August and Empty-Nesting Begins

 Lydia flew to Dordt early in August to receive CDA (community development assistant) training. Last year, she was a resident assistant in the dorms, and this year, she has a similar role in the apartment building where she lives. Russ and I took a quick weekend trip to Chicago for our nephew Karl's wedding.

After returning home, we packed up Seth and drove to Iowa with another friend and her daughter who will also be a freshman at Dordt. While on I-80 Caleb called to remind me that he and Mikaela were traveling in the other direction on I-80 from Denver to Salt Lake City to help her sister move. Within thirty minutes we exited to say hello and give hugs. It was super cold, windy, and rainy so we kept it brief!

The college trip was a whirlwind: setting up a dorm room, buying books and supplies, organizing the remaining things stored at Grandpa and Grandma's house, and visiting with family in the area (especially Nicolas and Josie!) On the way back to Idaho my friend and I stopped in Glidden to pick up a car Russ and I bought from Russ's stepmother, Carol. After ten years we were saying goodbye to our faithful Honda Odyssey. 

Big Sand 2024

 After returning home from the RYS convention, Russ and I had a week to regroup before we flew with Lydia and Seth to Minnesota for the annual Bleeker Big Sand trip. Caleb and Mikaela flew in earlier and drove up with my brother Michael, and Nicolas and Josie drove from Sioux Center. Since we were the last to arrive, it was so nice to give the grocery list to the older boys and their wives and arrive at the cabin with the groceries bought and cupboards and refrigerator stocked! Anna and Joshua could not join us as she started her new job on August 1st.

We had great weather all week and lots of beach time. We also celebrated several birthdays. Caleb had his golden birthday on July 27, my dad turned 80 on the 28th, and Lydia's 21st birthday was on August 1st!

The three high school graduates anticipating college in a few weeks!

Birthday boy with all the grandkids who were able to be at the lake this year.

Miscellaneous Summer Events

 The Memorial Day pancake breakfast fundraiser is so much fun for the youth group kids and a much-loved time of fellowship for the church family.

Lydia and Russ made the sausage ahead of time.

Making pancakes!

Nicolas' wife, Josie, played the role of Mother Abbess in Sioux Center's Sound of Music production in June. We heard great things from those who attended (including a couple from our church in Boise!) and wished we lived closer.

We had amazing weather for our annual church family camp at Faith Heights Campground in Donnelly, June 12-15.  I love the intergenerational aspect of the camp, the time spent fellowshipping with the church family for a few days, and the opportunity to grow in grace together through the teaching time. This year Pastor Steve Oeverman from Grace URC near Portland spoke on evangelism and sharing the gospel.

The talent show/skits on Friday night are always a highlight.

My cinnamon roll helpers

The Sunday after church camp, Anna performed her senior organ recital at the First Presbyterian Church in downtown Boise. She added a few special pieces including a duet with Lydia on the violin.

Russ flew out the next day for the week's URC Synod meetings in Escondido, CA.

After he returned from the week of synod meetings he brushed off his shingling tools and stripped and reshingled our roof with Lydia and Seth's help. The highs were in the 90s most of the week, but they stayed hydrated and worked in the cooler parts of the day.

Seth looks so much like his older brother! Wearing Caleb's old work clothes and backward hat made me look twice. 

The roof was finished just before Anna and Joshua's wedding (July 6)! I'm including a few snapshots of the weekend here, but will post more once she has all her professional pictures. On Thursday, July 4, most of Anna's bridesmaids had arrived as well as Nicolas, Josie, Caleb, and my brother David and his family. After street tacos in our backyard, we grabbed ice cream treats at the Village.

Devotions before brunch with the bridesmaids, sisters, and sisters-in-law Friday morning.

Putting bouquets together and getting nails done after brunch!

My boys practicing music for the wedding ceremony.

Rehearsal

All the Bleeker boys at the wedding--from the left, Michael, David, Greg, and Bryan.

I loved having all my kids in one place for the weekend!

Russ' sister Renee and her family stayed a few extra days after the wedding. We spent a portion of that time exploring the Jump Creek area.

The weekend following Anna's wedding Lydia and I flew to Iowa for the wedding of Emily and Kleyton (July 11). Emily is my sister Cora's daughter--we joked that we should have had a double wedding somewhere between Idaho and Iowa!

The following week, Lydia flew to California to spend time with her boyfriend and meet his parents. She drove back with a couple from our church who had been in California visiting relatives.

While Lydia was in California, Russ, Seth, and I drove to George Fox University in Portland with our youth group for the annual youth convention. On the way, we stopped at Horsetail Falls in the Columbia River Gorge.

This year's convention theme was "Follow the Leader" from Matthew 16:24.  Rev. Greg Lubbers and Rev. Angelo Contreras spoke in the main sessions. The kids again had many workshop topics to choose from including Russ' on friendship. The day away was either white water rafting or the Oregon Zoo.

I finished a few crochet projects--a dress for Lydia and Mary Poppins for a birthday gift for Josie.