Paper Ninjas? Sock puppet graveyards?

What is going on around here?!?

A lot of serious playing between brothers, that's what.

Paper Ninjas has to be the least violent of their combat games so far, and I appreciate that immensely! (Josiah, being 5 years younger than Robert, appreciates it, too, I'm sure.)

The rules are simple: Try to knock both of the two mini daggers (paper footballs) or Ninja stars (paper spinners) out of your opponents right hand while staying on the front porch or front walk, without touching "anything green" (grass, flowerbed). The fights are timed and are between 5 to 15 minutes long...with infinite rematches. There is a lot of jumping but there is not a lot of yelling, because, so far, no one is getting hurt.

I can't say the same thing for the sock puppets around here, though--they are dropping like flies. And given proper burials (whatever that may be for sock puppets).

There was the one named Bill A. Sockpuppet who was allowed to wander into the street and was run over repeatedly by passing traffic. It was a very sad day.


The duct tape holding Bill in place on the road looks a little suspicious, but maybe that's just me...

There was also Pharaoh Bill who was buried with his arms drawn folded across his chest.

The graves are marked with gravestones...er, pieces of wood...with each sock puppet's name on it. They are buried at the back of our yard as well as in the woods behind our house, although some particularly unlucky "Bill's" have not been buried but rather are nailed to pine trees. (They are all named "Bill.")

I wonder what they will come up with next? I just hope it doesn't involve more digging!