Wild Water West

Tuesday Charlie & I enjoyed a wonderful day off with my side of the family.  Kasondra, Jeff, Charlie & I left Sioux Center at about 9:00 a.m. that morning, drove up to Sioux Falls and did some browsing at several car dealers (as we are looking for a pickup), made a stop at Scheel's for the guys to pick up some hunting items, and then met up at Wild Water West with Mom & Jamaica, Kansas, Danny, Coyer & Kedren.  The weather wasn't the greatest for a day at the water park since it was cloudy and a little breezy...but it didn't seem to phase us too much as we made the most of it.  We enjoyed taking several trips down the slides (yes including the steep scary ones), did the ropes course across the lilly pads, crocodile & logs, did a couple loops around the lazy river (while trying to avoid every possible fountain that could get us wet & cold), the guys went in the wave pool for awhile, while us girls laid out on the chairs for the 5 minutes out of the day that the sun was out, and then we hit the other side of the park to take in the bumper boats (which the guys really enjoyed soaking mom on), the batting cages, mini golf & go karts-my favorite!  Kelsie & Dad had to work until about 3 p.m. or so that day, but they made it up by about 4:00/4:30 and still got to enjoy a big chunk of the day with us.  At about 7:30 p.m., after a long day at the park, we were all starving so we headed to Kansas & Danny's house, and dad & mom treated us all with Pizza.  Kasondra, Jeff, Charlie & I stuck around for awhile after pizza just to hang out with Kansas & Danny after they laid the boys down for bed as we don't get to see them or hang out quite as often as we'd like being that they live in Sioux Falls before.  We had such a fun, relaxing, enjoyable day & made so many memories that I will never forget.  I love my family & the time that we get to spend together.  Life can get so busy sometimes as is has been this summer with concerts just about every weekend, ball games that the boys are in, and just several other things that everyone has going on in each of their own lives, so setting aside time (even if it has to be during the middle of the week) to get together was so worth it.

Take a look at the fun we had:

Charlie going down the steep slide

Myself giving the black hole (the other steep slide) a try

"after a little convincing"

Charlie tryin to knock Kansas off the logs

The boys all excited to race go karts

At the batting cages

What a kid at heart...he's so focused on the race

Bumper Boat time...

Jamaica with our niece Jorja who happened to be at the park

with her grandparents on the same day as us

Trying to teach Kedren how to bat

Pitching to the boys while the "big kids" play in the batting cages

Waiting in line to go on the go karts as a group

Do you see who is in the lead?  ;)

Softball Season Comes To A Close

Wow...I have been waiting to blog for over a week now but just haven't had a chance to get to it, nor have I had the motivation to sit at my computer besides checking my emails/facebook quick (after being on it all day at work).  But...it's finally Friday & I actually have a little time to sit down catch up before doing a second coat of paint on the walls/ceiling that I am working on leading to our upstairs.

Anyways, this past Monday marked the finish to another fun softball season for Charlie & his team.  He has been playing in a men's softball league all summer with several of his close friends.  At the start of summer they had games on either Monday nights or Wednesday nights weekly, and then when it got down to tournament time they dropped down to only having games on Monday nights.  The guys had a great season, and it was a lot of fun chatting with my sister(s) & friend Jen while watching the guys play! 

Here are a couple pictures my sisters Kasondra & I captured at their last game:

Team VIP

Sponsored by "Valley Industrial Powder Coating"

"Staycation" Camp-Out

This past weekend Charlie & I enjoyed a CAMP OUT over at my sister Kasondra, and brother-in-law Jeff's acreage with a bunch of friends.  Kasondra and Jeff even went as far as buying fun outdoor lights that they hung on their deck, TIKI TORCHES, and they also decorated signs for each of the tent sites we set up.  Ok, so you may think it sounds a little cheesy but that's ok we don't care because we had a blast!

On Friday night the guys went GOLFING in Alton and then we all met up at Kasondra & Jeff's to camp out for the rest of the evening.  We did some grilling, played several YARD GAMES, enjoyed catching up with each other just talking outside on the deck, enjoyed S'MORES BY THE FIRE & then headed to sleep in our tents for the night (or just out in the open on a mattress as Justin did).  The weather was perfect for TENTING!  We thought about initially going camping up at the lakes or something but by the time we'd get up there Friday night and get everything set up we just didn't think it was worth even going that far because Kasondra & I had to be back home Sunday early afternoon as we had a benefit concert that evening and Charlie also had to work.  So instead we decided to have a "STAYCATION"! 

Getting the tent sites set up

Kasondra & I tried to come up with a "Camp Out" name...this is all we could come up with lol ;)

We thought it was better than what the guys came up with "Camp No Lake."

The cute "Tiki" Deck

(The tiki torches really helped keep the bugs away too it was great)

You can see how humid it was Friday afternoon when we set everything up

my lens was just steaming over

Bean Bag Toss & Frisbee Games all set up

Kasondra really didn't want me to take this picture because we were all hot & sweaty

but...camping's not about looking cute right?



Then on Saturday we slept in, got up and cooked BREAKFAST OVER THE CAMP FIRE, packed up our campsites and picked up all the yard games to got ready to head to the BEACH.  We spent the afternoon in Paulina where we did some SWIMMING, laying out, played a little Frisbee in water, and grilled lunch at the park nearby.  When we had enough sun for the day we headed back to Jeff & Kasondra's house and those of us that we still hanging out (Charlie & I, Jeff & Kasondra and Josh & Jen) all got cleaned up and we headed to "North Forty," the MINI GOLF course just North of Sioux City.  It was another beautiful night to be outside and we had a great time together!  We then headed home & enjoyed a good night's rest in our own beds again.

Charlie busy cookin' everyone breakfast over the fire (it was so yummy!)

Frisbee Games in the water to keep cool 

Us girls working on our tans

Fun times mini golfing

 Myself, our friend Jen & sister Kasondra

The final hole...

Just the two of us

On Sunday Charlie & I had an early LUNCH over at Dad & Mom Zomermaand's as I had to be in Orange City that afternoon by 1:00 p.m. to set up our sound system and sound check for our benefit concert that evening.  Charlie's Aunt & Uncle (well mine too now), from Florida are down visiting so the whole family was going to be at dad and mom's for the afternoon to share lunch and visit.  It was nice to see everyone briefly while we could.  Then like I said, that evening my sisters and I had a BENEFIT CONCERT in Orange City to raise funds for the MISSION TRIP that Charlie & I and the rest of my family along with Rachelle Hope & her band, BMX Biker Jon Greer, and some members from the Life Light Missions Team will be going on this coming January 2012.  The event went great, we had a great turn out and we raised over $1,500 that evening.  We felt so BLESSED and are excited to see how God may use each and everyo one of us on this trip!

Well that is all I have for now and I should really get to bed since I have to work tomorrow so you all have a great Friday tomorrow & a wonderful weekend!

~Jamie~