Last Weeks of Summer

Here are a few pictures from the last few weeks of summer!

On Friday evening after we returned home from vacation we hosted all the youth group leaders to plan our year. One of the couples brought their newborn and we enjoyed lots of baby snuggles with Amelia Grace!

The following night, Saturday, we enjoyed fellowship with our church people at the annual church picnic. After the picnic, Russ and I took the family mini-golfing, something I had wanted to do before the girls returned to Dordt.

Lydia and I flew to Iowa the following Tuesday, just a week after we returned from vacation. She needed to be back at Dordt early for RA training so I went with her to help her move in and decorate her wing. Lydia decorated her dorm wing with variations of dried flowers.

While Lydia and I were in Iowa,  Anna and Russ drove to Washington for Joshua's family's church camp as they had asked Russ to be the speaker for their teaching sessions. Seth stayed home because he had already started his senior year of high school.

Last first day of school picture 😢. I'm amazed they remembered to take a picture since I was already in Iowa on Seth's first day.

Senior locker board!

The rest of the family (Anna, Seth, Russ, Caleb, and Mikaela) flew to Iowa a little over a week after Lydia and me for Caden and Cami's wedding on August 25 and Grandma Carol's 100th birthday celebration on the 26th.  Hope Caleb and Seth agreed that missing a few days of school was worth being all together and seeing family!

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Grandpa Wayne saying a few words at Grandma Carol's birthday party. Russ and all his siblings spoke about Carol's impact on their family after losing their own mom to cancer 40 years ago.

Grandpa and Grandma with all the grandkids and great-grands that were able to make it to the celebration. We were missing Leah and her family, Sara and Josh, Keanu, Karl, Karissa's husband John, Lydia, Nathanael, and, of course, we always miss Matthias.

No trip to Sioux Center is complete without breakfast at Casey's Bakery! Seth and I both celebrated our birthdays in Iowa this year. This was the first year that Russ and I did not bake and decorate a cake for Seth. We did take him to Brad's Breads in Orange City for a yummy cruffin and coffee drink, though!

Family Vacation Day 10

Our last day of vacation! This morning we live-streamed church at our Airbnb, packed a picnic lunch, and headed to Two Medicine Lake for the day. Today was cloudy, overcast, and a bit cooler. The sun peaked out late in the afternoon and warmed us up a bit.  Our first activity after arriving was a hike to Aster Lookot and Falls.

Wild raspberries

Seth slipped and fell up to his waist in a pool of water by the waterfall. Thankfully, I had thrown in a pair of joggers that morning because it looked like it would be cool. Mr. GQ had no qualms about wearing Mom's pants--at least they were dry!

Spruce Grouse

After our hike, we ate lunch and spent the afternoon relaxing. The kids set up their hammocks, took naps, and read by the lake. Nicolas, Josie, Russ, and I took out a canoe and a kayak and got on the lake for an hour or so.

Saying goodbye to Glacier in our rear-view mirror as we head for home!

Family Vacation Day 9

 Because of the crazy amount of people, parking is a bit of an issue at the Glacier NP trailhead lots. We could have utilized the shuttle, but instead decided to get an early start and were on the road by 6:00 a.m. At 7:30 a.m. we were one of the first cars in the Sun Point parking lot. We hiked from here to Draper Falls, St. Mary Falls, and Victoria Falls. Because it was so early we saw very few people on our hike to the falls, but did meet several hikers on our way back around noon.

Marmot

Moose

Cedar Waxwing

We piled back in the van and continued the drive on Going-to-the-Sun-Road. No parking was available at most turnouts or other trailhead parking lots. We did park at Lake McDonald Lodge and walk to the lake. Seth played the antique piano in the lodge, and we browsed the gift shop. On our way back over Going-to-the-Sun Road we stopped at the St. Mary Visitor Center to see the displays and buy a few souvenirs.