Bo-ho-holing...then and now

Our family loves to bowl. We're not great at it, though. Okay, that's not true. When Jared and I were first "noticing each other" at Ricks College, Jared was a teacher assistant for a bowling class. After my biology class, I would walk through the Manwaring Center to get to the other side of campus and he'd be in the bowling alley having fun being a teacher assistant. His game average is way past 100, nearly 200. I'm lucky if I can break 75...and that's WITH the bumpers. Jake and Cooper took a bowling class a couple of years ago and are rising stars. The rest of us, not so much. But we love to do it together.

Now, add in some Santa hats and bowling becomes magical! There's no question that bo-ho-holing is one of our favorite Christmas chain activities to participate in.

Last year, in 2011, we were blessed to have Grandma and Grandpa Lee join us. They are super bowlers and good competition for Jared and the boys.

This picture was after one of Jake's six strikes! The family next to us was so impressed that they tried to recruit him to be on their own kids' bowling league :)

Karcyn says: "I'm number one!"

The bowling ball that's twice as big as Calvin's head. But he's got a killer granny throw!

Grandma and Grandpa Lee...part of the bo-ho-holing magic!

Grandma and baby JJ at 4 months old.

My two Jareds.

And while you're waiting for your turn to bowl...you arm wrestle your grandpa!

Here's the gang! (I'm sure the bowling alley was thrilled when we left. We're a little noisy :)

Grandma Sugar and Calvin Sugar.

Karcyn and Grandpa.

And now for the 2012 installment of bo-ho-holing. The kids love it so much that it's a coveted status just to be the one who tears off the link in the Christmas chain that declares we'll be doing it...almost like finding a Golden Ticket in a chocolate Wonka Bar :)

Here's Calvin perfecting his Granny method.

My "J" boys...the two on the right getting TOO big, TOO fast!

Calvin was "helping" Karcyn wait for the ball to come up the return. He picked it up and it slipped out of his hands and went back into the hole! Fortunately it didn't go back down the slope. We already had to call the front to unstick pins, balls and other mechanisms at the opposite end of the alley two or three times. (I'm sure they cringe when they see the slew of Santa hats coming in year after year.)

Same height and weight give or take a couple of inches and/or pounds and these two could seriously be twins now that Calvin is getting old enough to be a peaceable contributor during their play time.

Karcyn...still # 1 in my book!

The next three pictures are an evolution of Calvin's reactions to one of his turns.
Walking away...

Watching...

(Survey says)....almost!

And here's Cooper lamenting the fact that he was seriously robbed! He had so many niners, it wasn't even funny! But he picked up a couple of spares too! Good thing it's just a game, right? ;)