This and That from Here and There: October 2013

Summer Bucket List #59

BAKE COOKIES & DELIVER THEM TO A NEIGHBOR

Yum!

Ready to bake

Our neighbor was delighted with this bucket list item! I even happened to make gluten-free cookies without knowing that she was on a gluten-free diet. What luck! Recipe delivered later. :-)

Boating on the river

Out with the Holloways for a relaxing* afternoon on the water

*Please note that relaxation was temporarily disturbed a number of times by jumping giant Asian carp. No pictures were taken of these creatures, but their presence was very real.*

Backing into the water

The launch ramp

On the river

Summer Bucket List #42

WATCH A FIREWORKS SHOW

As a result of my "camera" problems, this was the only shot I even attempted to take. Before the show even started!

Since Dad and Mom flew down to Oklahoma to be with Kyle and Kalynn over the 4th, I was on my own. I started the day out with the making of a fruit salad (previously blogged), then went to Morton for a "soccer experience" (previously blogged) before making my way to the Holloway's annual 4th of July get-together (partly previously blogged). I headed back home in the afternoon in order to water the multitudes of grasses, flowers, bushes and a tree in Mom and Dad's yard so that they would not be dead when the parents returned. With a "little" (translated: a lot) of help from my grandparents and cousin, we finished the task in time to attend the fireworks show at Eureka Lake Park (blog entry to follow). A wonderful day to celebrate the birth of our great country.

A few random shots from the Holloway's shindig

Adrian savors his popsicle.

A fiercely competitive game of volleyball

(Post-water balloon fight - Can you tell?)

Music

(Post-water balloon fight - No doubt about it now!)

Summer Bucket List #39

HAVE A WATER BALLOON FIGHT

Since I knew that there would be a number of "young people" at the Holloway's 4th of July get-together in Mackinaw, Illinois, I took a package of water balloons along in case anyone would be interested in helping me check this item off of my bucket list. As it turned out, young people of all ages got involved in this event. I didn't take many pictures due to my participation in the "fight." Evidence that I participated will be noted in the next couple of blog posts in which moisture evidently worked its way into the mechanisms of my "camera" (phone).

All filled and ready to throw

This was only one of several batches of ammunition used over the course of the afternoon.

Did someone get you, Sam?

Evidence of True Love

On July 4, 2013, I forewent my opportunity to check off item #45 on my summer bucket list (Go to a parade) in order to watch two of my favorite little boys play soccer. And if someone bypasses me in the race for the "King/Queen of Summer" crown, so be it!

A bunch of little soccer players all ready to take the field

Adrian's out there somewhere.

Sam and Fleece settle in to spectate.

The goalie gives us a thumbs up.

Foiling a goal attempt by the opposing team

Some of them spent a good deal of time without any idea where the ball was.

Not enough action on the soccer field for you, Sam?

Ah! This is more comfortable!

Water break

This is pre-game!

Sam's team is ready to go.

Good job, fellas! I can hardly think how a parade could have topped this!

Summer Bucket List #36

MAKE A FRUIT SALAD

Pre-salad

Red, white and blue for the 4th of July

Summer Bucket List #14

HAVE A BOARD GAME NIGHT

Mom, Dad and I in the midst of several rousing games of Sequence

Heidi & Nolan

I hadn't seen my good friend, Heidi (Jeske) Truman since May of 2006, so when I found out she would be in Illinois the first part of July, I jumped at the chance to meet up with her in Peoria one morning to have some time with her and to meet her little boy. We had originally planned to meet at the Peoria Zoo (a bucket list item). However, due to Nolan's nap schedule, we ended up deciding we didn't have enough time to make paying the admission fee worthwhile. We ended up meeting at McDonald's instead. Somehow I never imagined that Heidi's and my reunion would take place at a McDonald's Playland! It ended up working out quite nicely. Nolan crawled around (supervised by Mama inside the tunnel), and Heidi and I managed to get a little visiting in (in between interruptions by an eager little would-be playmate for Nolan). Maybe we can make it happen again before another 7 years pass us by!

Of course, my primary photo subject was Nolan.

Trying to decide if he should take his would-be playmate up on her offer of a trip through the tunnels.

The eventual answer was no.

Nolan and his mama

Cheese!

Trying to get a "family" shot

Three generations

Home Again

Ardith and I decided that it would be best if I would go back to Mom and Dad's after our last Gospel Meeting the last Sunday in June in order to rest up for Illinois preps and conventions. That gave me just about two weeks to gear up for upcoming very busy days. (Somehow I managed to keep fairly busy at home as well. It seems that's just kind of how it goes.)

A double rainbow

Summer Bucket List #19

HAVE AN OUTDOOR MOVIE NIGHT

Once again, I contacted the "bucket list boss" to see if I might use a local outdoor theater production of "Les Miserables" to count for this particular bucket list item. This one was given the okay.

Alas, this was the only picture I took, and it had nothing to do with the performance. The actors and actresses did a wonderful job. I sang "Les Mis" songs for days afterwards.