Winter Wonderland Christmas Fortress

Yesterday was glorious!  I went to the normal Tuesday Night Dinner at the Monahan's, and it was wonderfully atypical.  (I like the way it normally is, but this was a very nice change.)  The whole Wineinger family was there, plus Sarah, who I have not hung out with in ages.  In fact, Lindsay and Sarah and I reminisced about the time we went to see Spiderman in theaters NINE YEARS AGO, and Lindsay yelled at the screen, "Toby!" during a dramatic moment.

We ate pizza, Sarah compared which Richwoods teachers were alive, dead, or still teaching with the Monahan kids, and then we left to continue the fun at church.

When we got there, Wendy's Sunday School class: Grown Up Edition sat on the counters in the kitchen for a Circle of Complaining.

Sarah:  I hate that the only thing people seem to care about is whether I'm dating someone or not!
Lindsay:  I hate that the only thing people seem to care about is whether I'm pregnant or not!
Wendy:  I hate that the only thing people seem to care about is whether I have a job or not!

There is no stage in your life when people will be satisfied with who you are.  How....utterly sad.  Note to self:  stop asking about the things people are not, and start asking about who they are.

The Monahans and Wineingers went to the gym to play an epic family vs. family volleyball game, but Sarah and I opted out to 1) avoid humiliation, and 2) make a Winter Wonderland Christmas Fortress.  My extended family had given me a hilariously huge slab of Rice Krispie Treats for Christmas, and Wendy donated some icing and sprinkles.  Sarah and I quickly turned all of that into a masterpiece.

I haven't done something so silly and creative in a long time.  We kept squirming in our seats and jumping around from the sheer awesomeness of it all.

After we had finished our creation, Sarah and I watched the last two volleyball games and made up insanely creative cheers to inspire the teams.  They weren't inspired.  But once the ball flew toward our "safe" spot on the sidelines, and I promptly shrieked and threw my arms over my head....including the cup of red fruit punch I was holding.  Thankfully it splattered on the carpet (and came up neatly when I cleaned it) and not on me.  But the point was made:  this is why I do not play sports where balls fly at your face.

When they finally tired of playing, Sarah and I unveiled our masterpiece and judged people on their level of excitement.  I now know who my true friends are.  Lindsay then stuck her face on a tower and Josh bit off the top of each turret, and it was officially a free-for-all.  Our fortress ended up losing the battle, but I like to think our stomachs won.