was secretly relieved not to get it–how would she explain to her roommate that she was required to give this miraculous trophy a place of honor in her
living room? Thankfully, I have no such qualms.