Last of Summer Pictures, First Day of School, and Summer Birthdays

For six weeks beginning in June, Russ led a Bible study on Ephesians on Wednesday evenings.  He kept the study to 45 minutes so we had plenty of time to fellowship with goodies and games.  Before the temps were in the 100s the favorite game was 9-square.

While we were out for a walk someone from out of town stopped and gave us this little guy that they picked up.  They wanted us to find his owners as they needed to head back to Washington.  After a week of enjoying this sweet boy, we finally found his owners on a Craigslist ad.  They were happily reunited, and Zoe (our dog) breathed a sigh of relief.

As always, part of the summer is spent making jam and pie with the apricots and blackberries in our yard.

Seth experimented with baking bread on the grill several times this summer.  The bread not only tasted great, but it also kept him busy!

First day of school picture--senior and sophomore!

On Seth and my birthday weekend, Caleb and Mikaela drove up from Salt Lake City to spend time with us.  What an awesome weekend!  We browsed the downtown farmer's market with a yummy coffee drink followed by lunch at the Lemon Tree.  When we hosted the youth group leaders for dinner that evening, Caleb and Mikaela took the kids to the Dordt volleyball tournament in Caldwell.  On Sunday we enjoyed worshiping together and had lovely fellowship with a missionary family from our church.  We are so thankful Caleb and Mikaela live close enough to drive up (or for us to drive down) for the weekend.  Caleb has a few weeks of teaching under his belt at a boys academy near SLC, and next week Mikaela will begin her job at an organization in SLC that works with refugees.

This beautiful girl turned 18 on August 1st and just began her senior year of high school.  Lydia likes reading and crocheting but isn't always so sure she likes her lovely curly hair.  Her big heart loves "her people" deeply and is easily broken by the hurts of those around her.  Taking several AP classes, playing viola and piano, and running track will keep her busy this year.

My baby turned 15 on August 29.  Seth bookends Caleb with a similar outgoing, social personality, a quick wit, and almost identical mannerisms.  He loves any activity that involves being around friends or meeting new people.  The next few years could be interesting when he is alone with two introverted parents.  He enjoys creative writing, a well-written book, sad movies and songs, baking bread, and flannel shirts.  This fall he is running cross-country, is in the Boise youth orchestra with Lydia (playing cello), and is also still taking piano lessons.  He wasn't ready yet this year to break with tradition and asked for a decorated cake. Theme:  Lord of the Rings.  Russ came through with the Hobbit-hole straight from the Shire.

Birthday gifts included some clothes, a new game, and a record player to listen to his sad songs.  He is looking forward to thrifting for old records.