Potluck and State

This Friday we had the first teen event in forever! It was a teen potluck and my mom and I went to pick up the Fillmore kids to take with us, Brenten, Brenna and Bryce. We drove to the park, and shortly after arrived Zach and Emily, Derek, Megan, Sarah, Taylor, Andrew L, Morgan, Andrew V, Maddy, Claire and Christian, who showed up barefoot! We played tag and I pushed some of the younger siblings on the tire swing. We ate lunch and I took the chance to teach both Morgan and Megan to play speed. Megan almost beat Brenten on her first game with him too! Christian showed some card tricks he knew and some of the group went off to play dodgeball. Maddy, Claire, Christian and I had other ideas, however, and broke out the plastic bat and whiffle balls and convinced the dodgeball players to join us for whiffle ball. It was wild and funny as we all ran around chasing the little plastic ball around tree bases. I even managed to obtain my usual injury by running "home," skidding bast the tree and flying onto the concrete, scraping my arms and legs. My "Ouch!" as I sat up was met by a burst of laughter and sarcastic remarks: "You didn't have to SLIDE into home, Halie!" But we quit after a while and while some wanted to return to their dodgeball game, I convinced first Derek and then the rest of the group to go back for dessert, I'd made dutch apple pie, Derek made a "hoho cake," Em made peanut butter cookies and there was more too :D. All too soon we had to go and my mom drove Brenten, Brenna, Bryce and I to their gym. We set in helping right away, getting the gym ready for state the next day. We strung barriers, cleaned chairs, and more. Brenten and Brenna showed me around, I jumped on THE bounciest tramplines I've even been on and we jumped into a couple foam pits. It was dark when we walked out into the parking lot after everyone else had left, tired and hungry. Brenten and I rode to In N Out and the pharmacy with Mrs. Fillmore and I got to try one of the grilled cheeses I've heard so much about. It was really good actually! When we got back Brenten, Brenna and I played nuts and speed at the kitchen table in the fifth wheel until late when Mr. Fillmore reminded us that Brenna and Brenten had to compete the next day and should get sleep. The next morning I woke up to the sound of people talking about breakfast burritos in the parking lot. I lay there, listening and wondering what time it was. Brenna soon showed up wearing her competition clothes. She was out the door and in the gym before I was out of bed. Brenten crawled out of bed much later, looking tired and uncomprehending and sat at the table, staring at the wall in front of him all the while I got my stuff together. But finally we woke up a little and made our way into the gym as well. As I went to brush my teeth I thought I heard someone shout "Halie!" but when I looked up and around I couldn't see anyone I knew so I went back to what I was doing. When I came walking back out of the bathroom from brushing my teeth, though, I found Jordan, much to my surprise, accompanied by Brenten and Nick whom I was promptly introduced to. We mostly wandered around, joking and talking, Jordan, Brenten and I mainly. We played Speed, texted each other from across the room and helped out some too. Jordan and Brenten each bought one of the breakfast burritos and said they were pretty awesome, but I didn't eat one, I'm just not hungry in the morning! We hung out in the parking lot for the sun and texted people and went on an "adventure" around the side of the building. Jordan prank called a couple people and we played a lot of Speed. I had to leave shortly after Brenten competed but not before I had to get ready for my recital. I walked into the gym wearing a black dress and looking about as out of place as I could get among all the gymnasts and judges. Jordan had to get in his teasing, he laughed, "Halie you're funny, you just walk in here in that and are all 'He-ey!'" We'd been saying "He-ey!" all day! The recital was pretty fun, too, Zach played both guitar and piano!