Man Points

Katie was withholding the man points list, but Tanner and I used our manly cunning to snatch it from her car.

On the last day of our Summer cabin trip, Paige and Katie decided to see who was more manly; me, or Tanner.
These were the results.

We each started out with one hundred points.

Tanner:                                                                 
Start: 100
Bacon: 50
Burning hand: 5
Feet off floor: -20
Boredom: 5
Noticing girl hair: 10
Seductive grape: 50
Condescending glare: 10
Tongues: 20
Dirty water: 25
ADD: 20
Blow dry face: 15
Aggression towards Paige: -25
Kneeling to Paige: 10
Cleaning up: 20
Glade scented candle: -10
Stutter: 10
Entertainment: 10
Kitchen affection: -25
Singing: 10
Admitting he doesn't like a burger joint: 10
Being "awesome": 10
Not helping Beverly Hills (Cassidy): -10
Constantly checking list: -10
Wandering confusedly: 15
Not showering for ride home: 20
Not complaining: 10
Changing clothes: 10
Not shaving: 10
Not listening to female counterpart (Paige) : -10
New page: 10
Packing up: 15
Man hair: 10
Full facial hair: 25

Grand total: 435




Ryan:


Start: 100
No girls: 10
Complaining: -10
Breakfast: 25
Sitting like a man: 25
Chewing dead pig: 10
Hair comment: -25
Cocky: 50
Looking lost: 50
Thinking: -10
Argumentative: -5
Complaining: -10
Cigar comment: 60
Man laugh: 10
ADD: 20
Mario pants: 10
Bring up wrestling: 10
Cleaning up: 20
Maroon 5 favorite band: 5
Complained: -10
Death threat: 15
Kitchen affection: -25
Singing: 10
Kitchen affection refusal: -25
Admitting he didn't like a burger joint: 10
Confidence in manhood: 10
Checking the list: -10
Smelling amazing: 25
"I love you": 10
Cunning: 5
Little boyish demeanor: 5
Knowing how to spell: 5
New page: 10
Packing up: 15
Man hair: 10
Singing/dancing: 20
Not shaving: 10

Grand total: 465




I won. Because obviously I am more manly than Tanner. As if that wasn't already shockingly apparent.

Family Game Night

Whilst writing the last post, I had the most excellent idea. As a Family, we needed to have a night that was just for us - especially with everything going on in our lives. Today marks the first of many weekly gatherings that are yet to come.

We all - minus Tanner: he had to take his family that he lives with to the zoo - gathered at my house to partake in my - if I could say so myself - DELICIOUS home-made pizza and relax. Relaxing was the last thing on Katie's mind, however, because we decided to play Super Mario Bro.s on the Wii. Katie's past disagreements with video games will not be documented more than stating that they have happened, and they only continued tonight. Needless to say, Ryan and I spent much time collecting coins so that Katie could recieve a 1-up and join us for a few more seconds. Tanner ended up being able to join in at the end - we all sat around my downstairs kitchen table and just talked and abused each other - a little verbally, a little physically. There aren't many things I can post directly from tonight because it all just kind of ran together and built on itself like a big huge snowball that could take out an entire hamlet, but there was much laughing, many screams, smiles, and a couple of infuriated outbursts. It's just nice to know that life will keep moving on, but some things never change.

Moments Like These

Well, It's Been A While. . .

Dearest Readers, I regret to inform you that we - which, lets face it, really means mostly just me - have been slacking on updating you guys with all of the zany adventures of our lives. Since my last post, we've gone on our first vacation as a family, we've started new jobs, and school has even started - for all of us. Our lives are just as crazy as they used to be, it's just in a different way. I'm going to try to recap everything so that I don't lose track of it all, and hopefully start a new habit of actually posting things when they happen. . . maybe.

The cabin trip was pretty much the best thing of my life. The only thing that would be better would be the four of us in Disneyland - and the only thing better than that would be the four of us in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and that's just because that place was already my heaven on earth. We drove up there with Cass - The Accepted - and left all of our worries behind. I don't know about the others, but it was SO great to relax and forget about work, studies - not that those have ever stressed ME out in particular, and the hullabaloo that is life. We took an air mattress and inner tubes so that we could float down the river that runs through the front yard. Ryan had a . . . well, disagreement with the water, as he and I floated down in the tubes and Katie and Tanner upheld the old, and most noble, tradition of Redneck Fishing and took the mattress. There was a scuffle and both of them ended up more wet than either Ryan or I did and we were actually IN the water. I don't know how it happened, but then again, Katie hasn't been called the plotter for nothing.

My birthday was super fantastic! Out in the middle of nowhere with my 3 best friends, my older brother and his girl friend, and the only little sister I'll actually claim to be related to, was just perfect. Cass went all out and made me a cake, Katie got me this AWESOME pillow that had the phrase "Normal People Scare Me" - which is something sadly true about my life - Tanner got me this PHENOMENAL mug that is all black with the words "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good" on the outside. When you fill it with hot stuff - not people, liquids - it turns all white and says "Mischief Managed." I feel all awesome when I make hot chocolate now. Ryan got me this awesome jersey to symbolize our theme song - Must Have Done Something Right, by Relient K - and my cousin got me all of these random and surprisingly entertaining kink-knacks from West Yellowstone. We had a delicious dinner - Ryan's speciality, chicken and potatoes, with some of the best rolls on the planet (the second attempt was good - the first made the rolls appropriate for naughty kids on Christmas more than a nice dinner), and my family's famous salad.

At some point why we were up there, we watched 1408. It was the first time Tanner and Ryan had ever seen it - and, let me tell you, the middle of nowhere, in the pitch black hours of the pm is probably the best time and place to watch a scary movie. Tanner and Ryan were scared senseless, it was kind of hysterical.

My cousin brought up his 4 wheeler and we also spent a lot of time on that. We finally broke in our set of Killer Bunnies: The Ultimate Odyssey and Ryan was attacked by a gopher. . . and a rusty old nail.

We came back, and literally got thrown back into our lives. Katie started a new job at the Ashford clinic - compliments of Tanner - I had to battle with the Area manager of my Jimmy John's store on when and why I would wear a belt, and all four of us had the looming shadow of the upcoming school year to deal with. It'd been almost a year since I had taken part in any kind of schooling - I don't do well with people talking AT me - Ryan was starting his senior year, Tanner is sophomore year in collage, and Katie her freshman year in collage. I started Culinary school. Our responsibilities have seriously depleted our time together, but we all still seem to find the random five minutes here and there to keep it all together.

These past couple of months have been hard. We've all been used to seeing each other ALL of the time, and with everything, there are suddenly more important things in life. I guess it kind of exemplifies the horrors of growing up. I've thought though, that maybe it won't be so bad. Sure, we'll go our separate ways, relationships will weaken, things will be forgotten, but we'll always have each other to fall back on. That's the definition of family, right? I mean, we might not always know what is going on but we know each other well enough to feel comfortable falling on. I think that is the coolest thing about the moments we've had that help us to define each other as our family. Hopefully, though, there will be more adventures along the way.

Moments Like These

Hmmmm

Nice impatient face Tanner dearest, however, I too am impatient. Please refer to the prank war posts, notice the invasion of secret agents into your bedrooms was the final story in this saga, however, this should no be so. I will post the man points when, and only when, there is a white flag of shame fluttering from Ryan's front porch, or a retaliation has been made.
To ensure this, I have hidden the Man Points in some unknown area to any person other than myself, you breaking into my room to find the paper will be a vain attempt.
Retaliation or flag. Your choice love :)

Warm regards and much love,
Adventure (If I were still the Plotter I would have a plotting smile on my face.)

Dear Katie

This is my impatient face:

:/

I'm getting impatient.

Love,
ME! <----- (I hear that guy's pretty awesome!)