still:living: Easter Bocce Ball

Like I said, on Easter we broke out the Bocce Ball set.

I had found it on super discount at a closing Academy Sports store, and with the help of Matthew and Mandy distracted Danny long enough to buy it, get it to the car, and hide it at home without him noticing.

Well, I hid it so well that I forgot that I hid in in the cooler in the coat closet. We few weeks ago we needed the cooler for something and in comes Danny holding the Bocce Ball set and with a sheepish looking expression on his face.

"I think I found something I wasn't suppose to find," he admitted, and then quickly added, "can we play with it!?"

He was so excited about his find that I couldn't say "No," so we brought to Easter dinner.

We joked with my parents that we were getting them ready for a retirment home. And my Dad, the ever clever, dry-witted father, quicly replied with, "Yea, if they have Bocce Ball tryouts then your Mom and I will make the varsity team."

Everyone had their own form and fashion for throwing their colored balls:

Sometimes your ball just doesn't go where you want it to go, and then you do this:

Or you grimace like you're in pain:

Or you make this face because you can't believe you're a baseball superstar and you can't even through a bocce ball:

Or you just get down-right dramatic!

We also discovered that we LOVE bocce ball, because what other sport can you play and EAT OREOS at the same time?

Bocce balls are also good for more than just tossing. You can make faces:

Juggle them:

Balance them:

Or just take silly pictures:

We also discovered that Bocce Ball brings out the teaser in everyone. Here Mom is trying to snatch Joey's ball in mid-motion. She's always been the prankster though.

Mandy, Matthew's girlfriend, who is sweeter than a cinnamon roll is one we normally picture like this:

She just makes you smile. However, we caught it on the memory card: Mandy, poised and ready to ruin Dad's toss.

When things were too close to call, we broke out our very sophisticated measuring device: reeds tied together.

And this is how the afternoon went: Danny, eating his weight in Oreas, Matthew trying really hard to concentrate to win, Joey mouthing off to try and ruin Matthew's game, and Dad laughing and enjoying himself.