Game Day Strategy

I've learned a thing or two about competitiveness from my mom. She likes to win. She also knows it takes a good strategy.

I'm sure I don't have to tell you that we (the team of Mom, brother Ron and me) won this game of Sequence. If you have a choice, always be on Mom's team!

Today was the Annual Cookie Bake aka Annual Cookie Exchange and Game Day aka Surprise 40th Birthday Party. Say what?

A couple months ago, I came across some cute Vikings shoes (aren't they all?) and right away thought they'd make a great birthday gift for my niece Caryn. (And I wouldn't mind a pair for myself.) I definitely don't go all out on birthday presents anymore, but I do if it's a milestone. And she turns 40 in January. Take it from me, that's a stinkin' huge milestone!

Of course, I didn't want to wait until January to give her shoes that could help with the Purple Karma during the season, so I figured I'd have to do it Cookie Bake time. Then figured, I should add on a few more surprises. Jim and Carter can attest that everyone deserves an extravaganza for their 40th!

Recalling Caryn's childhood obsession with NKOTB (that's New Kids on the Block for you amateur fans), I worked it in to the surprise and made some funny posters with their old pictures. What was funnier, though, is that Caryn saw them and wondered who was turning 40.

The secret to pulling off a 40th birthday surprise is to do it five weeks in advance under the guise of a cookie exchange! That's good strategy. Thank you, Mom!

And since my sister Renell (and most of us in my family) doesn't throw anything away that could be valuable some day, Caryn got her old blanket back, too! I was not exaggerating about the NKOTB obsession, was I?

The shoes ARE pretty wonder-SKOL, aren't they?

Beside the cookies and surprises, I also got to meet my new great-nephew Linus...

Two months old and he knows how to smile for the camera. Or I accidentally caught him in a gaseous moment.

And here are the four generations: Mom, brother Ron, his son David the new daddy, and Linus. Love that!

Also loved seeing my other great-nephews...

One-year-old Hans who runs everywhere. No sense walking when you can run!

And 21-year-old Anthony, who likely is taller than Carter, who learned the old "stand on tippy toes for photos" trick from his dad.

Didn't get much of a chance to visit with my twin, the hostess, but we'll be co-hosting Christmas together up there in a few weeks. I am sure we'll have plenty of time to visit then!

Just have to get our time-management / productivity strategy in place. Oh, motherrrrr...