Now getting visitors around here is nothing new.

But, having family members stop is super special!

We were just getting started on chores the other night when I got a phone call from my Mom. She and my sister weren’t too far from our place, attending a party at a friend’s house, and wanted to stop over.

I was totally excited! It’s not everyday they come to visit us! Usually we stop and visit them on our way to volleyball, but rarely are we on the way anywhere for them.

We hurried up and got most everything done before they pulled in the yard. Reed, who had been napping in the milk house, hopped up and stumbled towards the house after hearing that Grandma Martha and Aunt Chrissy were here 🙂

After we all got in and got the rundown of their afternoon trip, I asked Mom if she wanted to play a game of cards.

Now, there’s only one game my mom and I ever play, so she didn’t even need to ask what I had in mind.

Pinochle.

A game our family has played and cussed for years. The first round always consists of a refresher in scoring and card order, as Ace is high, then Ten, King, Queen, Jack and a Nine. And the first one to 150 wins!

Weird, I know. But fun!

I’ll try to give you just the highlights of how our game went…

The first hand I actually bid! (Mom was shocked, as I’m usually a chicken at bidding, especially the first hand) After her shock, she (of course) outbid me… Crap! This should have been a sign!

The way the cards fell in her favor, she easily made it. And I was kinda glad she outbid me, even though I had initially thought my cards would clean up!

The next hand I dealt. Boyyyyyyy was it a crappy hand! She bid 28 and I let her have it. She picked up the 3-card Kitty to see what was in it… and guess what it gave her? The 4th leg of a

DOUBLE Pinochle! and 30 points!

Double Crap!

Her melt totaled 42 points! 42!!! And then she took 17 out of the 25 points during that round! (I really should’ve just thrown in my cards then, ha ha!)

In the next 3 hands, I only got the bid once. I used the phrase “Piggy” an awful lot too (which is a family tradition, might I say!) as she took pointer after pointer each trick.

See? Even if you don’t play Pinochle, the numbers below don’t lie…

Yep. I got skunked in just FIVE hands! And Mom just giggles and says “Well, you were the one who wanted to play!” 🙂

My Mom… I just love her! The thrill she got out of getting that Double Pinochle was priceless.

Tonight I made some memories with Mom I will never forget.

It’s the little things in life, right?