4th of July Fun

Last Friday was the 4th and of course here in Pawnee we had our city wide family fun on the courthouse lawn. It all started at 8:00 with Turtle Races. Hannah's turtle, Jerry, didn't win but you wouldn't know that talking to Hannah. She loved that thing. This year we were on the ball and found her a turtle 2 weeks before the event. Hannah got a kick out of feeding him each day and giving him fresh water to drink and the night before the big race she painted him a very masculine purpleish color. She thought it was so much fun. Later she was in the sack race, the money in the hay grab, and the 3 legged race with Luke. They were so cute. She watched them raise the big flag and had a little one of her own. Summer and I were on the 2nd place Tug-o-war team. Our team had 6 people and we were the 2 time defending champs but it didn't happen this year. Chan (our music minister at the church) and I won 2nd in the team horse shoe tournament too. In all it was a great way to start off the day. We went to eat downtown and then went home to take a nap. Later that evening we went out to Camp Lela to fish and have dinner with Nate & Breah, Britney & Gary and their kids, & Paul & Penny. It was a very fun and relaxing way to spend the rest of the day. There was a slight breeze blowing so it wasn't too hot. The kids were able to swim a little in one of those inflatable pools. It was nice. Later we were joined by Bro Bob & Mary Ellen and the McCalls. As it got dark we all gathered to watch Paul, Gary, Nate and Browining put on our Lela fireworks extravaganza. It was a great time. There were a couple of times when we were wondering how the guys kept from setting themselves on fire but oh well. We hung out for a little while after that and let the kids play with some sparklers. Hannah really enjoyed that. She was just spinning and making circles with them and having a grand ol time. It was a pretty wonderful day for our little family.

Pawnee Bill Wild West Show

This year's Pawnee Bill Wild West Show has come to a close. The show, which takes place the last 3 weekends in June, is fun but man...can it be exhausting. This year included a little added bonus for the Priest family. I, for the last 3 years, have played the part of Spotted Elk...a ping-pong playing Indian in the side show. Starting in 1908 they let people who came to the show, play a real live Indian in ping pong. The crowds loved it and it was especially a big hit in Europe. So, I got to put on a head dress and play ping pong against people that came to the show. Our ping pong table was ruined last year though so I actually got to stand there and explain why I wasn't playing ping pong. This year though, Summer and Hannah were in the show. They played the part of settlers making their way across the frontier to settle in this new land. Along the way their wagon train is attacked by Mexican bandits and Pawnee Bill comes to the rescue. We were a little worried about how Hannah would respond to the gun fire and horses running around but she was thrilled. She was supposed to duck her head and hide but she wanted to make sure she didn't miss any of the action. It is such a fun time and an interesting atmosphere to be around. This year I was able to meet people from not only Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Colorado and New York; there were also some people from Africa, Indonesia, Israel, Turkey and China. Most of them were students that are attending OSU but it was still very cool. I hope we get to be a part of it again next year.

Picnic Day

Well, I haven't done a very good job so far of keeping up with this. I posted last week that Summer and Hannah were sick. As they started to feel better last Wednesday we decided to celebrate their new found health by having a picnic. We packed up all our goodies and went into the backyard for a little bit of sun and fun. Hannah loves to picnic. She gets the biggest kick out of helping pack up all the stuff in the basket then eating outside. I think that's great. I don't know who likes to be outside more, Summer and I or Hannah. Thankfully they are both feeling much better now. Summer really didn't like the fact she had to go back to work this week though. Hehehe

Biggest Loser Pawnee FBC edition

OK, real quick.

I want to find ways to keep myself motivated and accountable to lose some weight. To that end, 2 of the deacons in my church as well as the pastor and myself got together and decided to start a little weight loss competition to keep us all on track. We have been at it for about 3 weeks so the totals aren't real high yet but oh well, we are doing it. Now that I am back from my camps to start off the month of June I can get back into regular exercise as well as watching what I eat so I can win.

The competition will last for 6 months. We will weigh every 2 weeks and the person who has the highest overall weight loss percentage will be named as the victor. I won't post their numbers and results on here out of respect to their privacy but I will post mine to, as I said, help keep me accountable.

Starting weight 329 (yeah I know, wow)
Weight after first weigh in (320.5) 8.5 pounds lost = 3% weight loss overall (all I did was stop drinking pop)
Weight after second weigh in (319) 1.5 pounds lost = barely under a percentage lost (Not such a great total but I just got back from a week of eating Penny Nicolet's cooking at Falls Creek. Give a brother a break.)

We will weigh in again on the July 6th so we'll see if I do better by then. I am continuing to watch what I eat and am starting to work out again. Yesterday I spent about 30-45 minutes in the weight room and this morning I ran (ok, ok walked) a little over 3 miles. Hopefully I can develop this habit and continue to watch what I eat so I can beat the socks off the other guys. (All in God's love that is)

So, here we go

Well hello good reader,

How are you today? I am fine. I hope that you have had a pleasant morning thus far. OK, enough of that.

We here in the Priest family - Zac & Summer Chapter, are new to this whole blogging thing so we are just going to jump in and learn as we go. As the title states this is for our little family so we can keep all our loved ones informed as to how our lives are progressing. If we bore you, stop reading. So, let's get blogging, what do you say.

We'll pick up right in this day in history. I (zac) slept horribly last night. Summer and Hannah were sick yesterday (the not keeping their food from coming back up type sick) so it wasn't a happy day around our house. Poor Summer woke up around 3 and just couldn't keep anything down for most of the day. I got up and went to work and Hannah decided she wanted to join in on the fun with mommy so at around 11 she started throwing up too. I am praying for 2 things in this situation 1) That they both start feeling better and get over this little bug quickly. 2) That I don't catch whatever bug they have. I know it's kind of selfish but man...ok, being sick is bad enough and I know that it's no party for anyone when they throw up but when I do it. You'd think I went Pro right out of high school. Not to give nasty, grizzly details but I have had to swallow my own shoes back down before. Big Indian throwing up...not pretty!

So, on the schedule for today isn't much of anything. I have to get some stuff done for VBS and our Mission Trip that is coming up. We are going to Hoopa, CA again. We went there last year too and it was amazing. We do a Backyard Bible Club (toned down VBS) for the kids there. Hoopa is an Indian reservation in the Hoopa valley in northern California. Not reservation like Tee pees and camp fires like in Dances with Wolves. I know that's what you were thinking. It's a small native town that really needs to hear the love that God has for them. We are taking about 10 people this year. 8 students and 2 adults. It should be fun. I'll write more about this trip soon.

Well, I have to get started with the day so I hope you are doing well and that you are enjoying yet another beautiful day provided for us by the Lord. If not, go start.