The _____ (insert family name here) Olympics

     Growing up, nothing was more invigorating and enjoyable than the family Olympics.  I'm cornered on each end by two brothers, and since we often competed in these Olympics with my dad: I was the only girl.  My competitive edge kept me on par with the boys though, and made the activity all the more fun.  With exuberant energy and creativity, we decided on "playing" the Olympics.  Each one of us brainstormed two game ideas, for a total of eight games and an afternoon of fun.  The key was to picking the activity that suited you best, and we always ended up with some wacky ideas.  

     The first afternoon my dad came up with the idea, we were bored out of our minds and bouncing off the walls.  So, with our Olympic agenda set, we hiked to a nearby park and began the festivities.  My dad set up handicaps in certain events, making sure that the results were at least semi-fair.  We did obstacle courses, the basketball game knockout, a running race, the family favorite game: shark-tag, and even push ups.
     We were fueling creativity, competition, and family fun.  But we were also having a blast getting outside of the house and creating lasting memories.  I learned from the family Olympics that I am the best at the monkey bars, that my older brother is hands down the best at shark-tag, and that my dad has the most accurate shot in basketball.  Those are memories I wouldn't trade for anything.
     Now, we are a bit older.  The other night though, my younger brother suggested we revive the tradition and bring back the games.  Like a proud gold medalist, he drew up the score sheet and instructed us to think of our game ideas.  Some ideas for our Olympics-- such as Just Dance 3-- have grown up with us.  Others however-- best two-minute interpretive dance-- are still as childish as they were five years ago.  The point is, doing stuff as a family should be active and involved.  Watching movies together doesn't always cut it, and even though I'm about to head off to college myself, I've learned that you're never too old for the family Olympics.

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