Boating

Our friends got a new boat this summer and it has been really fun to go out with them.  I am fine just riding in the boat not really a fan of wake boarding or water skiing is what I did back in the day. But we got out on the tube and I have never laughed so hard. What started out as a leisurely ride behind the boat turned into a spine pounding, water spraying, crazy ride. I drank half the lake because I was laughing so hard.
The kids had a great time too, we stayed out for about 7 hours we just didn't want to go back in, we were hungry and worn out but it was such a great day!

 Amy and Delaine they wanted to be really crazy.

 The little girls waiting for their turn.

 Warming up after swimming in the lake.

We picked Ryan up after he got off work and he had fun jumping the wake and wake surfing.

 The little girls were so cute out there together, every time Avrie would get water splashed into her face she would just shake her head and give the thumbs up to go faster.

I think we were taunting the driver, egging him on to go faster. It was a great day with some of my favorite people.

 

Pioneer Trek

I haven't forgotten that I have other kids at home as well. On July 10-13th 3 of my kids participated in trek. The kids get an "opportunity" to experience what it was like to be a "Mormon Pioneer" crossing the plains back in the mid 1840's. They dressed up in pioneer clothes and were assigned to a family of people that they didn't know and had to live and work with this family for three days pulling a handcart with all their belongings across the dry dusty fields of Eastern Washington over 600 people participated and they do this every 4 years for the youth 14-18.
 McKenzie and Tim went as one of the Ma and Pa's and had 8 kids assigned to them that they had to watch over, feed and encourage for the three days. Kelsie and Ryan were assigned to different families and they each had their own unique experience.
Kelsie found out that she was rated as low on the physical ability and she was out to prove that she was tough she pulled every day all day long and proved to herself that she is capable of doing hard things.
Ryan thought the whole thing was a walk in the park, he was hanging out with his buddies during the free time and as he said, "I am strong and used to being outside all day so it was petty easy." And I heard that all the girls were talking about how cute he was. I also heard from several people that he was a hard worker the whole time.
Tim was excited to go he loves camping and he outfitted himself with all the best REI has to offer, this was a great excuse for him to add to the camping supply at the Rapoza house. McKenzie didn't want to go and we joked at our house that we would have to hear her complain about it until Christmas. BUT she came home so happy that she was able to go. They learned to sacrifice and put "their kids" needs first. Somehow her family didn't end up with a lot of food, and they had some big kids, teenage boys, that were really struggling and there was one day that neither Tim or McKenzie ate ANYTHING because they gave their food to the boys in their family that were struggling.  I heard that they build the best shelter every night for their family and let the kids use their legs as pillows. Also, I heard the Tim was dubbed the "most handsome pa."
It was an experience that they will always remember and they will never forget the legacy of  the Mormon Pioneers all the sacrifice of they made traveling to a place where they could worship without persecution.

This is Tim and McKenzie's family I hardly recognized McKenzie, the one on the left in the red shirt. 

 Kelsie's family 4th from the left.

 Ryan hanging out with his buddies.

 Ryan's family green shirt with the vest.

 

photo credits Francys Tobler Photography.

Summer Basketball

The same day that Destina ran her 5K she had her first of 3, 3 on 3 basketball tournaments. They battled it out and came in 2nd place, with a tie breaker. The game was tied and it came to a shootout first one to miss the free throw and they would go home in 3rd.  Destina went first and made her basket the girl from the other team missed hers. It was a battle for all 3 games but Destina had fun although you could never tell by the look on her face while she is playing.

 They were playing in the 3rd-4th grade division I am assuming this girl, who was always guarding Destina when she was on the court, was in 4th grade last year?

 She was almost a head taller and Destina is the tallest player on her team.

 But she managed to get it into the basket, most of the time.

 I always have one of the parents ask me if Destina is mad, and I always ask Destina if she was having fun out there playing and her answer is always yes, even if she is mad or at least has her mad game face on. The coach usually gives me a call an hour or so after the game to make sure Destina is ok.

And I always have to remind myself that basketball is a contact sport even when battling for the ball against a giant.

Larabee State Park

I am trying to go in order of the things we have done this summer but I am about 3 weeks behind I have some catching up to do.
After girls on the run one day we decided to head down to Larabee State Park the tide was low and it was another perfect summer day to get out and enjoy being outside. We have had a summer's worth of perfect days already and hopefully it will continue into August.

 We searched for star fish except Delanie didn't want to touch it.

 We hiked on the rocks looking for shells.

 They had a great time exploring.

 Climbing "mountains"

They were pretty tired after running all morning but they had fun at the beach playing. I came home with a nice big bruise on my butt, I would post a picture but that would just be too gross.  Avrie was climbing on some mossy rocks and just slipped and fell, after I picked her up and got her going I took my next step and could tell it was slippery and the next thing I knew I was flat on my back on the rocks. It had to lie still for a few seconds to figure out what hurt more my back or my butt and was very relieved when it was my butt. I hobbled for a few days and the bruise was very impressive I even showed it to anyone who wanted to take a look at my butt and I did take a picture. Anyway it was a fun day and I had a souvenir  that lasted about 3 weeks. Destina said she was worried that it was going to be bad like when I fell in Haiti and hurt my back, me too!

26 Years

That seems like such a long time and yet I am not sure where all the time went. But we have been married 26 years, yesterday!

I married my best friend and we have remained best friends, it is that friendship that has seen us through the tough times and brought us closer during the good.  We were young but not afraid of tackling the world. We have had some great adventures and some really hard times and through it all I am glad that I have spent the last 26 years with you!

Next up

Next up for the girls was "Girls on the Run" camp. Destina did this in the spring and really wanted to do it this summer. She loved it. Delanie went in a little hesitant but with a good attitude. She is not a runner but she proved to herself that week that she could do it. They both came home tired and a little sore, they wrote in journals and they had some good group discussions and they made new friends.  At the end of the week they ran a 5K, Delanie was proud that she came in with the middle of the pack and that she wasn't last, like she thought she would be at the beginning of the week.  Even though this was not a race Destina and another girl ran together all week and pushed and encouraged each other along. They came in head to head and Destina finished second. She said she ran the whole way without stopping and came in smiling.

The girls getting some last minute encouragement and instructions before the run started, Delanie I am sure is thinking "What have I got myself into?"

This is the lake they ran around it is such a pretty trail around the small lake.

This is the girls starting out Destina started out leading the pack but Delaine was not far behind her. She also had a running buddy to keep pace with as well.

Destina and her new friend, who is going into 7th grade and Destina is going into 4th they were running together all week long.

After they finished the race they made a tunnel for all the other girls. It was so sweet to see how they encouraged each other, when a couple of the girls were having a hard time they went back up the trail and ran next to them to the finish line encouraging them all the way.

Delanie was so happy to see the finish line!

They both had a great week and they even went on the run the next day all by themselves.

Summer time

We have my niece from UT staying with us for most of the summer. I have been trying to make sure the kids have fun and stay busy and with work and all this "fun" we have been busy. Now I have to go back and think about all the things we have done this summer.

On July 6th we went on the San Juan Cruises to Friday Harbor. It was a beautiful day and we spent the morning whale watching and we were not disappointed we had quite the show. The islands are so pretty and this is one of my favorite things to do in the summer.

 The girls had binoculars and were out on the front of the boat watching for the whales,  they thought it was pretty cool.
Once in Friday Harbor we did a little shopping and eating, they have a nice park to sit at and enjoy the beautiful marina.

 At the dock lives a sea lion named Popeye I guess he has lived there for 20 years or so and is very friendly he is blind in one eye so he gets a lot of sympathy from all the people and they buy him fish and he has quite the gig going on.

The girls were trying to get his attention but without fish he didn't want to bother with them.

After spending a couple of hours at Friday Harbor it was time to head back. It really is the perfect daycation and so glad we get to spend time with Tim and McKenzie.

I love having adult children especially when they live close by, (hint hint) we have such a good time together and we really are best of friends! Thanks for the fun day Tim and McKenzie!