Me and My Beard: Day One Hundred Ninety Seven

Dear Readers,
      We had a very full day today. Starting off with our morning run. We woke up early and took off for three miles. It was nice to get out and do something physically active. I had been cooped up indoors during the week because of class. At least I get to work out in the open. My workouts have been lacking though. After our run, it was a pleasant Sunday church service at Calvary Chapel Refuge. We are really enjoying the studies and worship there. I think as the weeks go by it is becoming more evident that this is the church for us, at least for now. Time will tell if we actually become involved here.
      The next part of our day is what made it such a great day. We spent our afternoon at the park. Picnicking and playing outdoor games and sports. Picked up some sandwiches and snacks at the Sprouts in Rossmoor and headed to the park. It was a really beautiful day, with the sun out and a nice breeze. It was great hanging out with friends throwing the Frisbee around, trying to figure out how to throw it straight, and tossing the football around. We even got a new Bocce Ball set that we busted out for the first time today. That is actually a really fun game for a group of people. Tossing some balls around, trying to get it close to the little white one. Even knocking your friends balls out of the way. Liz actually turned out to be a ringer, beating us more than half the time. Raina had also picked up a set of assorted outdoors games from Target the other day. It included Hi Li, lawn darts, badminton, and a set of those things that go on your hand with Velcro on them that are used to catch a tennis ball thrown back and forth. I had always wanted one of those as a kid, so I got to live out my fantasy of playing with one as an adult today. We had a blast today, and have even talked about going back next Sunday. There was only one bad part about the whole day. I got stung by a bee, while running to catch a Frisbee. I had taken my sandals off, because it was too hard to run around on the grass with them. So, while running around barefoot I must have stepped on a bee and had it sting me. I never saw the bee, but I did see the stinger and had to pull it out of my foot. It was not a pleasant experience. Thankfully I am not allergic and don't even notice it now. Other than that, it was a fantastic day. Getting out of the house and doing something active.
      Those Velcro pads for catching the tennis balls came in handy while just sitting around in the shade. We would sit in the shade just throwing the ball to each other. At one point, there was a time where they put the pads on their feet and tried to catch the ball that way. The only one extremely proficient at catching a ball that way was Brooke. She could swing that leg over and snatch the ball out of the air. Her husband, Brandon, attributed it to her monkey features. Brandon should never have said that, because I did not let her hear the end of it. Every time she caught or threw the ball I would make monkey noises. I even went as far as to ask the waiter if Brooke could have the Bananas Foster for desert because she had been looking forward to it. We went to dinner with Brandon and Raina's dad afterward. It was pretty funny. Either way, it took great skill to catch a ball that way. Now if only she could throw the ball just as well with her foot.

This Day In History: 1916
Pacific Aero Products, which will be renamed the Boeing Company, is founded in Seattle, Washington, by William Boeing.

Born This Day: 1606
Rembrandt - Dutch artist

"Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."

-Theodore Roosevelt