Every year at singing school, after spending most of the hot summer day sitting in classes, surrounded by some of the best friends we have, the excitement level and energy runs high. So we have to do something with all that excess energy, thus the games begin every afternoon, in pretty much the hottest, driest part of the day. Each one carefully designed for maximum energy expenditure and extreme competitiveness, and oh did I mention possiblity for pain?
The games are devided between age groups, with the youngest kids either in the tribe of Levi or Joseph. The middle group fall into the tribes of Dan or Benjamin. Then the unruly highschool/college/adult group either belong to the noble and elite Asher tribe shode in iron and brass, having plenty of bread, a most happy folk, or that evil team Judah. I mean seriously what do they have going for them, David, Solomon, Jesus. We are still the better tribe, friends. :D
Monday, we played Angle Ball. A game difficult to discribe other than to say that you have a very large ball, think exercise ball here, suctioned onto a large punger, on top of a very long piece of pvc pipe, all sunk into a bucket of concrete. The object is to throw a very light and small ball hard enough to knock off the big ball, all without getting within 10 feet of the whole set up. Sounds easy? Try it with about a gazillion people running at you, trying to trip or kill you (either works) and remembering who your team mates are to throw to the right person, when the other team tags you.

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Tuesday, we played a much calmer game of volleyball. I was greatly saddened by the lost of our water games. Water balloons and capture the flag I could have definately handled, and boy would I have liked to have gotten wet, it was hot.
Wednesday, was the greatest of all game days, the day when we play the illustrous game of Bully Ball. This game is so rough that it ends in broken bones (ok not really, but it could very easily, end that way), however, it is so rough that the girls now play separate from the guys. I missed the girls game this year, but the guys game was as amazing as always. Imagine a game rougher than football, rougher than rugby, all without any protective gear. Imagine Adam our faithful referee attempting to call plays and stop the game with no whistle only his voice. Imagine dust and gravel flying and a very, very large ball. This ball is the biggest you have ever seen, one person cannot wrap their arms all the way around this ball. The object is to get possession of the ball and get it through the opposite goal, in anyway possible. The only person you can't run over is the goalie. The best pictures I didn't even get because I was too busy watching the game. At one point Gary and a couple of others were pushing Justin and Jayme over the fence. Seriously, they were off their feet, on top of the chain link fence. Everyone had battle scars for at least a few days. The girls sat on the ground, cheering on our guys and tried to keep out from under their feet, and the ball threatened to go out of bounds.
Thursday was the relay races. Each team paired up with a little kids team, to inspire teamwork. In the first set of relays, they had to pass a lifesaver from person to person from toothpick to toothpick, big kid to little kid to big kid. The second relay, they had to pass a small foam ball from person to person, big kid to little kid to big kid, using only their neck. (This provided many of us with somewhat incriminating photos of those playing.) The third relay was the funniest. Big kids and little kids were teamed up together to run down to a stack of stuff. The big kid had to set up a chair, open and unbrello while the little kid opened a container of animal crackers. The little kid had to put three in his mouth and yell "whoot, whoot" without blowing crumbs, then they had to stack everything back up and run and tag the next couple. It quickly became obvious that some parents had taught their kids, one cracker at a time, and chew and swallow completely before putting another one in; while other kids shoved three in their mouth, didn't chew at all and yelled whoot, then ate them when they got back to the line. The final rely was called 40 ways to get there and back. Each person on the team had to get to the bucket and back a different way. There were power walkers, hopping on one leg, crawling, cartwheels all the way down and back, and walking on hands. Those of us sitting around on the hill watching, were laughing and laughing and laughing.

At the end of the day the once undefeated Asher discovered that for the second year in a role Judah won, but just wait till next year, we'll be back. Note: Moms really love post game hugs from their sons.