And so, after our 2nd family challenge event, thanks to the flu, our party of five became four. I’m not sure that was the gift we were hoping for. Mr. BigStuff was thereafter quarantined to avoid spreading his plague. However, the four of us who remained carried on his big idea. It was nice having even numbers . It was a little emptier without him in the mix. FYI, you can see my previous Blog post for more details on the first two challenge events.

The Monday before Christmas, the Professor gathered us four around the dining table for family game night. We navigated a round of both Chickapig and Clue before Bling needed to get up and stretch. It was conversational and enjoyable, efficient in true Professor style. It was not Bling’s favorite, but it was far better than his reaction would have been to the back-up idea: completing a puzzle. We missed having Mr. BigStuff's injections into the process and conversation, saying all the things. But it was nice to have even numbers in a 4-person board game.

With one parent down for the week, I had been running around wrapping up Christmas and preparing for Christmas Eve dinner with my extended family. So, when I needed to execute, I went with the more creative and fun option - a holiday bake-off. Everyone had to come up with their own treat, and we would ideally judge who made the best batch of goodies. In hindsight, putting this into play on Christmas Eve was not the smartest move, but it got everyone moving - I needed the oven back by 3:30pm or we were eating a late dinner. Snickerdoodles, homemade Chex mix, chocolate cookies with mint icing, M&M cookies with Valentine colors (because someone used all of the Christmas ones) and Pillsbury Christmas cookie rounds. Hey, I never said they had to make the cookies from scratch. It was implied, but leave it to Bling to find the loophole to my loose rubric. Food is a love language for me, so seeing them all baking in the kitchen was fabulous. We did however, neglect to judge the bake-off, but that wasn’t really the point for me.

While we went through the motions of the Challenge, we ALL agreed it was not as meaningful with Dad down for the count. How would we judge a winner when he was too ill for his challenge event (a Christmas walk with our family dog Whiskey)? But Mr. Bigstuff was upright on Christmas morning, and he unanimously decided that everyone was a winner for forging ahead, despite his bedridden status, through the remainder of the challenge. So there was that.

And then, mid-day, I went down for the count. Not the present I was hoping for, but happy I could take one for the team. Thankfully, having a flu shot seems to have shortened and lessened my symptoms, so I was upright in time for New Year’s Eve.

The reviews are mixed from the boys as to whether or not we do this again, but the parents have unanimously decided that we need a do-over when everyone is healthy. And maybe just 1-2 events per week would be less chaotic? I loved seeing the personalities, values and preferences at play in the events that each of us chose. Were we more present? I believe so. Did we create space that pulled us back to simpler times together? In my book there was a resounding “yes!” And that was the point. Mission accomplished. Some days, the greatest give is not the things you can carry in your hands. It is the memories you carry in your heart.

PS - We did manage to spare the kids from the flu. I guess Clorox Wipes and handwashing really are useful after all, right boys??