Fun with Ryan

Ryan called yesterday afternoon, asking to come visit, play games and help decorate our Christmas tree. I went to get him and we had about an hour and a half before dinnertime. Tom went out to the hardware store when I went to get Ryan. So the grandson and I were on our own for a bit until he got back. We played Boggle--Ryan gets 5 points per word. Considering he is 5 and just learning to spell, this is fair. I try not to get TOO many words, just so he doesn't get frustrated. Then the boy found the word QUEST all on his own! He said it means 'something hard to do.' OK, not bad.

After Boggle, we played The Last Straw--pile wooden 'straws' on the camel's back until one player has no more straws. It takes balance and care and did frustrate Ryan a little. He didn't want to be a bad sport, but he hates losing. Once, when all the straws fell down, I could see him struggling with tears--and he said something like "It's hard to keep the sniffles back." So I told him to take a deep breath and BLOW the sniffles out...but don't blow down the camel. This made him laugh and the sniffles went away.

Next we played Uno--which got interrupted by a phone call for me, so Grandpa finished my hand because he was back by then. He used my cards to soundly beat Ryan. Ryan still likes the game, though. Finally, we put some decorations on the Christmas tree. Ryan liked seeing the different ornaments, and he liked my mice ornaments a lot. While we were decorating, Mommy called to say dinner was delayed and he could stay longer. We hung several boxes or items, and some mice when he decided the tree was full (hardly) and he wanted to play the game he brought with him--Pictionary Jr. We had just opened the box when Mommy called again to say dinner was almost ready.

I loved that Ryan wanted to come over, and that he called me himself to ask. So sweet.