The Revival of the Ball Challenge

It seems like it's been so long since we've had any friends over, so we were super happy that our friends were so flexible in their schedule and could still come over on Saturday instead of Friday when Elliot was still not feeling great.

Quite honestly, Elliot started to look a little pukey before our fun evening was over, but he revealed it was because he didn't take the pain meds when I gave it to him and he his leg was throbbing. I'll have to keep a closer eye on him.

After we let our delicious BBQ pulled-pork dinner percolate for a while, we started the BALL CHALLENGE. Since Elliot has a bum flipper, we had our first-ever challengers Mike & Mari Ashby demonstrate for the new-comers:

Mike, demonstrating the non-graceful fall.

We always get a good show from the Ashby's. Mike and Mari both up the challenge by making the transfer from bum to stomach, or knee to stomach, or Mike's new one . . . stomach to knees. Quite the entertainment.

Mari, demonstrating that you can still pose for the camera while falling not gracefully.

Max just found his new favorite game.

Max would stay like this until I took the picture. Just like his mother.

This is Mark Ortega's second ball challenge. Everyone gets a little bit better and more daring at each challenge.

I only asked that they not run into Elliot's leg. Everyone else was fair game.

Miss Samantha was quite the entertainment for me because she was the youngest of the kids, but still made the little boys cry. Hilarious.

I wonder if our home owners insurance would pay for Mike Montague's broken wrists if he does that again. It's alright folks, he forgot the rule about NOT breaking your fall. You might lose a mole in the process (Mike Ashby), but your wrists will be in tact.

I love it when people get tossed off the ball.

Samantha's dad grabbed her 1 second before Mike would have squished her with his fall.

A most serious Max.

I dare say we have quite the new challenger in Mollie Montague. She was doing Pilates moves on the ball for crying out loud.

And she didn't mind the non-graceful fall rule.

Yeah, she's a keeper.

Ball Challenge-12/19/09

Whenever we make people play our ball challenge, they always ask where we came up with it. So here's the story along with some of our most recent challengers . . .

Several years ago during the Christmas season, apparently I had the giant exercise ball out in the living room. Not sure why, I'm sure it wasn't for exercise. Elliot was sitting on it and then suddenly I saw him rolling backwards straight into our Christmas tree! The man didn't even try to break his fall and it was hilarious to watch!

So then we started timing how long we could balance on the ball and because the fall was the most hilarious part of the whole thing, we decided that breaking the fall was breaking the rules of the game. The Ashby's were our most fierce and frequent challengers and for the most part, I think people enjoy participating. It has become our tradition when we have guests over on a weekend. It's too raucous for our Monday visitors.

This was actually the first game where I wasn't able to balance very well (I blame it entirely on the fact that the ball needed more air). So I tried to redeem myself by balancing with Stella . . . the girl who is impossibly fidgety.

JR Thulin - big guy, BIG FALL!

It is so funny how balancing can be so hard! Mark Ortega was a determined competitor, but his wife Jacque couldn't participate because she's pregnant. Give her a few months and we'll see how she does!

Shae Thulin was working the wings . . . or it could have been the two-armed sprinkler dance.

Mike Ashby reported no injuries, unlike previous challenges where he ripped off a mole and landed with his head perpendicular to his body. That was awesome.

We can always count on Mari Ashby for a good pose before she goes down.

And Max thoroughly enjoyed the whole spectacle.