Editor's Note: Mrs. Dadmanly has an unusual sort of praise report this evening, one which reflects her being put "at risk" by Little Manly, and how that turned out. Edited for content (reduction of chortlings of glee).

From Mrs. Dadmanly:

For those of you who do not know, I CANNOT STAND to play the game RISK. Little Manly and Dadmanly, well more Little Manly I think, LOVE the game, YUCK YUCK YUCK.

One of Little Manly's first questions was, "Will you be playing Risk with me Mom?" So, when Dadmanly left for Iraq, I told my son I would "maybe" play once a month. Needless to say, we played MUCH more than that, because I haven't quite learned yet how to say "NO" and let it stick. Plus, I feel bad for Little Manly because NO ONE but his Dad likes to play this game, go figure, lol.

I have lost EVERY GAME since I started playing in MAY 2004.

(If you can, imagine there is music to the next sentence and I am dancing a VICTORY dance...) I'm a winner, I'm a winner, I'm a winner!!!

I CANNOT EVEN BELIEVE IT! I won my first game of RISK!!!!! I whooped *s*! Little Manly was NOT happy.... We played the game for TWO days!!!! (in between doing life). I decided I wanted to dominate the world this time. I was jumping and yelling and screaming when I won, and Little Manly was so upset. I told him to give me a "high five" and he refused so I chased him around the house, tackled him and MADE him give me a high five, his fist was clenched, hee hee hee. (Is that considered abuse?)

Little Manly then RETREATED to the upstairs while I continued to sing and dance and yell in the livingroom. (Hey, its been 11 months of losing, I think I was justified in my behavior, right?)

After a while he came downstairs and apologized, of course after I reminded him that just today we were at Opening Day Ceremonies for Baseball and our Assemblyman spoke to all the ball players about "FAIR PLAY" whether they win or lose. GUESS WHAT HE SAID TO THAT?

"Well Mom, I am sorry, BUT for a Mom that barely (get this barely) knows anything about HISTORY, a Mom that is not much for WARS, and NOT GOOD WITH STRATEGY, you can see why I'm amazed that YOU BEAT ME! ("No, I did not just BEAT you, Little Manly," I said in my mind, "I WHOOPED YOU," hee hee hee!!!!!) IT FELT SO GOOD :)

I think I need a vacation, do you? How sad is this. I could not WAIT to get to work today to share this with the WORLD. You would think I just got a new car or something. Hope you all enjoyed this, probably not as much as I did.

Little Manly told me we HAVE TO HAVE A rematch! I really feel like I deserve MOM OF THE YEAR. Anyone else think so, hee hee hee?????