Take Two

Remember how I said that Davan and Lena really wanted to see Ovo again?  Remember how I said that was so not going to happen?  Well, I was wrong!  We went to Ovo again last night!

A few days ago, we got the word that Do Jump had been given some complementary tickets for the show.  They didn't get very many tickets and, so, had to choose carefully who to offer them to.  I believe the order went something like this:  professional troopers, teachers who aren't troopers/office employees, Zig Zags who teach, other work traders.  No one was offered more than one ticket, so no one was able to bring a friend/significant other/child.  However, Davan, Lena and I each independently qualified for tickets, so we went!  Anthony stayed home with Ranger.

To make the evening even more fun, fellow Zig Zag, Tanner, also got a ticket and ended up coming along in our carpool for the festivities.  We had Tanner's parents drop him off at the gym ('cause it was Wednesday - gymnastics day) so he could go with us to grab a bite to eat before the show.

We sometimes eat at a place called The Hungry Tiger 2 and, on Wednesdays, they have $1.25 vegan corn dogs.  We've never gone for corn dogs, but Davan has wanted to for a long time, so we gave it a shot last night.  It can be pretty busy on Wednesdays and we've have a wide variety of wait times there, so I was a little concerned about if there was enough time, which was compounded a bit when we got there and had to wait for a table, but we did not wait long and the service was quick, so we were all set.

Everyone enjoyed their junk food on a stick with a large side of fries.

In fact, dinner went so quickly that I announced afterward that if they wanted dessert, I felt there was time to stop by Voodoo doughnuts, which is quite close to The Hungry Tiger 2.  They were just a little excited as they ran to the car, jumping up and down.

I sent them into Voodoo alone with instructions to get a Vegan Voodoo Dozen with no coconut (as most of us aren't huge fans of the coconut).  It's a lot of doughnuts, but I figured with three active and hungry teens we'd do okay and it's a lot cheaper to get the Voodoo Dozen, which means they pick the doughnuts for you, than it is to get even 6 individual doughnuts.

They emerged from the shop with a box of doughnuts that wouldn't close and a story.  While they were waiting in line, they watched as a worker emptied the display case of doughnuts into an overflowing box.  They had ordered, but hadn't had their order filled yet when Lena asked what they were going to do with those doughnuts.  The answer was that they sell them for $5 for the whole box.  A couple of times a day, they empty their display and sell those off cheap because they aren't as fresh.

The kids looked at each other and shouted out, "We'll take it!"  They were so very excited.

These pictures were actually taken after four of the doughnuts were already eaten, so the stash is already depleted, if you can imagine.

Tanner said, "We're like kids in a candy shop!"  Davan replied, "We're like kids who own the candy shop!"

There was a lot of sharing and plans for when each was to be eaten.  We each ate two on the way to the show, with most people feeling like they couldn't eat another then if they wanted to.

When we arrived, we found a contingent of Do Jump sorts hanging around the entry.  We joined them and chatted a while before going in.

Here're "my" three teens with Jack - one of the professionals as well as a teacher and an all-around great person - one of our mutual Do Jump favorite people.

Then we added Diana, a teacher and also a good person, to the picture mix for another shot.

The show was great again!  Sadly, one of the acts didn't happen last night - the slack line one - but all the rest were just as awesome.  We were on the opposite side of the tent from our previous viewing, which was fun for comparison.

I sat next to Jack and that was awesome because she was so, so excited by everything.  It really put a shine on the evening.  Lena was to my left for the first half and Davan for the second, as the teens shuffled about at intermission.

There was one more Zig Zag present, as well, Katie, who is a senior in high school this year and a really great teen.  She's been kind of a leader of Zig Zags for all the years Davan's been in the troop and it will be really sad to see her go.  We shuffled seats around so that the four Zig Zags were all sitting together, which was fun for them.

Afterward, those four asked me to take pictures of them in front of the big top.  They did some circus-y type stuff and had a great time.  Here are some of the pictures I snapped.  They're not great, as it was dark and the kids were moving, but they're still fun.

This one is blurry and you can really only see three of them, but they were all four doing handstands.

Tanner was already up on Katie for a two high and Davan was climbing up Lena for a two high as well in this shot.

Ta-da!

All in one leg up bridges.

Helping Tanner after he fell into a bridge from a handstand.

Jumping.

Landing a jump - bad timing on my part.

All in the air!

They did not mind at all that it was wet and still raining.  Most of them were in bare feet.  A bunch of kooks they are.  :)

After the photo shoot, Katie came back to the van with us to partake in a doughnut and some conversation while waiting for her dad picked her up.  I had thought she was driving herself.  If I'd know otherwise, I'd have offered her a ride, as well.

Our ride home was filled with more doughnuts and statements as to the exact awesomeness that was the whole night.  For "my" three, it ranked as either the best night of the whole year spent outside of Do Jump or in the top two or three best nights of their whole lives, also spent outside of Do Jump.

That's an important qualification - the outside of Do Jump.  These four are all so enthusiastic about what they do at Do Jump.  They are stoked that they'll be there pretty much all weekend every weekend for the next four weekends.  They're all teching for the Tic Tocs, then they'll have rehearsal weekend for the Zig Zags, then it's two weekends of Zig Zag shows.  They couldn't be happier and only wish that that's how every weekend was!

I guess I know how to show teenagers a good time.  Friends, fried food, sugary food, good entertainment.  What more can one ask for?

Maybe doughnuts left over to take to Do Jump the next day.  Wait - that's all taken care of.