We FLEW!

 A friend gave us tickets to fly! Below: Before Flying

Here's how it works:

First, go through a 10 minute training which includes stable body positioning for flying and hand signals so the instructor can signal to you how to adjust your position in case you're headed for disaster! (Not really, but hat's what it feels like might happen to a newbie. Then you start panicking that you won't remember what the signals are once you start flying!)

Then get all zipped up, put in ear plugs, sport eye protection and head gear. Think to yourself how cool, yet geeky you must look.

We each got 1 minute of fly time. Twice. The first minute is spent figuring out how to fly in a stable position. You basically hold a position and the instructor handles you to help you get stable.
Let the reality hit you that this is was quite a new adventure! You've NEVER floated in mid air before!

When you've got it, they let go and you fly on your own. (They told us Adam flies in what they call a "box" position. Which is not very flexible, but is a very stable way to fly. Sounds about right.)

Then during your second turn, if you paid for it...the instructor lifts off the ground too and takes you UP into the wind tunnel.

I haven't had that kind of fun in a long time. I was laughing out loud (which consequently blew slobber everywhere. I wonder how often they have to clean slobber off the glass...or ceiling???

Below are some videos which cost a pretty penny. So watch them you must.

Anna's First Flight.

Adam's Second Flight.

Anna's Second Flight.

If you go, I must recommend bringing someone who will take video and photos. These photos and vids are provided by the facility, but aren't good. There were parents all around the tunnel taking images of their own for free! Wish I had known that was allowed.

Flying was an absolute THRILL. Surprisingly my hip joints and back were sore after bending my body backwards in the air. Who would have thought? And my hair...oh my hair. Though I pulled it back and braided per their suggestion...all the little fly away hairs were sucked up through the holes in my helmet and whipped into a frenzy. I had SO MANY knots to pick out (or rip out shhhh.) So I would suggest wearing some kind of head wrap.

Below: The After Photo

They also offer virtual reality glasses to wear while you are flying, but only after your third flight. (I wish! Can you imagine?) If we were made out of money, I might go a few more times but, we'll probably never go again. However, I'll remember this day forever! Lah!

The Last Ward Activity

Unfortunately my time serving as the Ward Activity "specialist" (weird title, I know) has come to an end. My last activity to put together was a...

This was held in the church parking lot on a hot day. Perfect.

(It was a private activity, allowing families of the congregation to serve one another. Though if someone drove in whom we didn't know we would have gladly washed their car of course!)

I blocked off one of the two entrances so cars would come in from one direction (and NOT run over the hoses that several families had lent us for the morning.) After the washing, the cars were moved to a "drying zone" to be dried while other cars pulled in for their washing turn. 

 We bought a four way splitter so we could have four hoses hooked to water, and borrowed four spray nozzles for the ends. It couldn't have worked better. I was so pleased.

 ....But the fighting over the hoses! My goodness. Children who even weren't mine were tattling to me about who was hogging the hose! My solution? Anna gets the hose for a turn. You can wash for a while. Ha.

 Even the littles got into it. So cute!

As a reward at the end, I'd promised a water balloon fight. So, a week or so before the event I divvied out 1,500 balloons between about 9 people to bring the morning of the car wash.

Kind Marla came over to help me do my double batch on a hot day and had the brilliant idea to pull the hoses into the blob and fill them up there!

 "This must be what swimming with jellyfish feels like."

After the cars were done we moved them out of the way and lined up all the buckets and coolers full of water balloons and blew the whistle to begin a most epic fight.

After, out came the ice cream and we sat in the sun to dry off while eating our treat.

Not a lot of people came to this (it was a Saturday, I get it), and some left early, but MANY who were not in the photo DID help with preparation, and lent things for the activity. I think it was a great success and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

Clean up was a bit tricky. We tried spraying the ballon pieces into a pile, but they were too sticky. So we left for a couple of hours to let the parking lot dry. Adam and a couple other guys went back with blowers and said clean up was a breeze. (See what I did there?)

And now I'm off to other things. I'm sad. I liked this particular responsibility. It was simple. I didn't necessarily have to work with a group, I could just plan and make happen and ask for help when I needed it. It's so convenient not having a committee sometimes.

My new responsibility is back in the Relief Society—that's what we call the women's organization in the church—this time I'm the second counselor, and as part of my responsibilities I will help a committee plan and carry out a monthly weeknight activity for the women. LOL. This responsibility is a completely different beast, and I have a lot of learning ahead of me. Wish me luck!

Meet Matisse

When I purchased Matisse, I didn't know what he would become. He was just a baby and baby leaves have no holes or lobes. I figured I'd go home and google how to take care of him and so forth. Little did I know, he would grow to be a monster as his genus name, Monstera Deliciosa, indicates—and he's not even close to reaching maturity. The Monstera is a vine, so it will get taller and taller.

Matisse will have to come in over the winter, and he'll do perfectly fine indoors, I just hope I can find a space for him!

This plant has been a thrill to own and watch. Each new leaf takes about two weeks to completely unfurl. The last one to appear has been the biggest. Given enough nutrients and pot space, newer leaves can be MUCH bigger. I hope they are. This is the COOLEST plant to own. You need to get one.

He didn't get his name until recently when I realized the leaves look like something Matisse the artist would paint (turns out he did!) Matisse the Monstera plant is pleased to meet you.

Texas Civil War Museum

Every time we pass this on the freeway I've wondered if it's worth visiting. For Adam's sister's birthday we had our chance, the family met up and in we went.

It's a modest size with a modest collection. I wouldn't' mind going back. 

Especially to look at all the flags and banners. Below are a few things I thought interesting as well.

First, this is a "soldier's Housewife made of linen and contains extra buttons for the uniform, jacket, and trousers. It also carries thread, a hair comb, and a small shaving mirror. Most soldiers and officers carried housewives hand-made by their mothers and wives."

 Below is a medicine case.

Let's look at a close up of the contents...

Not sure about you...but these scared me a little bit. I looked some up, a lot of them are natural remedies, used in homeopathic treatments, made from plants.

Below is a stomach pump...it looks painful. Used in a hospital located in what is now City Hall in the City of Macon. "When general Sherman passed by, Dr. Love and the city leaders boarded up the town and placed signs on the incoming roads which read, 'smallpox'. The Union army bypassed Macon as they 'Marched to the Sea.'"

Below: the hilt and sheath of a presentation sword given to Ulysses S. Grant by the People of Kentucky in May 1864. 

The scabbard is solid silver with gold plates hold the initials "USG", "A" for USA, and "KY" for Kentucky. The initials are encrusted with diamonds. 

We came across some wonderful scenes of tiny little figures. I am told they were hand painted by high school history students.

Toward the end of the displays was also a fun collection of women's fashion from the era.

I know you've all wondered what became of Scarlett's hat. 

 It found it's way here of all places! What fun...now where's her matching dress?