five finds friday. (homemade board games, babies & Bergen)

Friday’s here.

It always comes quickly. Even when it feels like I’ve not been busy and even when it feels as if I am moving at breakneck speed.

I’m somewhere in between right now.

Last week I was sitting on a dock staring at a lovely and calm lake. But that’s not my normal.

Honestly, nothing feels normal. And hasn’t for a long time.

Distracted and without direction has been my M.O. lately I think. Although, if I analyze my time usage and productivity, that’s not exactly accurate. But – something is off, that’s for certain.

funny

Last night Piper and Otto and my faux son Matthew stole an idea from the TV show The Amazing World of Gumball. They spent a very long time creating a board game based on the show apparently. And it made me laugh.

Basically there are two decks of cards and they all contain some sort of dare or challenge. You roll the dice to move and draw a card with each roll. The dare cards are more difficult but if you are unwilling to perform the act required from your dare card then you may get half of your roll and complete a task from the dodge cards, which holds easier tasks – in theory.

The cards are full of tasks and challenges the boys created. Things like “go outside and get a leaf and eat it” and “smell your armpits” and “eat raisins that have been soaked in water for ten minutes”. Piper landed on one that allowed Matthew to toss an entire deck of cards in the air and forced Piper to pick them all up.

They convinced me to play a few rounds with them. I couldn’t help myself – I wanted to reward all that fun creativity. And the entire game is so adorable it hurts my heart.

Otto had to let Matthew draw a mustache on his face!

On my two rounds I had to lick our salt lamp for fifteen full seconds. Trust me, when your tongue is attached to a block of salt, fifteen seconds feels very long indeed. And also I drew a card that forced me to cut a little bit of my hair. I’m a team player – I complied.

To me, that game represents what summer should look like – time to create nonsense like that!

fashionable

This week I’m just going to share the early beginnings of my fashionability.

I’ve come a long way, baby.

flavorful

The BLT crepe is back at Tandem.

And they have a delicious strawberry basil lemonade.

There’s your lunch!

faithful

On the way to Colorado we got to pop in for a few quick minutes to see our framily.

When we got there before the ranch – our friends had three sons.

On the way home from the ranch we stopped by for a tiny visit again.

And they had four sons.

It’s miracle – isn’t it?

feels

I thought he seemed taller at the ranch, but honestly, I always think that. He just fits in that element – sunshine and smiles, outside and adventuring. He got himself up at 6:30 am to meet a handful of other guests and to hike up to Sheep Rock where he was rewarded with a sunrise view of Pike’s Peak and a mountain sheep soaking that view up too.

Last week, at the ranch, he bartered to clean out the gutters for another round of trap shooting. This morning he made good on his promise and our gutters are currently leaf free.

Bergen is quick to hug and wittier than I can keep up with sometimes.

Turns out, he has in fact grown an entire inch in the last month.

He’s easy to love. I’m glad I get to be in his corner.

________________________________________________________________________