Some Summer Highlights-2014

Seeing the new season approach seems to be my motivator to get some pictures on the blog!!  So here goes for a few pictures from the past couple of months:

After the fireworks at the lake on July 4th, Joseph had some for the kids to do at home!

Daniel and Timothy taught the 5 Day Club at our house this year.  Timothy's first year!

Rebecca and Charlotte fit in a week for a visit!  We all enjoyed getting some play time since there were no big plans besides just regular work for Joseph and Dad .

Charlotte is laughing at Leo Lion, who she is playing with.

Here's Leo.  Esther brought him home from Wheaton, and he became
an instant hit here, much to Dad and Mom's chagrin.

After I showed Charlotte one pine cone and how nice it smelled, she
spent much time picking up and smelling pine cones.

She also enjoyed watering with me several times
during her visit.

One day all except Joseph went to Como Zoo.

Outside the gorilla building.  3 gorillas had just gotten out of their
cages about a week before our visit! (No one hurt, and they got them
back in within an hour.)

Inside the gorilla building!

Grandpa met us at Como Zoo from work.

We two taking a rest!

Did most of you know that Esther is a barista now at Starbucks?  After finishing her orientation up in Forest Lake and in Minneapolis, she did her first day today at the new Starbucks in Arden Hills.  This will now be her work place. (Besides teaching piano, of course!)

In August, Daniel played with Simone Currie in her senior piano recital.  He did a solo Gershwin that was great, and played two duet pieces by Copeland with Simone.  She had switched the date to August when Daniel broke his hand 2 weeks before her May recital!

The very next day (Friday)we took off for a very short but wonderful time together at Uncle Tom's cabin. As you can see, we immediately started to "vacate".

All we really did the first day was to take rides on the 4-wheeler, have supper, and visit with John when he arrived.  John met us there late Friday night, in time to get something to eat and to sit outside enjoying the dark country night with some music.

The light here is only from my flash.  It was pitch dark, and
there were many, many fireflies!

The next day we had breakfast and some quiet time for reading. 

And for playing Connect Four...

And for cuddling!

A leisure time of frisbee and target shooting before an afternoon of canoeing.

A neighboring dog showed up for the game of frisbee.  He ran back and
forth between the throwers with all vigor for a VERY long time.
Suddenly, he circled away to get a drink of water, and then seemed
like he couldn't quench his thirst.  After that, he was completely wiped
out and did not return to the game.

All the boys 

All the girls! (We missed the rest of the family!)

Worn-out dog watches as people prepare for
target shooting.

Here you can see the creative targets they set up.  

Then we got ready for a very fun time of canoeing and kayaking!

I so wish we had pictures of our canoeing ventures, but we had decided we didn't want to lose a camera in the water.  But if you ask any of us, I'm sure we would tell you that it was a bit like being on the Amazon River in the middle of the jungle, at least until we really got out on the river! John, Esther, Joseph, Daniel, and Timothy each took a kayak.  And Dad and I canoed.  The day was beautiful!

Daniel at the supper dishes.

Some beautiful music.

We tried to play a couple of games, but really, we were all wiped out!

I was amazed when Dad mustered up the energy to build a fire!
Again, it was another beautiful night with fireflies and a few sighted
shooting stars!

The next day was Sunday, and after a time of Bible reading and singing together, we decided that we would go hiking at a national park in the not-too-far-away area. Well, it was poorly marked at the last turn, so we saw the sign driving past.  But we also just then saw a sign to "Mystery Cave"!  So we headed there instead!  But on arriving we weren't sure we would stay as the temperature in the cave is 48 degrees, and we weren't prepared. Thankfully, this happens to other people, and the staff there provided us all with matching jackets, which was even more fun in the end!

None of the pictures really capture how cool it was,
but here's one better one.

A lot of the formations had pools of water dripping into them.

At the end was the most beautiful sight of all.  It was like a room of its
own with a lake of aqua colored water.  It didn't look too deep, but we
were informed that it was very deep.

The only others on the tour with us was a couple who had been married in a cave! They were willing to get this final picture of us.  It was a really interesting and fun tour that I'm sure we will all remember for a long time.  

We came back and packed up, but Joseph requested to stay till the morning.  Here is how he looked as we drove away...from my perspective, lonely...from his perspective, wonderful!
(That is NOT a beautiful full moon in the background.  It is what my camera does when I try to get a night-time picture!)

Before school started, Joseph wanted his truck painted, so he put Daniel and Timo to work for pay and a trip to Four Seasons.  They were all in!

Well, Timo's face looks like he is being forced to
work, but it wasn't the case!

Nice and shiny red

Later in the day...all black!

They cleaned up, and headed over to Four Seasons for the
promised root beer!

Starting school!...

Daniel heading out for his first year of college
classes through PSEO at University of Northwestern,
St. Paul (Northwestern College).

Joseph packed and ready to leave for his new apartment on Como
Avenue, and his sophomore year at the University of MN!

Also, just before school started, we had the pleasure of a visit from Esther's special friend, Ben. It was so nice to spend some quality time with him, and all of us got a chance to know him better.

Finally, here is a picture of all of us the night we were invited out to the Medfords before both Amy and Angela left home for the year...Angela to work in Oklahoma, and Amy to Taiwan.
We've had lots of good times together!