Back to School

Seth began his junior year on August 17 this year. After being chauffeured to school for the first few days, Seth became fully licensed and is now able to drive himself to school and cross-country practice. Yay! 

This is Seth's first year going to school alone. He has always gone with Lydia and this moment was bittersweet.

On August 25 Anna, Lydia, and I made the road trip to Dordt University with friends from church who were also bringing out their freshman daughter. It was a long trip out and back, but it was good to be able to help the girls move in and get adjusted. Seeing Nicolas, my parents, and other family is always a huge bonus! On the way home, my friend and I stopped at IKEA in Salt Lake City, then picked up Mikaela, and met Caleb in Ogden for a bite to eat. So excited to see all my kids in one weekend!

Caleb brought me flowers from his school's garden 😊

Random Summer Pictures

Although we drove to the Midwest for Josh and Sara's wedding, we were not able to make the trip again a few weeks later for John and Karissa's wedding.  We were thankful for family who kept us updated with pictures throughout the weekend!

Every Tuesday night this summer was ultimate frisbee night! 

They even let old people like Russ and I play, until Russ pulled his hamstring and sat on the sidelines the rest of the summer.

The weekend of July 4, a couple from church invited several people to their home on the Snake River for games, food, paddle boarding, and fellowship. 

Caleb, Lydia, Seth, and I all celebrated our summer birthdays! Caleb turned 25, Lydia turned 19, and Seth was 16.  Where has the time gone!?! Mikaela snapped a birthday photo of Caleb for us.  We took Lydia to one of her favorites, Culvers, for her birthday, and Seth and I celebrated our birthdays early so Anna and Lydia would still be around.  Seth still likes his decorated cakes, so Anna decorated cactus and succulent cupcakes for Seth this year.

 The end of the summer always brings lots of produce. I brought tomatoes back from Iowa and friends from church also gave us produce from their gardens and trees.  The blackberries are really the only thing I can claim from my own yard!

Quick Trip to SLC

 The first week of August, Caleb had a week between terms where he had more free time to spend with us, so we made a quick trip to Salt Lake City (Monday-Wednesday). We explored the Sugar House neighborhood with its used bookstores and antique shops, played twilight pickleball, hung out at Caleb and Mikaela's pool, and enjoyed a beautiful hike.  There was only one downside to the fun family time--we missed Nicolas, who couldn't join us.

Thrifting and antique stores--Seth's favorite activity

A twilight view of Salt Lake City

Anna, Lydia, and Mikaela climbed up to find Seth and Caleb, but somehow they missed each other on the trail above (Russ and I stayed below). We had a moment of angst when the boys returned and said they hadn't seen the girls and had no idea where they were. It was getting dark in the canyon and most hikers were hiking back out when Caleb climbed back up to find them. The girls were already on their way down, but Caleb sure got a workout from climbing that rock!

Even Zoe enjoyed time on the paddle board!