photo credit: Defensive Shooting Instructors, Inc.
Today (Sunday), I spent the day down in Cedar Rapids learning how to shoot. Ok, I kinda already knew how to shoot, but I’ve never had an actual lesson in handling, shooting, care, etc. And there’s a big shooting (mostly hunting) culture where I live, and one of these days, Josh is going to start asking about doing it. So I figured I’d better get moving and learn something about it myself. Besides, the times I’ve shot? It’s been fun. 🙂
So today, we’re meeting on the range. It might be kind of hard to talk, since we’ll all be wearing ear protection, but maybe we’ll get so good at target shooting that we can write our messages on the targets. Bonus points if you write your message in Braille…
Tell us what you did this weekend. What are your plans for the week? And the question, if you’ve got nothing else to share: have you ever gone shooting, either gun or archery (which I absolutely LOVE and want to do more of)? Did you enjoy it? Would you do it again?
Us Girls..Our Views 
The weather was fantastic here this weekend, so we had a couple of small “bonfires” as Hunter calls them, so we could roast marshmallows make S’mores. It is a good thing that we have so much brush laying around, cause Hunter has been asking every night for another one. I did go for a run on Saturday, I thought the route that I took was 6 miles but it was 6.64 miles. I was pretty happy about that my time was 1hr and 4.5min. I also felt pretty good after as well. This week coming up is the last week in this quarter for my schooling. I will be happy to have the next 1.5 weeks to not have to worry about schoolwork.
I think guns are cool and all that, but to a city person like me, it’s sort of a rich person’s sport. You have to have money to play. Not to mention time. It’s not like I can take a few minutes during my coffee break and fire off a few rounds in the city limits. It also isn’t exactly a [little] kid-friendly sport. The only shooting I recall doing was target shooting with the next-door neighbor’s bb gun when I was a kid. I was pretty good at it, but I never had the opportunity to take it farther than that.
My dad has always had guns – mostly of the long variety – for hunting, shooting, and collecting – so I’m not exactly a stranger to the idea. I remember watching him make lead balls and shotgun shells, and refurbish antique guns, and make special hunting clothes. More recently he’s done the archery thing, and at some point there was a crossbow in the mix. You have to be really strong to do the archery thing, and I just haven’t gotten into it. It’s not something I’m passionate to try. As for shooting, I once asked my dad why he never took me shooting / hunting like he did all my siblings, and he said he did not realize he hadn’t. I guess I should have demanded my turn at some point.
If you’d really like to try it again… look for an Isaak Walton League. That’s where I went, and a lot of them host shooting sports. And Archery doesn’t take a lot of strength, it’s mostly aim. Especially with the “new” compound bows. I was shooting last summer with a sore shoulder and didn’t have a minute’s worth of trouble. As for the girls… yeah, they’re still a *little* young, but the IWL that I was at today offers children’s target classes with air pistols. No recoil, and very safe conditions for them.
As for this weekend, it has been mainly working and trying to get over this bug, but it’s been a pretty good weekend nonetheless. No horrible drama, the kids have been relatively fun instead of obnoxious, the weather has been awesome. I didn’t get out much, but just seeing the kids go out somehow feels great. They are so much different when they’ve had a chance to bust out and just do whatever comes to mind.
I had an ABSOLUTE BLAST this weekend. Pinewood setup Friday Night, which I thought would be an absolute drag, but turned out to be very enjoyable, indeed. Saturday was the actual race, and my car did ok. It did awesome in “craftsmanship” – I took first in my division (Open). 🙂
And then today, the shooting class was just awesome. First half of the day was in class – lots of slides, which were interesting but boring (slide show = boring, but the info was interesting and good). And then after lunch, we went to the indoor range, and got to shoot. The other ladies shot .22 revolvers, and I ended up with the .22 semi-auto pistol. I’ve only shot a handgun once before, and that was one round into a ditch, just to see how a .45 would kick. So I started shooting, and my coach (we each had our own shooting coach during the live-fire) kept saying, “wow!” and “amazing!” He quizzed me hard when I finished my first ten rounds, because he didn’t believe I’d never shot before. My groupings were really, really good. The first one was low, so he gave me pointers; the second one showed improvement, and my third target (with 20 rounds), well, I had them all grouped in the black circle, except for two shots. DANG, it was fun!!! He told me I should consider competition. 🙂
Now I want one of my own!
I have shot a gun once in my life. I was 16, in Montana and my friends were going gopher hunting. They talked me into it, and the second the gophers head popped up, I shot, and missed…on purpose! lol I don’t care for guns, or hunting but that’s just me. I have a lot of respect for guns, and Bailey will be taking gun safety, because I think it’s important.
Anyways, my weekend was crazy busy. We are all moved in, unpacked (for the most part.) I have some odds and ins that I need to put away. I haven’t hung anything up yet, besides in Baileys room. His room is all done, and decorated. I didn’t want him waking up in chaos, and going to school.
It’s nice waking up in this house. Our old house, the main living area was downstairs, and it made you feel like you were in a basement. My ceiling were so low, you couldn’t stretch your arms up. We were there for 3 years, so it’s different living in a “normal” house. I love it! I opened all the windows, and I’m listening to all the birds sing… 🙂
I’m going to go through my pictures, pick some of my favorite ones and order through Walmart. I want them in Sepia, to match the walls, and brown drapes. That’s my project for the day.
Jason’s home today, so I’m hoping my microwave will be installed.
Have a great Monday!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . .. . . . . .. . .. . . . .. . .. .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. .. . . .. . . .. . . . . . .. . .. . .. .. . . . .. . .. . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. .. . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . .. .. . . .. . .. .. . . . . . .. . .. .. . .. . . .. . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . .. .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . .. . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . .. .. . .. .. . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. .. . . .. . . . . . .. . .. . .. . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . .. .. . . .. . . . .
. . .. . .. .. .. . . . . . . .. . . .. .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . . . . .. .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . .. . .. . .. .. . .. .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . .. . .. . . .. . . .. . . . .. .. . . . . .. .. . . . . .. . . . . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . .. .. . .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . .. . .. .. .. .. . . . .. . . . .. .. . . .. .. . . . . . . .. .. .. . . .. . . .. . .. . . . .. . .. . . .. .. . . .. .. . . . .. . . . .. .. .. . . . . .. . . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . .. .. . . .. . . . . .. . .. . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . .. . . .. . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . ..
. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . .. . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .
Interesting.
Do i get a bonus now for braille (online text version)?
Oh, for pete’s sake. You were supposed to write actual WORDS, not just aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOLOLOLOL!!!! Now I get it!! Good one Joseph!!
I like shooting at targets. We have a LOT of guns. They don’t get taken out very often and we only target shoot. Nobody here hunts and that doesn’t hurt my feelings one iota. I’m not against it if the meat doesn’t go to waste but I do have to admit, I feel bad. But I hate shooting handguns. They feel creepy in my hands and I just don’t like them. Speaking of guns, we should get them out and do some shooting!
Our weekend was nice. We went over and saw Jason and Nikki’s new house and I just love it. It’s perfect for them and they have so much more room. We also stopped and got my mom and she had a really good time getting out and around on the weekend. Usually she dreads weekends but I think she really felt a part of life this weekend.
I’ve also been working on getting my “junk” room upstairs ready for a single bed. Darryl will be coming up for weekends and I hate him sleeping in the basement and it will be nice for golf lessons if Bailey has his own room as well as if Trin and Christopher ever want to sleep over. I actually have gotten a lot of stuff out of there. It’s really only used as storage and there’s a fine line between storing and junk! I prefer to say storage. LOL!
I’m off to shower and then try and write some posts. We don’t have very many of them in the can and I get nervous when we get this low. Happy Monday all and have a great week.
Hey, Nikki…. she’s dropping hints again…
Ya, get the lead out! *whip* I got a few fun ones done today. We’re good.
I just spent about an hour cleaning in my kids’ room. Got rid of a lot of crap. It’s amazing how much kee-rap kids accumulate. You can’t get rid of it right away, or they’ll be heartbroken, so you have to wait until it gets forgotten under a pile of other crap – and then sneak it out of there before they notice it and it becomes “special” all over again. The funny thing is, after you’re done, you may be the only person who notices any cleaning occurred at all.
The weather is so gorgeous. I have to keep reminding myself that it could still get cold and snow again! I have this urge to get rid of all my kids’ cool-weather clothes that will be too small for Miss A next winter. I am also very tempted to ride the bike my sister gave me – nobody is home so I could “sneak” a spin though I should be working – but I’m still not over my cold, so I should probably wait a bit longer.