On a Dark But Not Stormy Night...

Recently two of my son's wives were gone for a week and I thought they might be feeling a little lonely so I decided to throw a "Boys Night In Party". What a great decision!

Between 6:00 and 6:30, Jared manned the grill to cook the meat. I put Nik in charge of the games. Jordan and Talon helped me move the wonderful metal statue Dad made to a better spot around back and Jordan hung up some lights that Vince had given me on the pergola. About 6:30 Kyle came over.  After eating and resting a few minutes, four of them started playing basketball. They discovered that even sons age and tire quickly.

Next was Nik's favorite lawn game, Kubb, which I will probably never understand but enjoy watching anyway, at least when my family is playing. It involves trying to knock over wooden blocks, team against team. After that, they played horseshoes until it got too dark to even see each other let alone the stakes.

We meandered back to the pergola which by now was glowing in the dark, very inviting. Jason swung by about 9 and we sat around chatting.  Kyle, Jordan and Jason set up the patio heat lamp I bought recently on KSL. It put out just the right amount of heat as the night chilled. Talk turned to films, actors etc. and then somebody started in with the puns and riddles, Chuck Norris, all sorts of things. We are probably better than average as a family at this stuff. "What do you do with a sick boat? You take it to the dock".  My favorite one of the night was Jared's quote: "Wanna hear a word I just made up?  Plagarism."  I smile even typing that.

It was my dad's 100th birthday, so we ate mint chocolate ice cream and wished him Happy Birthday! I was noticing the time occasionally, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30...but no way was I going to be the one to shut this party down. At the end, we were gathered around the heater like smart moths to a flame, warming but not getting consumed. Finally, Jared said, "Oh, man, it's midnight.  We had better go."

I will treasure that memory forever.