We spent Christmas Day with the boys playing all kinds of “church picnic games.” That is the benefit of being a “preacher’s kids.” Phil and I have been to a lot of church picnics and played a lot of silly games!” They loved playing “toss the egg” and they actually got as far apart as almost a whole soccer field before the last egg broke. We also had a watermelon eating contest, a water balloon toss and then finished the games with “bobbing for apples” with a new twist. Instead of using containers for the apples, we tossed them in the swimming pool. It was hilarious to watch! Little Jefferson Ventura won the watermelon-eating contest for his team, which required eating half a watermelon as fast as you can without using your hands. About a half hour later I saw Jefferson eating an apple. “How can you eat an apple after devouring a half a watermelon?” I asked. “Oh, I didn’t eat it,” he explained. I spit it into the dirt and my team mates ground it into the ground so you couldn’t see it.” He explained. At least they’re learning to work as a team…If anyone has any great group games for teenagers that don’t take special props we won’t be able to get in Brazil, write to us the directions, we always are looking for Young Life type activities for our kids.

December 26th –Dejavu

The day after Christmas we spent doing the exact same thing with the girls. It’s amazing how much more competitive they are than the boys. For example, they demanded we break open the winning egg to “prove it wasn’t boiled” in the egg toss. I must admit, it did bounce quite a way—several times…Overall, the girls were very good natured and had a great time. One church member had donated 100 beanie babies to us, so each girl received one to put on their bed and cuddle at night. I dutifully read each tag until all 70 girls knew the name, birthday and heard the little poem about their Beanie Baby.