Tag Archives: Swimming

January 27th, 2019

January 27, 2019 shreffler

Eleanor is shocked to find out there’s another trip to the water park after breakfast.

After seemingly panning splash pads this past summer, she spent a surprising amount of time here- flittering from one to the next to wash her hands, and those of whoever else is near

Des is just tall enough to grab a firm pull on the lever…

…wonder if the first time he knew what it’d do?

Sister gets in on the big splash action too

Wash all the hands

Team llama looking (surprisingly) in the same general direction

Then someone was merciful and offered to take a picture

Des for one last trip down the big slide (which is apparently constructed in such a manner that it is mathematically impossible for kids to careen down and arrive in a jumble of no fewer than two)

Well-rested after a long nap, making the most of the opportunity to gather for one last pizza dinner. Ella and grandma in the mermaid blanket-

Story time with grandma, for a repeat reading of Car’s “Tractor Trouble”

Looks like Eleanor had fun at the water park

The boys construct a fairly ambitious car track, though a few actually made it all the way

January 26th, 2019

January 26, 2019 shreffler

Waking up to fresh powder

Eleanor learning fifth position in her first dance class

Lunch with (great-)(aunt) Molly at Lalibela Ethiopian

Napping with all of her friends- Margaret, Blue Bear, assorted animals and, clutched guardedly in hand- beloved monkey.

Now officially a tradition: dad’s birthday weekend celebrated with an overnight hotel stay, swim and pizza party. Des is just as excited as dad-

Eleanor wastes no time finding the nearest slide, dashing down with only mild hesitation

Desmond fearlessly conquering the two-story waterslide

All washed up after the pool, the pizza arrives! The pixar gods shone down on everyone with a quick find on the cable (re-explaining that concept to Des for the fourth time) with Finding Dory

Ella snacking with some of aunt Molly’s candied pecans (so yum!)

Snuggles and Nemo- the best birthday present

While Eleanor takes quite some time to fall asleep, Des and dad build a fort in the corner with a laptop viewing of The Empire Strikes Back (or with all the pause-and-explain-the-plot-details breaks, up until meeting Yoda on Dagobah)

September 23rd, 2018

September 23, 2018 shreffler

After a hotel room picnic breakfast, it was time for swimsuits and the most invigorating morning swim ever. Mostly docking in the jacuzzi, there were a few adrenaline junkie excursions to the main and kiddie pools

Future deep marine explorer Eleanor doesn’t seem to mind

Out for the annul classic car show. On the hunt for Mustangs and before the defeating search for any non-deep-fried-dessert vegetarian food option.

Mom’s resourceful idea to source a few slices of Casey’s cheese pizza provided the foundation of the late lunch picnic

Desmond further testing heights, summits the playground dome eerily reminiscent of dad’s (and aunt Kellie’s) elementary school

Today, Eleanor appears to be pro-swing (it varies)

On the drive home, naps are had by all (but dad)

Cause what could be the proper end scene of a 20-hour road trip? A visit to Surfside for Aunt Megan’s birthday was (unexpectedly easy and) enjoyable

When your order for corn fritters is still waiting, you apparently practice tossing rocks towards the river

Des quickly finds the bounce house (cause that’s apparently permanent?)

Eleanor and Ol’ Monkey Butt

Des catching a peek at the evening’s special birthday treat

Waiting the requisite six full minutes before engaging in gravity-jarring, nausea-inducing fun of bouncing uncontrollably…

AppleJack Festival 2018

September 22, 2018 shreffler

After a week of dad leaving ransom-note like daily clues, it was finally revealed that Team Llama would be heading to Nebraska City for the 50th annual AppleJack Festival. After a successfully on-time departure with some bagels for the car ride,

The annual orchard pilgrimage to fetch a medium-sized bag of apples has also been a nice opportunity for a few family photos:

When Pa’s not around to pull the wagon, you gotta pull your share (of a near-empty wagon)

It’s important to understand that each subsequent photo of Eleanor consuming an apple are all different fruit at a ratio of one-to-three to those not-pictured partials starts

Des presenting his most recent “flower” find, mere seconds from the prior (and so forth)

A quick pitstop at the pumpkin patch

[Llama household, ca. Sept 18: near daily reading]
Thistle: “Have you checked the pumpkin patch?”
Duck & Goose: “The WHAT?!”

Undaunted by physical appearance, Eleanor would attempt a lunge for any pumpkin- regardless of weight

Little Ella on the Prairie

Ok, let’s pull together

As a recently confident high stepper, Eleanor immediately infers the gameplay of this part of the playground

“Hop!”

With an early check-in to the lodge, it was the perfect second-story window view for a picnic

Narrator: We now pause for a message from our sponsors-

Des gazes out upon the east orchard, or he’s the admiring the (clearly dead) bug still attached to the extended window sill. Who knows.

Des digs in to his share of the apple pie à la mode

Eleanor cocoons peacefully into the hammock

Explore explores his comfort of heights atop a large rope-spiderweb

And high up a cardinal perch

Plant trees…

…raise children

Eleanor Shreffler, intrepid walker of long distances

Dad’s “it’s cool, we’ll wing it” approach to pizza sourcing and resource management resulted in even a Pizza Hut carryout order pushing dinner timelines well beyond normal. Desmond has his first drive-through food experience to fuel the chips-and-guac requirements for a car DJ chip party, and before you knew it, the pizza was ready.

With the beyond-overtired little sister zonked out (rodeo’d down?) for the night, there was still time for a late-night swim

Lake adventures

August 11, 2018 shreffler

During an atypical Saturday visit to the downtown farmers market, Eleanor was walking with a slow and deliberate focus on her feet. Then it occurred to dad- this is the first time she’s walked on a brick road

At the cabin of one of dad’s work friends, Eleanor walks straight into the lake as if returning to her aquatic home.

Des “hiding”

Although she liked playing with the noodle as well, mostly tossing it and doggie-paddling over to retrieve it (repeat)

Basking in the euphoria that is eating a whole frosted cookie. Cause lake life.

Des boarded immediately, clearly eager for his first boat ride.

“I’m sailing! Out in a boat on the lake, way far away from the dock. AHOY!”

Baby’s first boat ride

By lake or by land- Des gets his first driving lesson with George

Ella wanted a ride as well, probably best for the more experienced driver to take her for a spin

One would think the highlight of the experience was being at the lake, swimming, watching/riding boats… but no. The near-plague level of small toads abound was apparently the one true joy. Desmond chasing after one of his small friends.

Up close and personal

Practicing “nice touch” and learning to hold only for a moment, then putting the friend down (note he wanted to keep his puddle jumper on much longer than necessary)

They were out five minutes into the car ride home. What an amazing summer experience with great friends.

May 28th, 2018

May 28, 2018 shreffler

Long gone are the days of morning naps…

The inaugural run of the front-yard pool was clearly made a splash

Look out, she will get you

Happiness. And falling down in 3, 2…

The smirk of pure joy

The “pool life”

The compromise of “No Desmond, there’s not enough room for both of you”

Ella attacking (with love) her treat

January 27th, 2018

January 27, 2018 shreffler

Eleanor was up early in the morning with ma, so she was ready for a quick catnap by mid-morning

Desmond takes a few minutes to wake up, even after naps

Eleanor’s first time walking outside to the car. This was immediately proceeded by her falling down the slight declining slope. But a resilient spirit, she was back up faster than you’d think

Desmond was pretty stoked to be in sandals once again, demonstrating his newfound foot agility- with conviction

Dad is occasionally jealous of the fun that warmer-month birthdays invite. So why not pack and pile the kids into a hotel room merely 10 minutes from the house just to play at an indoor waterpark? Because he had one of the best birthdays in recent memory, that’s why.

Yup, lots to look at, pretty exciting!

After Eleanor got tired walking around the pool (you know, because she’s decided that she’s solely a walker on all surfaces), it’s time for a break

Not shown (regrettably- though forever engrained in dad’s memory, via fear): Desmond, resident three-year-old, going down a two-story waterslide by himself (hey, he technically cleared the 40″ minimum height line). TWICE!

Hanging out at the end of the kiddie slides to watch big brother

“WHEE!”

“Look, Dad, Dad, I’ve ate my share of snapea crisps. In fact, I’ve ate like a lot of people’s share of snapea crisps.” Eleanor clearly prefers the snack course of the hotel room pizza party