Fun at Papa Ron's!

Last Saturday, we headed to the Riley's to celebrate Ty's 3rd birthday.  It was the perfect day to be at the pool ... sunny and hot!  The kids all had a blast swimming and playing.  After the festivities were over, the swinging began ... this is no 'normal' swing, mind you.  It's a ridiculously long ski rope with a ball hooked on the bottom.  To use it, one must climb a ladder up to a platform, hold on for dear life while trying to catch the chain holding the rope and ball, then stand on the edge of the platform holding the chain and THEN - the worst part by far - one must jump off the platform NOT YET SEATED ON THE BALL but trusting that the laws of physics will cause the ball to settle neatly between one's legs, thereby preventing major disaster.  Of course, the Warbington boys jumped right on like seasoned pros.  So did another friend and his son (Mike & Jacob Dickinson).  All the while, 4 out of 5 of Team Jenkins are looking at this contraption and wondering if we have enough guts to go.  Bowdie went first.  He HATES heights, so it was huge that he got up on the platform.  He jumped off and onto the ball lickety split and did great.  I watched a few more go and could stand it no longer - so I climbed up to the platform and got ready to go and ..... just stood there frozen in fear!!!!  With everyone looking on, I couldn't make myself jump off the platform!  I got Will to go once more and show me how - man, he made it look so easy!  Finally I was there holding the chain again and looking at what seemed like a HUGE chasm between me and that ball ... the ball I was supposed to somehow get on mid-air while plummeting down to what I thought would be sure death.  

Well ... I finally did jump.  And I did neatly sit on that ball and swing high (all the while shaking).  The thing that got me off the platform??  Papa Ron yelling up at me, "You mine as well not come to Sunday School tomorrow if you don't do this!!!"  That was all it took - I couldn't DARE be called a chicken!  So now I've done it and I'm glad it's over!

See how high that platform is???

Bo is reaching for the 'rope' ...

There's the swing part ...

Jarrett finally did it off the platform ...

That's me ... see me swinging way out??  

If you could hear me, you'd hear my mantra,

 "Don't want to do that again ... Don't want to do that again ..."

Jacob and Will Mock in the double swing attachment - too cute - look like siamese twins!

Papa Ron is there underneath, watching in pure joy as the kids enjoy all his toys!

***I just realized that some of you might think we had Jacob and little Will go off the platform in that double swing ... let me assure you, they simply got a big push ... from the ground, not the platform!!!***