Yahtzee!

Last night after conference was over and we watched the season opener of Granite Flats (I know! Crazy! We NEVER watch TV.), the kids wanted to play games. We set up a group playing Pinochle and another group playing Apples to Apples Jr. After a few rounds my sweetie decided to head for the bedroom so we looked around for a different game.

Scout came up with Yahtzee. Me and Yahtzee, we go WAY back. It's probably the first game I ever learned to play, but like Pinochle, I don't remember ever not knowing how to play. It's how I learned two-digit math and how to take turns. I had to wait patiently for my turn (I had a bunch of brothers and sisters too) and I never once played the game at home.

It was a game we shared with Grandma. And once we started playing, we could go for hours. She was just so competitive! She hated to lose, but she hated it even more if we did something dumb. She tried to teach us a little strategy in a game that was mostly luck. But mostly she taught us to be good sports and not cry when we lost (she had zero tolerance for tears!).

So last night I watched my kids play this game. I had to pick on the Drama Queen a little when she started giving them advice contrary to my own. "How many times have you played this game?" I questioned when she told them to always get the numbers on the bottom first. When she didn't answer I suggested that I had played this game no fewer than 500 times, but I'm guessing that number is a little low.

It was fun though. I love that even Baby Doll could play with us. Drama Queen kept score for everyone and that made it so easy. I didn't win, but only because Princess threw the dice for 2 Yahtzees (all 5 dice are the same number). When I was a kid we never had that rule about the bonus points for the second Yahtzee and I don't like it. But I don't complain. I just try to remember the lessons Grandma taught, be a good sport, wait patiently for your turn, and above all, DON'T get too competitive!