A Healthy Competitive Spirit {And a $100 Giveaway}

My husband has three siblings and two parents, all of whom really enjoy card and board games. They all play bridge and cribbage and this thing called Hand and Foot which is not a disease but a complicated card game you play with, like, eight different decks and points and a teammate. I’m less of a game lover. I play cribbage, badly, because my husband forced me to learn. I like Monopoly for the first hour or so and then get so bored I stop bothering to do math and just throw all my money at whoever has the most hotels.

I like playing video games as a family; Wii is fun, it gets us on our feet, and I’m pretty good at it. And I’ve learned to play Hand and Foot, even if I have to keep the cheat sheet in my lap. I feel like my game-playing skills have improved admirably and I should get points for effort. But when it comes to WINNING, E has no mercy. We also regularly play League of Legends on our smurf accounts from unrankedsmurfs.com.

To pass the time while I was in labor with our first child, E talked me into a few rounds of cribbage. He beat me every time. He couldn’t even let his wife who was literally in the middle of birthing his heir and namesake win a round of cards. Now we don’t play together as much as side by side (Candy Crush, anyone?) and he STILL gloats ridiculously when he beats my scores.

A few years ago, game shows came back as the big thing on network television. It was a good compromise for E’s healthy competitive spirit and my dislike of being soundly trounced at every game. We could watch OTHER people fail compete and neither of us went to bed grumpy.

The first time E and I watched Minute to Win It on TV, the show wasn’t even over before we’d gotten a beer bottle and a deck of cards to try playing at home. The game was simple: set the stack of 52 cards on top of the empty bottle and blowing the cards off, a few at a time, leaving just ONE card on top. It looked so easy! How come these idiots on TV couldn’t do it?! Jeeze, if that’s all it takes to win a game show these days, sign me right up, Imma be rich!

We never won. Not even once. Go try it, it’s way, way harder than it looks. And that right there pretty much sums up Minute to Win It. It should be their motto: This is way harder than it looks. If you haven’t seen it, it’s definitely worth checking out – and now you can, because Minute To Win It is back this summer on Game Show Network (GSN).

They got Apolo Anton Ohno to host, which makes sense since he’s one of the most decorated American athletes of all time. And not so hard on the eyes either, am I right? We got a special sneak peek of the show this week along with a list of challenges. The idea is they can almost all be practiced at home with stuff you have laying around…so of course we had to give it a try too.

There are various difficulty levels, and I figured we’d be pretty safe at Level 1. The challenge: stack 6 soda cans on a plate floating in a bowl of water. You’ve got one Minute to Win It. GO!

Here’s proof he eventually did do it, even if it miiiiight not have been for the 3 seconds required: minute to win it And it wouldn’t be fair to post that without sharing my attempt, as unsuccessful as it was. GO!

The gingers wanted to give it a try too. GO! (Please note, I know my child is actually 4, not 3, even though I said he is 3.)

1-Minute to Win It

Teamwork!

Caroline looks like that because she's Super Kitty Caroline. Obviously.

Caroline looks like that because she’s Super Kitty Caroline. Obviously.

Since that game was a big failure, I picked a level 2 game I thought might be a little more E’s speed. I mean, it involves wine glasses, and he’s definitely experienced with wine. The goal: spin a marble in an upside-down wine glass to carry it across the room and drop it into a bowl. E’s got one Minute to Win It. GO!

If we ever get called to be on the show, I’m just going to cross all my crossables that E gets that game. $250,000, here we come! Every. Second. Counts. A new season of Minute to Win It premieres Tuesday, June 25th at 8/7c on GSN. For more information, connect with Minute to Win It on Facebook and Twitter and visit the GSN website.

 

And to celebrate the return, Minute to Win It wants to give one lucky reader a $100 Gift Card. To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me about your competitive spirit. Are you cut-throat, like my husband? Or more its-all-in-good-fun?
Sweepstakes Rules: No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods: Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry. This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winner will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 6/18/13 – 7/17/13.

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173 Responses to “A Healthy Competitive Spirit {And a $100 Giveaway}”

  1. Liz says:

    I am a bit cutthroat, yes, but I like having fun too.

    Those videos were great btw!

  2. Leah says:

    I suppose I am half and half. I can’t really get myself worked up about the results of beer league softball games but I would sacrifice a pinky joint to beat Bruce at Scrabble. In college I was known for trash talking and thrashing my opponents at Tetris.

  3. Amanda says:

    I am nothing like E! We have played games together and that man almost made me cry playing marbles before, lol! I like to just have fun…. And watch E’s face turn red the crappier his teammates play.

  4. Brigid Keely says:

    I loooooooooooove playing games but I’m horrible and generally lose and that’s ok. So I guess I’m not competitive at all, hah! We play a LOT of board games in our house hold, so i have a LOT of practice losing. :)

  5. Linny says:

    I’m really cutthroat, especially at Monopoly. I don’t really gloat, but secretly, it means a lot to me to win.

    And BTW, I won one of your other giveaways and still haven’t received it. It’s not a huge deal, but I would like to know what happened there.

    • bebehblog says:

      Sorry Linny, I tried emailing the last time you mentioned it & they never got back. I’ll track down someone else from the PR company and bug them until I get a response.

  6. Celeste says:

    I’m definitely an “it’s-all-in-good-fun” girl — I’m not very competitive.

  7. Amy says:

    I am only competitive at cards and then only really at Hearts or Tripoley. Oh and scrabble.

  8. rachel says:

    We’re pretty cutthroat here! My husband is especially. The worst part? He’s good at every game we play! So he legitimately wins quite often. haha

  9. Mami2jcn says:

    I’m competitive sometimes with my husband just so I can bust his chops, but in general I’m not competitive with others.

  10. Mami2jcn says:

    tweet–https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/347412886433435649

  11. I’m competitive but I try not to let it come through too much. I want everyone to enjoy the game and leave feeling good not like it was the worst experience of their life.

  12. Elena says:

    I am usually a cut throat

  13. Jessica To says:

    I am not very competitive!

  14. Barbra says:

    Our family plays tons of board games. My husband is super competitive but I’m more into having fun. Of course, I care if I win, especially if Chris doesn’t, but I’m not cutthroat about it.

  15. Livivua Chandler says:

    i am all about the fun and being funny!

  16. krystle randow says:

    I am competitive and live in a house with a husband and child just like me… So Wii games, Sorry and Memory marathons (my daughter is 2) are fierce :)

  17. lizzy says:

    I am not competitive at all!

  18. Madeline says:

    I’m competitive at board games, but not sports!

  19. I like to say I’m not competitive but when it gets down to it, I love a good game… argument… race… anything!

  20. courtney b says:

    im cut throat! no messing around!

  21. Audrey says:

    First I love this post. LOVE IT. The videos of you all are awesome and fun and make me laugh. Second I’m totally trying a few of those. And third: we are board game people so we get competitive about chess and scrabble and such. I whipped his butt at Scrabble with a 100 point lead last week…he was so cranky after that. *snicker*

  22. amy pugmire says:

    Me and my hubs are very competitive! It gets pretty interesting and so is our oldest.

  23. Heather S says:

    I’m a healthy mix of both :)

  24. Ellie W says:

    I am very competitive and my husband is very laid back and doesn’t care if he wins or loses. He’s just in the game for fun.

  25. Kelly D says:

    I mostly feel that it’s all in good fun and I get stressed when some family members get cut throat when we are playing games.

  26. Crystal says:

    I’m not usually super competitive, but every now and then that want to win does take over!

  27. carol roberts says:

    well i play to have fun but when it come to money and games im out to win

  28. Lisa says:

    I am very competitive…. I used to play scrabble in Spanish with friends who are native speakers… at first they let me use a dictionary because I am not fluent, but after I started to trounce them on a regular basis- they took it away. Still won sometimes.

  29. Elena Vo says:

    Loved the videos!!! You have such a cute family…everyone seems to really love each other and enjoy each other’s company. Love it.

    As for competitiveness, I am more laid-back and make sure everyone has fun :)

  30. Jessie C. says:

    I am its-all-in-good-fun team.

  31. Jessie C. says:

    -https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/349372020280143872

  32. Lisa Brown says:

    Well, I would be out to win, I am competitive.
    jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com

  33. Lisa Brown says:

    tweet – https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/349564699127451648
    jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com

  34. I’m in between cut throat and in it for the fun. I am definitely competitive.

  35. I’m not that competitive but that works out since my boys are very competitive! Thanks for a chance to win, too! kmassman gmail

  36. Erika says:

    We love game night around here- this would be so much fun! I’m probably a little competitive when it comes to being against my husband. :)

    chambanachik at gmail dot com

  37. I am very competitive, our games nights are always very loud, and win big or Go Home nights. Plus being the mother of 4 boys doesn’t help, it seems they are always competing with each other in one way or another. Plus I do believe Competitiveness is a family trait, I’m E’s Cousin.

  38. Karina Lee says:

    my husband is totally the competitive type, I’m more of a “have a good time” girl

  39. Margaret Smith says:

    I’m more out for the fun. Don’t care if I win or loose, just like to have a good time.
    Thanks so much.

  40. Kiara says:

    I’m not very competitive.
    austma7@aol.com

  41. Cynthia C says:

    I’m not competitive at all, just like to have fun.

  42. Kim H says:

    Im not very competetive

  43. HilLesha says:

    I’m competitive at times, lol. :)

  44. dan williams says:

    twitted this today, 28/06

  45. Stephanie V. says:

    Love the show and play all the time in this house. hanky panky is our fave game!
    (except now I have Ziploc bags full of tissues)
    My whole family is pretty competitive!!
    tvollowitz at aol dot com

  46. mickeyfan says:

    I am NOT competitive, but hubby and his whole family sure are!

  47. Anastasia says:

    I’m just in it for fun, win or lose :) The fun is in playing, for me :)

  48. Debra Ford says:

    I try to stay all in good fun

  49. dan williams says:

    twitted this today, 29/06

  50. Tamar says:

    I am competitive! My 4 year old was playing games the other day at a party and I really was trying to get him to win.

  51. steph says:

    i’m not competitive at all! my hubby is.

  52. Jennifer B says:

    I act like I am a good sport and happy go lucky but inside I ALWAYS want to win

  53. dan williams says:

    fresh fruit, twitted this today, 30/06

  54. Carolyn G says:

    I am so not competative

  55. Shauntea Crutcher says:

    I’m very competitive. I always want to win.

  56. Barbara M says:

    I’m not real competitive – play more for fun.
    Thank you.

  57. sandra says:

    all in good fun, though i can be a sore loser

  58. Sarah Hirsch says:

    i’m a little bit competitive, depending on the situation. my husband, on the other hand, does not like to lose at anything!

  59. Merle M says:

    I am a cutthroat!!!

  60. stephanie says:

    im in it for fun

  61. dan williams says:

    twitted this today, 01/07

  62. Stephanie Larison says:

    My husband and I are very competitive! Lol, probably gets out of hand sometimes.

  63. I’m super competitive with my husband but when it comes to my kids it’s all in good fun!

  64. Kelly Piazza says:

    I am definitely cutthroat. Games bring out a side in me that people generally only see when a game is involved (I like to think it’s a fun, entertaining side…). :)

  65. Holly Wert says:

    only my oldest daughter and hubby are competitive against each other, i couldnt care less about winning
    pry.school.1@gmail.com

  66. dan williams says:

    twitted this today, 03/07

  67. Jacob LaFountaine says:

    I hate to lose

  68. Wild Orchid says:

    I can get pretty cut throat when caught up in the moment, LOL!
    Thanks for the chance to win!
    wildorchid985 at gmail dot com

  69. dan williams says:

    twitted this today, 04/07

  70. Erica Best says:

    i am cut throat

  71. dan williams says:

    twitted this today, 05/07

  72. Susan Smith says:

    I’m not competitive when it comes to playing games with my children, I usually let them win.

  73. dan williams says:

    twitted this today, 06/07

  74. joni says:

    All in good fun—but do follow the rules!

  75. Wanda McHenry says:

    I’m a cut-throat and very competitive, I like to win but also enjoy having fun playing!

  76. joseph gersch jr says:

    i am not competitive

  77. Janna Johnson says:

    depends on my mood.. sometimes want to have fun.. sometimes i’m in to win

  78. dan williams says:

    twitted this today, 07/07

  79. Denise S says:

    I am competitive.

  80. dan williams says:

    twitted this today, 08/07

  81. Kerry says:

    I am pretty cut-throat…yes, very competitive now that I think about it:)

  82. sherri crawford says:

    i’m more of the let the little kids win type

  83. nannypanpan says:

    when i play with kids i am easy going..with adults…cutthroat
    nannypanpan@gmail.com

  84. Amy Tong says:

    It’s so much fun watching you guys play. I used to be really competitive…after having kids, I learn to ease up and focusing on having fun more these days. :) Can’t wait to play these Minute to Win It games with my kiddos!

    amy [at] utry [dot] it

  85. carmen says:

    i’m a pretty good sport, not really competitive. my husband hates that because i’ll tell him “good job” even when i lose!

  86. I am not cut throat at all unless it comes to gin rummy, then watch out!
    smchester at gmail dot com

  87. Samantha Daleo says:

    My competitive spirit is definitely all in good fun. I get more concerned about everyone else having fun that I don’t even care who wins…my kids and husband get a little more cutting edge than I do…they take winning pretty seriously.

  88. Lisa says:

    I am a very competitive person but also love to have a good time.

  89. Janine H says:

    I’m pretty competitive but I do like to just have fun!

  90. ashley says:

    I try to act like it doesn’t matter, but inside I am super competitive

  91. Rebecca Graham says:

    Very competitive. I’m in it to win it.

  92. Jayne Martin says:

    I’ve mellowed in my “old age.” ;) Games are meant to be fun.

  93. kolpin says:

    it totally depends on the game! i’m competitive if i think i can win! :)

  94. DanielM says:

    I’m its-all-in-good-fun

  95. Janice Cooper says:

    Ok I’ll admit I can be a sore loser and can be competitive :)

  96. tina reynolds says:

    I am not very competitive neither is my oldest son, not sure if my youngest son will be or not my daughter and hubby that is another story they are both super competitive.

  97. LAMusing says:

    I’m not terribly competitive in games… or in life :)

  98. Norma says:

    I look at games as all in good fun, as long a I don’t lose ALL the time! Then I get competitive.

  99. s riches says:

    When it really matters I am very competitive. But just having fun with the kids a good time is all that matters.

  100. Linda G. says:

    I’m more of a just have fun game player,

  101. crystal smith says:

    I’m really more of a laid back, “it’s all in good fun” kind of game player. Mostly because I’m not any good at most games and they wouldn’t be any fun if I took them too seriously lol

  102. Jennifer says:

    I am totally cut throat… i will totally rub it in your face when I win!

  103. Brenda Elsner says:

    I am in it just for the fun!! I love to have fun with family and friends whether I win or lose!

  104. Angela W says:

    I am usually a cut throat

  105. ky2here says:

    I’m not competitive, it’s about fun. That’ll serve me well when I massively bomb Stack ATtack!

  106. Deborah Wallin says:

    I would like to play the one where you bounce the pencil by the eraser and try to get it in the cup.

  107. Mihaela D. says:

    My family is addicted to Wrap It Up :)

  108. Betty C says:

    I’m definitely not cut-throat but it sure makes me feel great to be the winner.

  109. OK – I want to try the beer bottle with the deck of cards – LOL

  110. kathy pease says:

    I am not so bad now my hubby has to win at everything and rub it in thats what makes me mad and I usually dont want to play!..lol

  111. angie lilly says:

    I am a very sore loser. I am so competitive that it scares me and embarrasses me. To be honest, I avoid games of any kind like the plague because I don’t like the personality traits they bring out in me! Seriously!

  112. susan smoaks says:

    I haven’t ever played before, but I think we would have a blast playing What a Racquet.

    susansmoaks at gmail dot com

  113. Lisa Garner says:

    I’m definitely an It’s All In Good fun player but my children can be so cut throat when playing it’s hilarious.
    lisalmg25 at gmail dot com

  114. Lisa Garner says:

    I Tweeted: https://twitter.com/lisalmg/status/357538971913433089
    lisalmg25 at gmail dot com

  115. Christian Alejandro says:

    I do get competitive, but all in good fun! No sore losery! :-P

  116. Buddy Garrett says:

    I am more its-all-in-good-fun.

  117. thischickwins says:

    i start out nice but get more competitive as it goes on

  118. Erica C. says:

    We’ve had a minute to win it game before at work…was a blast.
    Noodling Around is fun. I’m pretty competitive.
    ericacarnes(at)gmail(dot)com

  119. Amanda Sakovitz says:

    the bottoms up game looks so much fun

    pokergrl8 at gmail.com

  120. Thomas Murphy says:

    I am very cut-throat!

  121. Sarah L says:

    For me it’s all about having FUN!
    Thanks for the contest.

  122. Eugenie says:

    I don’t have a strong competitive spirit. It’s all about fun.

  123. Jimmy says:

    I’m not too competitive. It’s about having fun, not winning.

  124. Stephanie G says:

    I am a little bit competitive but in the end I know it’s really all about having fun!

  125. Tabathia B says:

    I would like to play stack attack

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

  126. Lillian says:

    My competitive spirit is way more than healthy lol.

  127. Lee says:

    I’d like to try Stack Attack. It sounds like a challenge and fun too!

  128. Crystal F says:

    I’m very competitive. I’m too competitve most of them time and it can embarrass my family. Thank you!

  129. Whitney says:

    I am not competitive at all. It’s all about just having fun!

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