Life Lately {extended edition}

Oh boy, I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do. Life! It gets so full and moves so fast! Here's a few things that have been going on, from the entire last month...

Kendall turned 15 and promptly got her drivers permit. We're taking it slowly on the lessons but I've learned I'm not a horrible teacher, and I only grip the dash or my seat about half the time so, really, things are going well!

Russ took Kendall out on a special date as part of her birthday celebrations and gave her a beautiful purity ring, one of her birthday requests.

They had a great conversation about what the ring stands for (to us)... not a binding vow of abstinance that would lead to shame or a broken relationship with us if broken (even though abstinance till marriage is our goal), but rather a daily reminder to live purely in thought and action, and to trust God (and her daddy) to help protect her heart as she gets older and eventually dates and falls in love. Russ put a lot of thought into how he wanted to present it and I could tell when they came home later that evening that they were both very pleased with their talk and time together :) 

Blake got to go on his first overnight backpack trip with his Grandma Wilson and had a TON of fun.

We ate a lot of fresh Oregon berries. A LOT.

My sister and I helped celebrate Christine's upcoming wedding to my brother with a bachelorette party totally up my alley... a private painting lesson followed by a dressy night out! 

This included a wine tasting where I finally confirmed the long-suspected fact that no, there is not a single wine on the planet that I like! Which is fine because: more money for white mochas, hehe ;)

We helped Kendall throw an end-of-summer class party for her classmates about to enter the 10th grade, and LOVED having our place full of fun teenagers. They swam in the river, had a water balloon fight, played volleyball and basketball, ate pizza and roasted s'mores, and all called their parents at the end of the evening to see if they could stay an hour longer :)

Russ left town on a hunting trip and wasn't home to celebrate my birthday at the end of August so it was extra fun to come home the day before my birthday to find this on my bed from my sister... a little hunting widows care package! 

And then my best friend picked me up that evening for a fun dinner out with a side of shopping, and had my fave drink waiting for me, and my heart was full and happy :)

Kendall's first time driving into town. She took me to my favorite coffee drive-thru and bought me a drink for my birthday (which I didn't dare touch until we were safely back home in our driveway, haha.)

Kendall serving at her first home volleyball game of the year! She is co-captain of the JV team and swinging up for varsity and is SO fun to watch. 

Blake the proud tooth-puller lost another tooth and is currently sporting a spectacularly lopsided grin.

We went camping over Labor Day Weekend and had a wonderfully relaxing time, playing games and kayaking, and playing so many rounds of corn hole that I actually got a sore arm and had to stop throwing! (Tricia and I were a pretty good team together though!)

The kids went back to school... 10th, 7th, and 3rd grade, and my house is now sad and lonely and I miss summer already. although shockingly, I find it amazingly easier to keep clean! ;)

Christine getting her nails done for the big day... it's tomorrow!!!

Christine's mom and aunt with me and Kelly and our mom. Nothing like a girls day of pampering to help break up the hectic chaos that is last minute wedding-prep!

And last but not least, yesterday was Cooper's first cross country race, a 3-man sprint relay, and his team came second! He ran 2 miles in 14 minutes flat and definitely deserved those cookies that were his prize :)

Happy Friday!