summer diversions of vball and storybook

The Tuesday after we got back from Red Lodge, June 5th, I played my first game of sand volleyball of the summer. I don't think I've ever posted about volleyball... 

I love volleyball. It is my favorite sport and the only one I played in high school (only as a freshman because Central was super competitive and I wasn't good enough). When I went to Chapter Camp with Intervarsity after my freshmen year at SDSU, I played some sand volleyball there and was approached by the Intervarsity leader at Mines, Rick, to play with him in Rapid for the summer. Matt also played. We did that for maybe three or four summers until we moved to Nebraska in 2007. When we returned in 2012, I played in the fall with Rick and Matt's team for the fall indoor season one or maybe two seasons, and then it kind of dropped for a couple years. Matt got sick and then got a new kidney and was better, so I suppose that's why we played again last year...or they just had better people than me to play for them. Ha! No worries. I'm glad to be playing again. I love it.

Jeff, Mary (who doesn't usually play), Laura, and Matt.

Michaela was hanging out on the sand afterward. 

After that first night, I was all amped up and felt like I wanted more. Terry and I went for a run together. We've never done that before because he's crazy fast and I'm slow. I kept up okay for about a half mile, and than mercifully it started to rain and we had to take shelter and therefore a rest. 

We ran up the hill, took another selfie with the rainbow and then ran on. At about two miles he left me and I got progressively slower and slower for the last mile until I actually had to stop because my side hurt so bad. I never do that. That's what I get for going fast. I also never go fast. 😂

We've had a pretty wet June, and two weeks later we ended up playing in the pouring rain. We were soaked to the bone like we had been in a pool and lost all three games. We're in lower B so it's more competitive for us (verses playing Upper B last year and getting beat every single night) and we've been doing well there, but the team we played was probably the best in this league. Anyway, that was also our 14th anniversary on June 19th.  I can tell because I was wearing mascara for the occasion, a rare thing for me since it irritates my eyes now.

The following week June 26th Evie wanted to come along and she took a couple pictures of me, like this one of Matt's flung wide arm and me looking up. Did he just hit it?

I used to be able to serve very well overhand when I was 15 but I have lost the skill. I always serve underhand now but at least I rarely miss. 

Another thing we did when we returned from vacation was go to Storybook Island. 

We didn't go this last Christmas so it had been an entire year since we'd been there. 

I've got the kids trained well. They want their pictures taken with everything.

Gotta keep taking this one of them all on the slide. 

"Okay you can let go!"

Evie had her little Ariel barbie connected to a long rubber band line she had made. She would toss her down in front of the tunnel and she'd bounce back up again. It made a pretty funny Boomerang video.

"Mom take our picture!"

The helicopter is new this year!

This was a new Raggedy Ann and Andy. 

Noah's ark. 

I splurged and let the littles go on the train, just the two of them. It took a longer course than usual because they've got part of the park blocked off so I felt they got their money's worth.

They always climb up there...

...and up there. 

This was new though. She cracks me up.

Evie's one desire for the day was to go to the little kids section so she could pose with her Ariel barbie along with the awkward Ariel statue. Evie was imitating her dreamy look.

One final picture that we always have to remake every year of them lined up in front of the whale. Only two can fit inside without bending anymore! 😭 

pranked again, visitors, Luna the destroyer

A couple of faceless, nameless students surprised us the morning of September 2 with a new prank (the last had been the Twins decorations and then I forgot to right about our subsequent relation led by Steven and Prae involving water, flour, grass clippings/dirt and banana, salt, and cinnamon). Oops, I meant to say it was actually Jazmin and Rae. We were not their only target that morning.

At least it appeared they loved us...

Terry had to leave early that morning for an elder meeting and took photos before he washed off his Malibu. Actually we had prayer meeting beforehand so when Jazmin showed up she was surprised the paint was gone already.

"New Year New Me!"

The Chrysler was not spared the paint. Notice the tree branch on top.

Is that supposed to be me? 

"I love Justin Bieber" and some crackers made into a heart.  

There's Terry driving and I don't even know what is hanging off the door handle. 

A few days later Terry cleaned up the New Yorker outside and then inside.  

He even removed the back bench seat again! 

He had purchased a special carpet cleaner hoping to avoid professional carpet cleaning. It did help, but not eliminate the smell. Boy he worked hard. 

Later that night some Gburg friends, Shane and Kristen, stopped by. We went to Culvers with our combined seven children where they made quite a lot of noise and then Storybook Island. We only had like ten minutes to run around the whole place before it closed, and that was our last visit there for the year.

Next we drove up to Dinosaur Park hoping to catch the sunset but we had just barely missed it.  

The kids had a blast together. It was a good time! 

And finally, I had bought Luna what I thought was an indestructible tire toy, but she had tore into it in only a few minutes. For a month we've had little black pieces of tire all over the floor. Those teeth are so sharp.

first Storybook 2017

 On Memorial Day, May 29th, we went to Storybook Island for the first time of the season. Last year this was the one and only time we went, on Ezra's birthday. I hope we visit more this year!

The kids are well trained to tromp up to the top of the first castle overlook thing and pose for pictures. Ezra was whining because he couldn't see - see his frowny brow? Ha ha ha. 

Noah helped him. Much better.

We went through with Shari and Jesse and their girls. Here at the house that Jack built.

Old fashioned firetruck.

Evie is apparently very tired and bored while being driven around.

I like to have all the kids pose on this slide. It takes a bit of work but I don't care. It creates a line but I don't care. I love it!

"Okay you can go now."

A rare photo of Noah being kind to Ezra, at Poo's House.

Playing across from Noah's Ark, which no one wanted to visit. What?! I loved that when I was little!

A prince with his princesses...and creeper Noah. Ha!

Our kids with one random boy thrown in.

My dad was the best at spinning us on tire swings like these. There was one in Chicago when we visited my mom's family that he used to spin us so good on I nearly fell off. I loved that!

Spoiled punks going on the train. ;)

Ezra went in the back all by himself.

$2 a kid for a two minute ride. Can you guess how I feel about it?

The kids imitating Jack and Jill.

A new slide! I got some good boomerangs of the boys bodies all contorted going down these. Ha ha.

Sleeping at the top of the slide for some reason...

Top of the spaceship!

Evie and Grace sleeping together. Ir really don't get it. Because of the clock??

Top dog Samuel.

"Line up in front of the whale. No, not inside it, in front of it. Ezra hold still. Evie smile. Noah quit being a dork." Ok whatever, I got the shot. :)

A new addition to the under 5 kids park. Terry's face... :D