Greg Speed's Playground - Family Pictures, June 2003

	Caitlin and Angela dig in for a no-hands cake eating contest at a friend's birthday party. Caitlin is greatly surprised and alarmed at her prize. All of that for a glowstick?
	In the hot summer months, we have to limit our football activity to dusk, so that we don't explode into flames during the day. Devin is the Hunchback of Notre Pain. Mommy cruelly stuffed the Nerf football down the back of his shirt.
	The kids competed in a fishing tournament at Joe Pool Lake. Let me just add the following identifier to every photo description on this page, "and it was soooo hot." They didn't catch anything unfortunately. But Devin sure does love fishing. So much that I looked into purchasing a little johnboat, but quickly realized that there is no such thing as a reasonably priced boat.
	Devin crams his mouth full of grapes in a family competition. But, it was no contest with Angela in the running. I'm not going to call her a big-mouth because that is the expected jab for a situation like this. I'll just say that after stuffing that many grapes in her mouth, all she could do was wine.
	Dad turned 70. We threw a semi-surprise party for him. He knew he was coming over here for dinner, but he didn't know a bunch of his kids would be there. We went together and bought him a compound miter saw. His eyes say, "wow, that's great" while his mouth says, "eek, now I'll have to do some work!"
	Some of the grandkids lined up in a row, Sarah Boyette, Devin, Matt Rowan, Sarah's husband Adam, Lindsay Rowan, Caitlin, Madeline Speed, and Megan Speed. Devin hangs around with Matt.
	Our church Bible study class small group got together one Saturday for miniature golf and barbecue. Angela tries her hand on the driving range.
	Greg teaches Devin mathematics with Cheerios. Here he learns what 20 divided by 4 is, using the verbiage "20 divided into 4 equal groups makes how many groups." And then comes the fun part, eatting them!
	"Kidz Blitz" was held at our church. It is a Nickelodeon type event where the kids are split into two groups and then certain of them are selected from the audience to come on stage to take part in crazy games. In this first picture, the MC smashes a bag of flour to smithereens with a huge hammer. Our friends, the Deans, were selected to compete in a contest where the child had to shave shaving cream off of a balloon filled with water, held on top of their dad's head by their mom. At the end of the contest, some of the stage crew snuck up behind them and popped the balloon with a pin.
	Caitlin and Devin continue to learn to swim at Emler Swim School this summer.
	After one of our massive downpours in June, Devin put on his galoshes to slop around in the water out at the new house. One thing happened after another and before you knew it he was swimming around in the sewer tap trench (which doesn't contain any sewage thankfully). Caitlin got in on the act, too.
	My niece, Sarah, and her husband, Adam, had us over to their house for dinner. Devin got a little woozy after taking a shot of sweet tea. Caitlin hams it up with their puppy, Wesley. Greg met a friend at the house behind theirs. Greg was attacked but this very breed of dog, albeit a larger one, when he was 9, and hadn't seen a dog of his kind since then. It was a time of healing for the years of separation between this breed and the human.
	Devin greatly appreciates his privacy while eating breakfast. So, he likes to make a cereal fort to keep everyone out.
	Devin gets some big air over the pool from Todd Lewis one warm evening. Caitlin relaxes in the pool of our friends, the Sherrills. Their dog, Rags. This dog has been conditioned so that every time it enters the house from outside, it is to receive a treat. I had forgotten this when we first arrived, and the little pooch started growling and nipping at my fingers, wanting some doggy treats. Todd and Kristen Lewis's dog, Killer.
	An old friend of mine who I used to play wheelchair basketball and race with, Jan Mattern, brought his hand-cycle over for me to try out. Here Devin tries to keep up with me on his bike. It was a lot of fun and an extremely good workout. It looks like a motorcycle or something, but the bicycle pedals are really hand cranks and your legs just rest in the footrests out front.
	Caitlin with our neighbor, Cruz, at his church's Vacation Bible School. Angela taught in the art class.
	The honor guard leads us in a July 4th celebration at our church.
	Our house continues to grow. It has a roof now, plumbing, and is wired for electricity. As I type this, they are installing the insulation and delivering the bricks.
	Angela attended Celebrate Freedom, an annual event celebrating our nation's birthday, put on by the local Christian radio station, KLTY. She went with a group of girlfriends. This year they were smart and brought a tent to block the sun. I've never been, but I've heard about the masses of people and the crazy heat, and the two hour line of cars to get out of the parking lot after it's over, so I tend to call it Celebrate Frustration.
	Angela is so excited about the new house, she cleans it more than the one we live in now. And I don't mean that in a bad way, lest I get hit. She created a junk shovel by attaching some siding to a stick with discarded staples which she hammered in with a rock. Devin helps by collecting junk that is round.
	I took this picture from another picture that was on a friend's refrigerator. I know nothing about the source or circumstances, but I can only imagine. But I think the flag in her right hand gives us a clue and the picture says it all about our nation: we're proud, fun filled, prosperous, and our grandma's ride jet skis..

June 2003 Pictures