Week 1: Clean Up and Chaos
The first week of our little adventure has come and gone—and what a week it was. Games, adventures, and yes… cleaning. Lots of cleaning.
It all kicked off last Saturday with an epic game of D&D. I, The Dad, run a game for The Boy’s friends and their dads. This session was the first time a new friend joined us. The Boy and I helped him build an awesome Human Monk, and then we dove right into a one‑shot set at a suspicious crossroads inn. Something was definitely off, and the more the party questioned the owner, the stranger things became. Long story short: giant pickpocketing beetles, defensive spiders, and an inn that ultimately burned to the ground. But hey—plenty of loot and plenty of fun.
Over the next few days, The Boy and I began our yearly ritual of donation. After Christmas each year, he goes through his things to make room for the new and identify what can be passed on to younger cousins or donated to Goodwill. True to form, he had no trouble finding several items he was ready to part with, which opened up some much‑needed space.
We’d been cramming most of our D&D collection onto a single shelf, but as our library of books and accessories grew, it became clear we needed more room. Thanks to the donation of several Hot Wheels sets, we were able to move our D&D library to a new home—a place of prominence in our collection. It freed up space for everything else and gave us a strong start on our organization goals.
As the week went on, we found ourselves enjoying some new games in the evenings. Fluxx has always been a favorite in this house. With ever‑changing rules and wonderfully silly cards, it’s a perfect way to spend time together. This holiday we received Cat Fluxx, a combination of two of our favorite things. Since allergies keep us from having a real cat, this is the next best thing. The cards are fun, the gameplay smooth, and my favorite card lets you draw extra cards for working “meow” into a sentence. Definitely a winner.
Next up was Smug Owls, a gift to me from The Mom—and another hit for the family. Players use a deck of cards to create random riddles, and you can answer them however you want: silly, smart, serious, or clever. There were plenty of answers that had us giggling, but the one that nearly broke the game was “Dad’s Butt.” The Boy almost passed out from laughter. To my shame, it turns out “Dad’s Butt” is a surprisingly effective answer to many of life’s great questions.
Friday brought a family trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science, one of our favorite destinations. We saw the Holiday Trains, explored the Egyptian Hall, and learned all about energy on the fourth floor. A wander through the Cabinets of Curiosity and a look at some gems rounded out the morning, followed by lunch at our favorite Chinese restaurant.
And if all that wasn’t enough, Saturday morning we hosted another D&D game! This time the players were aboard a ship, racing against pirates, fishermen, and merfolk to reach a fallen star that was radiating wild magic. The closer they got, the more their spells and magical items began to misbehave. Fun was had by all, and a glorious week wrapped up as the family gathered in the living room to put away the Christmas decorations.
See you next week, True Believers!
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