Polar Plunge

For the past 5 years we have held a Polar Bear Plunge on January 1.

I did these growing up.
My dad loved to provide a good challenge for us kids to do.
This was a more mild one.

Here were the stats for Jan. 1 2013:
The pool was 46 degrees and the weather outside was 56 degrees.
Just enough of a bite to it.

This year the Shills and Tingeys returned once again for another plunge
 and we had two rookie families join us-
My brothers Clint and Adam.

My niece Adlee's face demonstrates how fun this can be.

  

Kate realized that the idea of the plunge was a lot more fun than the reality of the plunge.

Clint had to give her a little pep talk. 

Whatever Clint told her...worked

Lots of different ways to make an entrance.
Personally, the pencil dive would be my last choice.

I am not sure what type of dive this is...stumble/trip into the pool?

I love this goof-ball brother of mine.  

He and his family are moving back to Az in a few months

and they are going to live just a stone's throw away.  

Clint's dive is a bit more graceful than the others....but that's Clint for ya.
If Physical Therapy doesn't work out -- he could possibly go into competitive diving.

After they all jumped and swam across the pool, a 101 degree jacuzzi was waiting for them.

This little warm luxury was not part of my childhood polar bear plunges.  

We just got a towel and the shivers.

These two weirdos didn't get enough the first time around...

Once everyone assured little Josh that we thought his underwear was really just a Cars' swimsuit,

he took the non-swimmer dip.

Adam's kids are very adaptable.
No swimsuit--no problem.

January

Wow, where has time gone?  January is already behind us
 and I am still trying to remember to write 2013 and keep up with my goal to post monthly.
Sorry to the one person that gives a hoot....Isaac. 

After the Polar Plunge, we had a really cold snap for about a week.  It was brrrrr.

We rounded up every sheet, towel, pillowcase in the house and covered our

backyard plants.  I still don't understand how a sheet can save them.
Crossing my fingers they make it through.


But then we had our beloved sun back.
Beloved in the winter and Evil in the summer.

Ike is usually sitting at the kitchen counter, table or desk creating something. 

Right now it is drawing.   

The only help I can provide for this budding talent is 

paper, pencils and to search out images on the internet for him to draw.

 I can't get a stick figure to look right.

My mom found a great drawing app (Paper53)  that these two love.

We have been trying to get to as many high school basketball games

 to support our nephews Rock and Luke.  

All this exciting high school play has rubbed off on Ike.  

All the coaxing from Tom didn't get him to go out and shoot ...
it just took watching his big cousins play.

There is a new intensity and determination in this kid.

He no longer feels like it is unfair or rude to steal the ball from his opponent.

Eye of the Tiger

On another court.....

Meg is right in the thick of club volleyball season.

We aren't winning a lot of games and that is not easy for this competitive player.

However, Meg is improving, she has her jump serve, 

and is learning how to be a good teammate...even when you keep losing.    

 Cole is always recruiting family members to join in the Ab ripper.

I should, but I don't

 This month, Ike reached his goal of 32 push-ups.

Summer has been working at her tennis game, 5 days a week, to get ready 

for high school try-outs.  She won't let me include photos of this effort.

She took a few lessons when she was young but then we took a 3 year volleyball detour.   

Tom and I will miss her volleyball games but if she loves tennis--so do we.

She is also finishing up a couple of projects to earn her YW medallion in Personal Progress. 

The fact that she wants to get her driver's permit in March may have something to do with this.

One of her 10 hour projects is to index genealogy records

To wrap it up I have to mention a big change

I was released as YW President.

I have loved and learned so much from these wonderful girls for the past 3 years. 

Such fun memories with the girls and the women I served with.   

They surprised me with a good-bye visit and a book they made for me.  

Tender moment for me to see them all standing at my door.