saturday.....a gorgeous day....

Ah, life with kids. This fine morning, five of them headed out the door to a church youth conference. One daughter was all in a funk because she has no shorts. She is wearing a skirt to the meeting, but it's hot out, and she will have to change into pants. Wait, she does have two pairs of shorts, but one is ripped and one is too big. Now, what am I supposed to do about this as she is going out the door?

If you have ever had a gaggle of teenagers, you will know what I mean when I say that when they all go out the door together, it's like they take a hurricane with them.

It's peaceful here today. Paul is all home and happy, from his trip to Florida. For work...poor guy. Jonathan, Charlotte Claire, and Camille are here with us. They are on a Monopoly marathon. They go through streaks where they just play it every day. Jon is happy because his big sister Mali got a new phone and gave him the old one. He can't talk on it because it is no longer activated, but he can play games and take pictures. Cam has the boys' old D.S, which is pretty cool. She has no concept of it being "so last week", if anyone even says that anymore.

We went for a dip in the pool...it is so clear and cool and the sun is blazing today, it's in the upper 80's. I have laundry drying on the deck, and I still have my bathing suit on. Oh I love summer. I am sort of in denial that it's leaving us.

School is starting in a few short days, blah. Evelyn 16 and Suzanne 14 and Sonja 13 will get on the bus in the morning, and Kathryn 17, Jonathan 11, Char 9, and Cam 7...will homeschool.

I was skyping with my daughter Margaret today. She is in Norway for a year, up in the mountains. She says it's cold there already, summer's over. She's not homesick because she is with a great group of kids there, but she does miss us. I know I miss her.

Abigail is doing well there too. I miss her, and so does Jonny.

Little Miss Lydia Eleanor is doing well...

She is just precious!


Charlotte Claire holding Lydia...

The kids are crazy about her of course. Simply fascinated. She makes faces and smiles in her sleep, and doesn't cry very much. She opens her eyes and looks around, blinking and trying to make sense of us all.

I went on my walk this morning, which I didn't want to do. I worked at the football game concession stand last night, and ugh, just walking up to that Dome on the hill is challenging. But I walked this morning, up the evil hill, down the evil hill, and back up it again. I want to be in better shape, and unfortunately the only way to get there is to feel the pain of not being in good shape. One step at a time.

Tonight...burgers on the grill for only the five of us...and tomorrow, Paul and I are working at the baseball game concession stand. My niece Kate is going to watch the three youngest for us...Davian's mama. They are excited to be going over to their house. So it's a win-win...we get to fundraise and be with our friends, and the kids get to have fun.

Anyhoo...it's a lovely day, but I have to get busy with my curriculum plans and have a few books to order still...