Summer's End

 The pool closes tomorrow. Our homeschool starts on Monday. I guess this means summer is coming to an end; and it's going out with a bang!

We had a week of VBS at church. 

Then Jonathan's Birthday (18!!!). 

And then Harrison and I left to go on a cross country trip with my parents. 

I'm gonna have to think about school tomorrow. Today I'm still relaxing and catching up from travels.

Franke Photography

Jonathan was an assistant group leader for VBS. 

He helped the kids with games and food and singing and everything.

The man he assisted is named Mark, and Mark has been helping Jon get set up with a good bow and arrow and accoutrements.

Franke Photography

Back to VBS.

Franke Photography

Harrison and I helped cook and serve the meals in the kitchen. 

Franke Photography

Phoebe also helped a few nights in the kitchen and with the babies.

Franke Photography

VBS went super well. 

We had ..... well it feels like it was a year ago.... I think we had up to 60 different kids. I know we fed between 50 and 90 people depending on the night. 

Paul giving a communion meditation. Phillip has his turn tomorrow.

Jonathan wanted to have a simple get-together with his friends for his 18th birthday. There's an empty shop in town that one of the friend's family owns, and they let the kids hang out there and play video games and what not. We served tacos and cake, and then Phillip and I left them to have a good time together.

And on his actual birthday, my parents had arrived from Louisiana. So his grandparents and Gabry got to be here to celebrate again.

My parents and Phillip's parents together! 

This doesn't happen very often, and it was delightful to have them all here.

His "cake" was strawberry pretzel dessert.

Early the next morning Harrison and I joined Mom and Dad on their trip to Spokane, WA for a family reunion. So many pictures from that trip, that I will do a separate blog post. 

It was wonderful to spend several days on the road with my parents. It gives you lots of time to talk and just be together. Our trips to see them are often hurried, so this was very good.

Jonathan made peach jam while we were gone. It's delicious!

Phoebe was in charge of the kitchen for the last 8 days. She made all the meals she planned, and there are hardly any leftovers, so I think it went well.

I found freshly picked corn in Farber, so I made frozen sweet corn today. This recipe comes from Mimi and Grandma Phoebe, and we crave it every year.

We wanted to see what the corn looks like when you get in between the rows. 

Our lane.

These sulphur butterflies were just hanging out in the mud of our ditch. 

Is it salty? Are they eating something? Is it cool down there? 

Our cats are still goofy and a little more tame.

This is Pickle next to Basil.

And Frog hiding behind a bush.

I think we should have named the pair Frog and Toad.

Hunter Photography

This is The Friend Group:
a great group of church kids who have welcomed and embraced Jonathan and Phoebe since we moved here. They've planned a lot of gatherings and had a lot of fun. Five of them are leaving for college, so this is probably their last picture all together.
A sweet melancholy.