Tuesday, August 19, 2025

A Scavenger Hunt

 We participated in a Scavenger Hunt on Saturday for International Geocaching Day. Geocaching is 25 years old this year. The scavenger list had 25 items to find and document in 2 hours. Hubby and I teamed up with Bruce and Jo for the in-town adventure.

# 23-picture with a geocacher we did not know before today


#21-picture with a park sign


#24-tell someone about geocaching
(his dog was barking in the backyard while we were searching 
the pine tree for Bruce's geocache)


#25-picture with a sign with "25"


#16-picture with a non-bordering state license plate


#18-picture with a non-smart phone
Interesting side note to this one: We stopped at Falls Park to get several of the scavenger items. I happened to think about the Visitor's Office maybe having a land-line phone. As we trooped into the office, I asked the woman behind the counter if the office had a non-smart phone. She reached across the counter, grabbed my hands, and said my full name. I admitted she looked familiar, but I had no name to attach to the face. She was a former teacher in the Watertown School District! - small world

She also said we were the third group to ask about the phone! 


#11-picture with a pine cone


#8-Picture with a smiley
(smiley face on the wooden nickel)


#17-Picture with a flag from another country


#12-picture with a bird house


We completed 23 of the 25 tasks. We were quite pleased with our efforts. A team of 3 completed all 25 tasks!

Here are some photos from some of the other teams.

#17-flag from a different country


#14-picture of being stealthy


#14-picture of being stealthy
(two geocachers hiding behind the rocks)


#20-picture with a sweet treat

Photo quality did not count! But creativity did!


This was our virtual souvenir for the day! We also had fresh sweet corn furnished by geocachers. The temperature was near 90ยบ, but a slight breeze helped make any time out of the AC bearable. It was a fun afternoon chasing geocache-themed items.





Monday, August 18, 2025

96th Birthday

 Friday, August 16th, my mother celebrated her 96th birthday. My brothers and I were there to help her celebrate the milestone. 

cupcakes and ice cream were served to the residents and staff


birthday cake was served with their evening meal

Mom has 4 remaining siblings: her older sister is 103,  a younger sister is 91. Her two brothers are 88 and 86.




Sunday, August 17, 2025

Martial Arts

 McBe has advanced to the brown belt level in Taekwondo. We got to observe his next level testing last Monday evening.

showing the forms for brown belt level


sparring


sparring


breaking board 1 (right foot)


breaking board 2 (left foot)


breaking board 3 (right forearm)


breaking board 4 (right fist)

His next belt is solid brown. Later this year, he will test for the level 3 brown belt, which is a brown belt with a black stripe.


Saturday, August 16, 2025

No Butts - No Boots - Rodeo

 No Butts. No Boots. Just some rodeo photos from the Sioux Empire Fair. There was no printed program, and no scores were displayed on the electronic board. 

saddle bronc


steer wrestling


finally!


two future cowboys watching the action


saddle bronc


and another


and he's gone!


there were MANY saddle bronc riders


I liked this guy's attire!


not too bad for the horse, either


this barrel racer wore a sparkly shirt


finally some bull riding


no 8 seconds for this guy


look at those horns!


going, going... 


another one is going to bite the dust


not gone yet!






Friday, August 15, 2025

E Family Weekend

 Our family of seven tries to schedule a weekend when all our schedules allow some all- together family time. That happened last weekend.

OFD arrived in time for all seven of us to attend the free concert at the Levitt in downtown Sioux Falls. It was our first Levitt concert. The U.S. Navy Band Horizon was the main entertainment, playing music from the 80s and 90s.


On Saturday, we met at the Sioux Empire Fair to enjoy fried, greasy fair food.


and some shaved ice!


We were at the fair to attend the rodeo. Pre-rodeo entertainment was watching the crew move the calves and steers from one set of corrals to another.


The Navy provided the Honor Guard and the singing of the National Anthem.


honoring the flag


the rodeo clown


the E Family


the rest of the E family


After 3 hours of rodeo, it was time for the carnival! McBe does not enjoy the rides.


Hubby and OFD on the Scrambler


Miss W thought she would spin faster if she was alone. She didn't.


Hubby kept sliding into/onto her lap


Miss W wanted a faster ride


I don't know what the ride was called. Maybe the Tower?


it slowly rises up the column


half-way there


Ready? Drop!


She got her thrill!


Heading home to fix dinner for all of us...