From a pool party to a pool side.....

So last Sunday we had a well needed and well deserved congregation get together. It was so much fun! Everyone came and had a great time!
We had it at a local river where they divert some of the river water into a cement pool.




 This is the river....the boat was a very exciting attraction to everyone!










 So the afternoon started off with the sisters playing a friendly game of Dominos, they really get into it. Part of the game is to smack the pieces very hard onto the table when you are playing...so at times you wonder how 'friendly' the game is going. hehehehe

 

This is the other view of the river. Its hard to see from the pictures but the water is very clean and crystal clear...many little fish live in this river.

 The day was full with many activities...the boys..young and old enjoyed trying to get their homemade kites to fly. It was very entertaining to watch as they would run around hoping the wind would catch it.

 Of course Chris made time for some 'catch' . What is a day at the river without a little baseball!

 This is Victor and Kati. They are a new need greater couple that has just moved in. They are from Sweden but come from Spanish families which means they are fluent is Spanish.

They are a great addition to our congregation and everyone loves them. With there Spanish so good they are able to jump in and be a great help.

That is the pool you see and the water from the river is diverted into it. So it was pretty clean but a little chilly.

We were just setting up to play a game of water football.

 It was so much fun, everyone got involved and it was a really good game.

 So we were on 2 teams and the object was to get the ball into the two orange pine cones.

There was screaming, and laughing, and everyone with great big smiles on their faces.








And of course the day would not be complete with out an obstacle course!

Lisa and Chris had brought along some props for the obstacle course. So first we had to run once around a chair then run under a table then run to a bucket and put three cups of water in it and then run to a skipping rope and jump 5 times and then run to a frisbee and throw it into a dish and then run back to the pool jump in the pool and run back to our team...so hopefully you got all that.

So we lined up into two teams and may I add that everyone participated...even the "mature" sisters in our congregation.




Here is one of the sisters running back and jumping in the pool, but her opponent is close at her heals.....who will win????  

(Chris and Gralyn were referees and were directing everyone because its hard to remember where and what we were doing)

Here they are approaching the ladder....our two teams were cheering them on...



who will get up the ladder first.....







 It went back and forth for a few minutes with us all cheering and waiting to see,

the sisters were laughing so much they couldnt even climb the ladder!!

 After the obstacle course it was time for the last game....hold an orange between your head and a friend.


This was the funniest thing I have ever seen in so long!

Everyone had a different strategy some held onto each others arms, others were hugging and some or I should say only one person...I wont mention names..Chris...but others didnt touch at all!!!

The pictures really describe it the best....

 LOOK MOM NO HANDS!!!!!!

Our two youngest participants......

 Gralyn and Victor were paired together...what makes this even funnier is that Victor is very very tall! so he had to scrunch down and kind of waddle ....at this point we were peeing our pants laughing so hard!

 Then it was time for SPOONS....a fast pace card game that had us all laughing...and look at the different ages sitting on the floor.



Something I truly admire about the brothers here is that they still play games like they are kids. Not many back home would sit on a concrete floor to play a card game.....

 Gralyn took the younger boys out for a boat ride. They really wanted to go fishing but neither have a fishing rod. So they improvised.... they took a bucket and tied a string to it and they would throw it into the water...but it would float so they decided to put a rock into the bucket so it would sink. Their plan was to pull it our of the water when a fish went past.....they didnt catch anything but they were laughing and smiling so I dont think it much mattered!


 At the end of the day everyone went home in such great spirits. We had really been refreshed and came closer together as a congregation. Until the next time....

The day after the congregation get together we went with Victor and Kati to Bani. Bani is a 3 hour bus ride away where the closest grocery store is to buy all the necessary things. However this bus ride for some reason took us 4 hours!!!

But at least they were able to buy all the things they needed for their house. At least this bus is air conditioned.





Now to the pool side......We (Chris, Lisa, Victor, Kati and Us) went to Playa Azul. That is a hotel about an hour from our house and they allow you to use the pool you just have to buy lunch at the restaurant.  So Chris and Lisa's car only fits 5 people so Gralyn and Victor offered to take the gaugau. Which as we have talked about it before is definitely not the luxury way to travel.

But here are our pics....it was definitely worth the drive....

 Although the sea is a little bit rough, it was beautiful to look at and see the magnificent colour!

If anyone wants to come and make the adventure down to the southern part of Dominican...we will take you to this diamond in the rough !!