I was spoiled this week with family celebrations. My sister, Rachel, flew in from Georgia to spend a few days with me.

We visited Madison and shared her 26th birthday party with seventy of her peers at a nearby roller skating rink. She was calm, engaged, and so content—a true dream-come-true for me.

On Sunday, Rachel and I had the chance to continue a special family tradition – coloring Easter eggs followed by our celebrated “crack off” challenge. The “winner” has the egg that doesn’t crack in the hand-to-hand contest.

Through the years, our competitive zeal has prompted us to play jokes on one another. My grandfather once used a wooden egg!

This year was no exception. My sissy got me:

Yes, that was a RAW egg.

Then Tripp decided to investigate this new-to-him tradition. Up close and personal. Way too personal:

So much for that winning egg.

But, as football legend Bum Phillips once said, 

Winning is only half of it. Having fun is the other half.

Yes!

How about you? Do you have competitive family traditions that invite fun and mischief? Tell me about it. I’d love to know.

Oh, and I have another book event coming up that’s online so you can watch and listen! At 8 p.m.Sunday evening, I’ll be on The Author’s Cut: with Book Club Babble’s Maribel Garcia. Register in advance for this webinar to watch AND ask questions, gulp, LIVE! I’m so excited. Another first! Sign up here.

P.S. Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers for Madison’s continued success in her day and residential programs.