Games

Barry and I have a very interesting marital quirk. We are extremely competitive at very stupid things. This goes far beyond the rock, paper, scissors game we instigate every poopy diaper or bed time. While we were dating, Barry and I would often compete in a little thing called "The Straw Game". The rules are this: Insert a straw in your mouth. Be the first one to get the opposite end in your nose. No hands allowed. It sounds outrageous and disgusting but we have introduced the game to hundreds of people and Barry usually comes off conqueror. Another competition would be what we call, "Block-etball". Grayson has a tub full of blocks which occassionally get dumped and left on our living room floor. For Block-etball we divide the blocks into two seperate and equal piles. The blocks tub gets placed across the room from where we are sitting, and then we both take turns launching the blocks into the tub, as if we are shooting a basket. Whoever makes the most shots, wins. But we usually end up dumping the tub back out and repeat the game. Barry usually wins this one too.

The other night, we were both clapping for some cute thing that Grayson did and it turned into "The Last Clap" game. We clapped and clapped, trying to be the last one to clap. After about ten minutes of this game, Grayson started joining in; staring at us bewildered and clapping. Finally, we agreed to let Grayson have the last clap so both of us would lose together. It was a hard forfeit, but Grayson won.

Two nights ago I raised my eyebrows up and down and Barry did it back to me. Then I did it again. He did it again. And then it morphed into who could raise their eyebrows up and down the longest. That game didn't last too long because we both burst out laughing.

There's also the "Bed Dance". I promise it's not as bad as it sounds. I get a little loopy if I stay up too late, and this loopyness produces the Bed Dance. It usually ends up with us about to fall asleep, and I call out, "Bed Dance" and we both start flopping around like fish. And of course, it turns into a competition to see who can flop around the longest. This game is highly efficient though, because it often leads to a quick shut eye.

And of course there are the regular games. We play Scrabble, Boggle, Yahtzee, Skipbo, and Phase Ten ALL the time! When we play one on one... we play for blood. And recently, I've finally achieved Barry status at Guitar Hero so it's actually challenging for him to play me. And sometimes I actually win!

What I'm trying to say, us Ricks are very strange people. Most of you non-families members, don't see this side of us, but it is there. We are extremely competitive... and it is what makes our marriage so great!