Worth Twenty Points

Every summer, like many families, we have Family Camp.

There are people who spend months looking forward to Family Camp. They dream about the hikes. They get excited about the sports. They pack binoculars for spotting exotic animals.

I pack ibuprofen. 😂

Sabba is in charge of the important things. He organizes the rooms, packs the coolers, loads the car, figures out who is sleeping where, and somehow remembers to bring everything we forgot.

I have my own department.

I bring Band-Aids, sunscreen, snacks, little bags of cut-up carrots for every family's car ride... and ideas.

You see, the truth is, I love Family Camp.

Not because I love hiking. I am not a hiker.

Not because I love sports. I am not a sportswoman.

And after the third monkey at the zoo, I have to admit that some of the exotic animals begin to look a little similar.

But I love Family Camp because everyone is together.

Family Magic

When your children grow up and have families of their own, having everyone in one place feels like a gift. There is something magical about waking up under the same roof, sitting around the same table, and hearing five different conversations happening at the same time.

I want the kids to have fun. Of course I do. I want them to run, laugh, play, explore, and make memories. But more than that, I want them to enjoy each other. I want the cousins to discover things about one another that they might not know.

Not just: "Who can throw a ball the farthest?" or "Who can finish the hike first?"

But:

"What makes you laugh every single time?"

"What is something you've always wanted to learn?"

"What is your happiest family memory?"

So I decided to create a game.

I made cards with fun and thoughtful questions on them. When dinner comes around, I am going to give 20 Color War points to any child who answers a question.

Because let's be honest... Conversation is wonderful. But Color War points? That's serious business.

I printed each question onto a card. And then I had another idea. I'm going to keep a little notebook and write down some of the answers. Because I have a feeling there will be answers I won't want to forget.

Years from now, nobody will remember who won the relay race. Nobody will remember who climbed the hill first. Nobody will remember if the cooler stayed cold enough.

But maybe we will remember that one grandchild wanted a pet dragon named Pickles. Or that someone's dream house needed a trampoline in every room. Or that the best smell in the world was fresh challah.

Those are the treasures.

The best memories are not always made on mountain trails

Sometimes they happen around a dinner table... one question at a time.