The pizza box challenge. What you need: 10 empty pizza boxes and lots of space. This was one of the favorite games of Thanksgiving Day. Ten players, each with a pizza box balanced on one hand, roam around the gym (or outdoor space) trying to topple the pizza boxes from the other nine players without losing his/her own box.  A ref with a whistle monitors play and watches for cradled or gripped pizza boxes, which will disqualify the player. The winner is the last one with a balanced box. 

It was a lively game that included everyone from youngest to oldest. Strategy was as important as long legs and arms. Often a little one would sneak in from behind and tip the box of one of her cousins who was working to tip someone else’s box and hadn’t noticed the stealth attack. It was as fun for the spectators as it was for the participants, everyone enjoyed the competition.

During one round Cousin Chase was having a particularly good time. He was racing around and tilting his box using principles of physics that were quite impressive. It got down to Chase and one other player, I think it was Boe, both with long legs and arms, just the two of them so no need to monitor for sneak attacks. After a healthy exchange and lots of laughs, Chase flipped his hand and box around and the box stayed put. The little shyster had cut a hole in the bottom of his box and inserted the tip of his finger. No one had noticed until the physics became impossible to ignore!

What a child! Chase always has a project going. He is either fixing something for someone or cooking up mystery meat for July 4th taste-tests. He is a thinker, a doer, and an entertainer. Life is Good when you have a Chasen Jack around. Life is Good when you are all together!