Hooray for the man who developed the backyard trampoline

We haven't had our own trampoline since we lived in Reno. It was buried to ground level and we could very well have brought it unless we filled the hole. So it stayed. We got a new one for Christmas, and you wouldn't think that we ever had one. Jen and I have been trash talking about who has the better skills since Christmas Eve. The kids spend hours outside on it. The neighborhood kids are always over even though they have their own. (I guess these ridiculous cages they put on them these days are cool to kids.)

The kids have been trying to keep up with Mom and Dad in learning new tricks. The second one of us gets on the trampoline, there is a line of kids climbing up. We have to take turns doing tricks that range from the toddler flop to complicated flips and twists.

Heber just likes to jump. When we make him to a trick so that someone else can have a turn, he just does a toddler flop.

Anna has mastered the bum bounce.

Rachel thinks she is pretty nifty for doing multiple bum bounces in a row.

Spencer is close to mastering the knee flip. If he would just get up the courage to get a little more bounce on his flip, he would land it easily.

Jen tries to use her limited gymnastics and her feminine grace to beat me.

OK, she does look better than me. She uses technique. I think, "More power, more height."

I recommend a trampoline to anyone who is looking for a way to spend more quality time as a family.

-Vern