Holiday Fun

Monday was a local holiday and we celebrated!  Brennan actually went into work and a little fieldtrip in the morning so I took the kids (Anna stayed home so we brought Abby’s friend, Paige) to my sister’s community pool.  We had so much fun.  Ben has become a really good swimmer and I’ve got Joshy squared away in a handy-dandy floaty thingy so I can actually swim too.  Her pool set-up has a great kiddie pool, a hot-tub and a big regular pool.  The kids love to just kind of rotate between them all. 

These two anxiously awaiting our departure to head to the pool

 

Abby and Paige

My nephew, Peter – angel baby extraordinaire and my BIL, Josh.

The pictures speak for themselves, we had a fabulous time.  Thanks, Josh and Lize, for hosting us.

Later that day we gathered at a beautiful nearby park for a rare party with both my Dad’s and Mom’s families.  We do a potluck dinner with the world’s best homemade rootbeer (My Grandpa Bell always used to make it, now my Dad does), we do a few little games/races for the little ones (before they’re completely orphaned for the next few hours)  and then get right down to business, serious business – volleyball.  I think we had 8 teams this year, 3 nets/courts and lots of middle-aged people pretending we’ve still got it   Until we wake up the next morning.  

Here are the only two pictures I managed to take that night.

My team was really good, we didn’t have a weak player, but somehow we managed to lose EVERY SINGLE GAME.  Grrrrr.  It kind of made me in a bad mood.  12 years old is the magical age you are allowed to join in the volleyball tradition so Anna played this year on Brennan’s team.  She did really well and we were very proud of her in this very important rite of passage.  We also had mento/soda pop explosions and a fantastic firework show by Brennan and my cousin, Corbin. 

It was a very fun, very exhausting day.  We’re so grateful for such great families including some extraordinary ancestors.   We’re very blessed!