Week Nine Was Mighty Fine

Another week under our belts. What I really need to do is fix my camera, because I am mighty tired of using my phone for everything. To be clear, the camera still works, the LCD screen still does NOT work, and I might need to get used to taking pictures I can't see. I mean, isn't that how it always worked in the old days? One would take pictures, drop off film, and see the final products a week later. As it is now, I would only have to wait until I got home to plug the card into my computer. Seriously, why am I being so dumb? Resolution in place. Better pictures starting today. (Well...tomorrow.)

This last week was fun. On Monday, Robyn and I went to a play together. It is the third play we have attended in the Youth Season at the Hale Center Theater. I think this one was my favorite so far. It was Cinderella. They had an epic slow motion chase scene. At the end, we got a picture with the princess.

Our field trip this week was simple. We went miles away to the BYU Creamery. Always love a trip out for ice cream.

And a selfie every now and then.

The coolest part of my time at the Creamery was running into a friend from the old hood. I grew up with her and her sister and admired them both. June was nice enough to take a picture of me with Makell.

The rest of the week held great adventures for us. Tyler's brother, J.R., was nice enough to bring the boat down for a youth activity. But since he was going to be down here....with a boat....we figured we should introduce the kids to some water fun. (I'm thinking that June and Robyn may have been boating before, but if so, they were young enough that they don't remember.)

The weather was less than ideal. It was windy, a little rainy, and the water was pretty choppy. But that didn't stop us. If you are boating, you are already planning to get a little wet.

J.R. was our designated driver. Look, he is almost as handsome as his brother.

I think we are all ready to go. Can you see the monster tube we are pulling back there?

I have never seen one quite like it. It is made for three people. You can lie down and hang on, or there are hand holds up top and you can stand and try your luck that way. I found it is easier to remain on the craft if you are lying down. But I wasn't the first to test it out. Here are our first three victims volunteers.

They actually did quite well. Look at them out there having a frolickingly good time.

They made it look so easy that even Pearl thought she would give it a go. The next three up were me, June, and Pearl. I was concerned that Pearl would not be able to hold on and she would slip off the back. Ironically, we had the opposite problem. The nose of the tube and the rope were a bit underwater and as the boat started off, water flowed over the top and pulled us down. Three bodies slid forward into the drink. Pearl was not ecstatic about her first tubing experience. I hoisted her back on the tube and shivering she pointed to the boat and said, "I want to go back on there." And so ended her foray into the water. (There is always next time.)

Everyone took turns on the tube. Daisy finally decided to take a turn. (I'm thinking that she was hesitant after watching Pearl's adventure.) Tyler was driving and he took it nice and slow for her and she never fell off. She decided that she was the BOSS of tubing.

Everyone else got dunked at least once. The girls took a tumble or two.

Robyn was super brave going with J.R. alone. He tends to bounce around quite a bit. (I think his ultimate goal is to end up in the water.)

And if he doesn't fall off, he just jumps right in.

I got to drive the boat once, and I dumped both Tyler and J.R., but I'm pretty sure that had nothing to do with my driving.

June was freaking amazing at holding on. One trip, I was half in the water, and June must have been more than half submerged, but somehow she managed to hold on. Every time I thought she was gone for sure, I would look back to see her clinging to something. She was quite determined to remain onboard.

The last run, no one fell off. I was frozen since the weather never got all that sunny. After two people disembarked, J.R. thought he would toss me in the water by turning the tube on its end. However, my icicle grip hadn't released, and I just held on as he lifted the tube. It was funny to see his head pop over the side and his quizzical look that I was still clinging to the tube, and was not in fact, in the water.

It was great fun. I was a little nervous taking pictures at high speeds. I was forever worried my phone was going to go flying overboard, but it survived in one piece. I even had time to take a selfie.

And Pearl, despite her first abysmal take-off, was pretty chipper the rest of the time.

(That is, as long as she had a blanket.) Thank you so much J.R., for taking us boating.

Thursday, I skipped making a treat, because I was saving up to make fudge on Sunday. When finally made, it looked really good, but I didn't like it as well because I used milk chocolate chips. It was just too sweet. Note to self...stick to the Semi-sweet chips.

Friday, we watched some movie. Oh yeah, it was Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. I never saw the first one, but I did enjoy all the food puns in the second one. My favorite were the Flamangoes. (Made from mangoes, of course.) A close second was the Tacodile, and I really liked the hippos that looked like big baked potatoes, but I don't know what they were called. Maybe a Baked Hippotato?

Saturday, I took June with me to give blood. I need moral support, in case I get lightheaded. June is not old enough to donate yet, but she did spell my name with pretzels. (That is also useful.)

And another selfie. (I guess this was the week for them. Too bad we managed to center our picture around someone's caboose.)

Finally, we had a small celebration for Foot's birthday. He is still the most beloved bear in the universe. Happy birthday Foot!

Goodbye week nine. I can hear school in the distance, its heralding trumpet bleating the cry of home lunch and backpacks full of papers I haven't checked. I need to get my school goals in order. This year I'm bringing my 'A' game. I have to. Have I mentioned that we will have TWO science fair projects this year? That is what I should have done this summer. Maybe it's not too late...