Fourth of July Family Feud Game

Ahh, the Fourth of July!! What a day to celebrate. Do most families celebrate the Fourth with barbecue and outdoor fun? Our family has a long tradition of getting together for a day full of fun, food, relaxation, and more food and fun.
What would the Fourth be without the rivalries between family members during a game Horseshoes? Who would have ever thought that those heavy iron things that horses wear on their hoofs could spark such emotion in a seemingly friendly game. All the guys in the family, and some of the girls too, love to get in the heat of the action tossing horseshoes back and forth across the yard. You can hear teasing taunts of; "Weakling, Choke, Gonna miss, You know you can't make it" coming from our backyard way down the block. I can only wonder what the neighbors think we are doing. A game of Horseshoes amongst family is an enjoyable sport at our family gatherings. You work up a sweat and an appetite playing while the meat on the pit cooks itself to a delicious well done state.

Another pleasant pastime for our family is Volleyball. This game, since it is very competitive and strenuous, is usually played in the late afternoon, giving the big lunch time to settle a bit. Thankfully our family is large enough to field a couple of teams of very skilled players. At times, the ball can stay volleyed for some eight to ten minutes without a miss or a mess ups. It is lots of fun to play this game when the skill of both teams is evenly distributed. Again, the neighbors can hear the loud cries of; "Rotate, Your serve, Net Ball, Set me up" and other volleyball related terms screamed at team mates and opponents alike. It is not a real sporting event if there are no minor injuries during the game. After all, what would backyard volleyball be without a few broken fingernails, sprained ankles, falls, and collisions between players.

For those older family members, the table is set up for dominoes. It may be a much slower paced, less physical game to play but it still can set tempers a flare just as much as horseshoes and volleyball. It takes concentration to play this type of game and that is what the older ones have (well, maybe not all of them). Making the points is what dominoes is all about. Another laid back game that is frequently played at our Fourth of July celebrations is cards. This one, however, is reserved for the evening time and indoors. The dealer gets to choose his game. It could be "five card draw", "seven card stud", "7UP","No Peek", or "Penny Ante Poker". Whatever the chosen game, everyone is ready for the deal. It is frustrating, and fun at the same time. This is also a good time for some great conversation and storytelling about July Fourths of the past. Talk of the ones gone on and the new little ones. Tales of how Uncle Bob would cheat and how Poppa would catch him. Then how the arguing would rev up.

I like to join in all of the games but if I had to pick only one, it would definitely be the card games. They always bring the best memories back to mind.