So, first off, I’m one of those people who has never really learned the lesson:

“Don’t try to tell funny stories that only make sense if you were there or if you have to explain the inside joke.”

I just LOVE funny stories and want to share the hilarity and joy with everyone…

…which means my stories often end with:
​ “…I guess you just had to be there.”

So if this email ends up being one of those... don’t say I didn’t warn ya!

My son is notorious for inventing the BEST fake names and words…

Case in point: he has an imaginary friend named Hedge Rodgert.

HEDGE. RODGERT.

Come on. That’s just objectively funny.

He’ll also draw a picture and then ask us to write down the title.

Last week he asked my stepdaughter to title one of his drawings, and he very seriously instructed her to write:

Barty’s Blich.

We all lost it. It felt like a made-up place with a haunted backstory. Right??

The next day my sister came into town and we were riffing like:
​ “Have you heard the tale of what happened way down in Barty’s Blich? It’ll chill you to the bone…”

And it just kept escalating.

As a fam, we made up full-on legends in the car and at breakfast about Barty’s Blich (by the way, we pronounce it like "blitch" and decided that Barty was the one to discover this fictional place).

My parents came into town the next day and we caught 'em up to speed, so they joined in. Every conversation circled back to it.

“Oh, well they don’t do it like that back in Barty’s Blich!”

We started talking about the characters like they were real people.

And then, the grand finale:

On their last night in town, my sister (Aunt Naddy) and my stepdaughter (9) performed a full-on choreographed dance to:

🎶 “We’re going way, way down in Barty’s Blich…” 🎶
(that’s it — that’s the whole song)

There were costumes.

My husband even programmed the lights for a full blackout and color change at the end (if anyone out there reading this there knows Steve, you're not surprised by this)

My parents were howling.

I personally peed my pants from laughing: not once, not twice, but THREE times (this is what happens when my sister visits).

Our baby girl (yes she was still awake at 11pm) was wide-eyed and loving it all, too.

At one point, mid-dance, my sister slipped and fell (she’s fine!), and between laughs said:
​“Can you imagine if I had to explain to people how I got injured?!” 😂

I've probably lost most of you by now.

And if not... I don’t know if you’re finding this funny…

But I was crying laughing.

And it all started from one creative little thought from my 3-year-old. 🥹

Taking his idea and running with it turned into a full-blown, core memory that I'm sure we'll reference for years to come.

All because the whole family was willing to just go with it and build off each other’s weirdness.

That’s called “yes, and” in improv, by the way -- and it's the best tip I can give for playing with kids:​
Agreeing, adding on, letting it get bigger and sillier and funnier.

So here’s my invitation to you this week:

Be on the lookout for one little ridiculous thing to lean into.

Make up a story. Or a song. Or a dance!!

Whatever it is, let it grow. Let it be weird.

You seriously never know when you’re making a forever memory.

And if you read this... now you're in on ours. 😉

Cheering you on always,
​Mia 💞

P.S. One week left to join the Activate Play Mode group coaching pods!

You can learn more and even listen to the first lesson for free right here.

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