August 31

Today after breakfast, we drove an hour or so up the mountain past Lake Alpine to the Pacific Crest Trailhead near Ebbett's Pass. The road --as we drew closer to the pass-- decreased to a lane and a half in width and featured switchbacks and sweeping views of the mostly arid valley below and the mountains in the distance.

It took an hour or so to reach Kinney Lake, which was our planned destination. Since we were at a higher elevation, the temperature was in the low 70s when we set out, and remained pleasant throughout our hike.

The trail wasn't what I'd call an easy one, as it featured a few stretches of fairly consistent --and fairly steep-- inclines and declines, and there were portions that required scaling rocks, but all in all, it was a good pick that offered stunning views. Brady found a(n extremely heavy) rock in the shape of a cube during one of his rock-scaling adventures that he named Cubey, and Cubey became his hiking companion. He (Brady, not Cubey) also amused me by doing push-ups atop the rocks he scaled. Isaac was quieter, but he earned the Tough Dude Award for doing the whole hike in flip flops (since he didn't bring any other shoes to the cabin). My feet (and my knees and my hip flexors) were sore when we got back to the car, so his must've been, well, worse than sore, although he didn't say a word.

The drive back down to the cabin was a quiet one, as we were all pretty tired and had skipped lunch. So after a quick rest, we headed out again for an early dinner at the Pizza Factory in Arnold. The crust of the pies was excellent (as it should've been, since we could see a baker tossing the dough in the kitchen) and we almost knocked out both; only a single slice remained once we deemed ourselves full.

Then back at the cabin, the male folk played Fast Food Franchise while I watched. And now, well, now I'm tired. And I know I'll be sore tomorrow. But I'm grateful for the beautiful day and the gorgeous views and the time with Adam, Isaac, and Brady. 

August 30

We arose to our first full day at the cabin, had pancakes and bacon for breakfast (and coffee for me! Thankfully, when I bought Nespresso pods yesterday for the machine they have up here, I guessed the correct model), and headed out for today's adventure.

We hadn't even made it down to the street before we spied our first unusual sight: a pair of bucks with impressive antlers standing at the edge of the driveway. They stared at us --from just a few feet away-- chewing at whatever it was they were eating. Vaguely intimidating, but pretty cool to see them up close.

With that excitement under our belts, we drove a few miles down the mountain to Arnold, where we'd planned to hike the Arnold Rim Trail to the aptly named Top of the World. The trail was a bit more strenuous than I'd anticipated so I grumbled more than I should have, but our eventual destination offered sweeping views of the valleys below and the landscape far in the distance.

We stayed for a while (and consumed copious granola bars) before doubling back to the car. Arnold was crowded (thanks to a craft festival and Labor Day weekend, I assume), so it was a long wait, but the guys secured milkshakes and munchies at the Giant Burger before we headed back to the cabin for a rest (and a game at the kitchen table).

Some of us watched the Orioles decimate the Giants 11-1 on TV before we went back down the mountain for dinner at the Snowshoe Brewery. I perused the menu for several minutes before I decided on the brews and ques pizza, which featured mozzarella, bleu cheese crumbles, onion, apricot ale barbecue sauce, and pulled pork. An unusual combination, but really good. It's fun to go off-book and try out new flavors.

And now we're back in for the night, watching whatever happened to be on TV and reflecting on the day. It's a blessing to have time away with family, so I'm grateful for another set of adventures to remember in the future.

August 29

I don't remember exactly when I took this particular photo, but it was sometime during the early stages of our four-plus hour drive to the cabin this evening. And it's representative of the amusing chaos Isaac and Brady brought to the otherwise frustratingly slow ride.

I wasn't super thrilled about the idea of traveling for Labor Day, since I was out of town last weekend as well, but I relented since I knew Adam really wanted us to spend some time at his parents' cabin.

So we set off on our typically two and a half hour trip just after Isaac's guitar lesson ended at 5:30. And an hour later, we'd traveled a whopping three miles, thanks to a brush fire that closed down the freeway earlier in the day. 

It would've been a mundane, annoying experience had these two boys of mine not been along for the ride. They joked and goofed around and sang songs and generally acted like lunatics. And somehow, that lunacy helped to lift my mood. 

So for their special brand of crazy, I am grateful.

August 28

It always amazes me to realize how fruitful (pun intended) just a handful of cherry tomato plants can be.

I harvested my plant babies a week ago and came away with a bowlful of fruit. I went out again this afternoon and after carefully inspecting the stems of each plant, I netted another overflowing container of sweet, ripe tomatoes (along with a handful of green beans and four apples. There are many, many more apples ready to go, but I decided to start small).

I'm the only one here now who really likes tomatoes, but I sliced the apples and put them in the fridge for the boys' snacking purposes, and Brady finished the entire bowl in one sitting after school.

Anyway, the point of this disjointed post is that I am grateful to have the ability to provide healthy snacks for my family (even if they don't always want to eat them). 

August 27

Usually, when we ask Isaac how his day was, he'll mumble something along the lines of "it was a day" (or something equally as elucidating) and then shuffle off to his room. 

But not today. When he finally rolled in at 8:30 this evening (after both school and a four-hour work shift), he --without prompting-- exclaimed "I had a good day!"

He plunked down on a stool near Adam and I in the family room and detailed the goodness, sharing that he'd gotten a good score on his AP Gov test, and that he had fun at work and was promoted. 

It's a blessing to see him so enthusiastic, so I am grateful to God for the bits of good news that buoyed his mood.

(And also, a quick shoutout to Abby, who officially began her senior year of college today! Time flies faster than I ever imagined it could.)

August 26

It's been a long but blessedly uneventful travel day. 

I began it in Illinois with Abby, and am finishing it back at home in California, settled into my current chair of choice with a "Hunter" re-run rolling on the TV.

We had our tension-tinged moments as most mothers and daughters do, but all in all, the trip went really well. She has her room sorted out and organized and is well-prepared for the semester, which kicks off tomorrow.

I know that Abby doesn't exactly love being away from home, but I remain convinced that Wheaton is the place for her during her college season. I'm proud of her for the ways she's stretched herself and leaned into the experience, even when it wasn't necessarily comfortable, and I'm looking forward to hearing all about what God does in her life in the months to come.

August 25

My last full day in Illinois was good but --like the previous ones-- busy. 

It featured stops at the Mother Ship for coffee, Costco (for shelf-stable snacks), Super Target (for... laundry detergent, I think it was), Raising Cane's (for lunch. The verdict on the chicken fingers, Texas toast, and crinkle fries from a pair of first-timers? Two thumbs up), Abby's dorm (to continue room set-up and unload acquired items), Culver's (for mid-afternoon ice cream), Fannie May (for chocolate; we've been driving by the shop for three years now and Abby has always wanted to go inside; when I told Adam where we were he asked if Freddie Mac was next door, har har), the Cheesecake Factory (for dinner, and to fulfill my girl's wish for cheesecake), and finally, one more Target (for Abby's friend's birthday presents). And in the middle of all that, Abby worked a two-hour shift at the college post office while I went off on my own to Meijer (since they carry the Cars with Faces and we don't have that chain where we live. No dice but I tried).

We capped off the day with a trip to the treadmills at the hotel to burn off some of the goodies we consumed. And now, well, now it's time for bed. (Or maybe it's time for Abby to eat some of her salted caramel cheesecake while we watch a terrible Lifetime movie. Jury's out on that.)

I've had a good time here with Abby helping to get her ready to begin her senior year, and I'm grateful to God that we have the finances and flexibility to make the trip possible. 

August 24

I think Abby and I were both tired this morning after a gaggle of very loud (and possibly drunk) hotel guests repeatedly interrupted our sleep beginning at 1 AM, but we forged on with our Sunday nonetheless.

We kicked things off with coffee (for me, of course; she doesn't have a taste for the stuff) and donuts from Dunkin, and then after mulling outing options, we headed to trip Target number two (because there are many in the area) for some dorm essentials. (And a pair of new PJs that she adored and wheedled me into buying. In all fairness, they're pretty cute and she said she could wear them for Senior Sleepover Night at her friends' apartment. She knows I'm a sucker for social activities with pals.)

Lunchtime came quickly given that we got up late, so we went the unconventional route with a stop at Andy's for frozen custard. She'd been wanting to go since she went with her cheer friends this past spring, and it seemed like as good a time as any (although it was quite windy and surprisingly cool for late August). 

By the time we finished downing our birthday cake shake (her) and Bootdaddy (me, and yes, I felt stupid saying that silly name, but it was vanilla with Oreo and caramel), I wanted a chaser for all the sugar, so I hit the Sonic drive thru line for a diet cherry limeade. And then it was time to stop by Abby's friend Laura's house to pick up items she stored there over the summer. (She truly has the nicest friends.) From there we drove over to the campus to begin the move-in process. We were blessed with a sweet parking spot very close to her dorm (which felt like a miracle to me) and spent the next few hours getting items from storage and visiting her good friends Anna, Michaela, and Ashley's apartment. 

Back in her room, we huffed and puffed and lofted her bed, and Abby spent more time organizing and setting up her things. Dinnertime was spent at Giordano's, where we lounged over mozzarella triangles, garlic fries, and deep dish pepperoni pizza. One more trip to yet another different Target followed, and then we returned to our hotel, where we logged our final steps of the day on a pair of treadmills in the fitness center.

Phew. So yeah, that was our day. It was busy and productive but also far easier, from a details-perspective, than I'd expected it to be. I'd anticipated having trouble finding parking and having to wait to find a dolly but neither of those things happened. So for that, and for more time to hang out with my gal (and break into random dance moves at nearly inopportune times), I am very grateful.

August 23

It's been a long but mostly uneventful travel day. (Mostly.)

Since Adam accompanied Abby to Wheaton late last summer at the beginning of her junior year, I had the honor of going along for the ride this go-round. So we all got up early and loaded up the car for the ride to the airport; Isaac had a date to take the SAT this morning so he stayed behind, so Adam and Brady saw us off.

Our first leg of travel took us to Denver, where we dashed from one end of the C-terminal to the other to catch our connector to Chicago. We lucked out with some pretty great seats near the front of the plane, and enjoyed a second event-less flight. 

We arrived at Midway on time, and although  Abby's single checked bag came out lickety split, we went outside to find the longest rental car line I'd ever seen. No problem, though; the driver crammed as many of us as possible inside, slid the doors shut with a swish and a clunk, and off we went. 

The only eventfulness of the day followed as my credit card was declined at the rental car counter; the gal there suggested I call the member services line and after a brief conversation and lots of verbal purchase verifications, the block they'd helpfully placed on my account due to my "suspicious recent purchase history" was removed. We went outside to retrieve our car and I was greatly amused to find that it was a Kia Soul, which happened to be the exact same kind of car that we rented when I was here with her two years ago at the start of her sophomore year. Go figure!

From there we drove toward Wheaton, checked into our hotel, and headed to Culver's for some cheeseburgers, pretzel bites, and cheese curds. I indulged in ice cream while Abby took a pass, but a little later, she asked if we could go to Crumbl, so I bought her the pumpkin chocolate chip cookie she'd been wanting to taste. We closed out our busy day with trips to Walmart (for ibuprofen and notebooks) and Target (for concealer and eyeliner) -- aka Walmarget.

And now we're back at the hotel. It's been a long day for sure. But it's been good to have time with my best girl. And I'm happy to be here with her as she prepares to start her senior year.

August 22

Abby heads back to school for the fall semester of her senior (!) year tomorrow. We had to make a few compromises along the way to make it happen, but we succeeded and this evening the five of us gathered for dinner at Black Bear. 

It's been a good summer, I think. She had the opportunity to work with kindergarten-aged kiddos, which confirmed her plan to teach when she finishes her undergrad career. She saw a few friends and had meals at most of her favorite eateries. She renewed her unconventional relationship with BearBear and Chub. And we had lots of family time.

It wasn't a perfect summer, no. There were moments when we all butted heads and when peace was frustratingly absent, as happens in all families. But it was good. And I am grateful for memories of a good summer with my favorite girl. And I'm confident that terrific things await her at Wheaton this semester.

August 21

I went outside to water my plants this evening.

At one point, as I returned to the spigot on the side of the house to refill my watering can, I noticed Abby watching me from the dining room. She just stood there holding her red cup with a goofy look on her face, and I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

She's a goofer sometimes, but she's my goofer. And I am grateful for the unexpected ways she makes me laugh.

August 20

My cherry tomatoes are loving the hot weather, now that summer has arrived (albeit a few months tardy) in Northern California.

So early this evening, after the sun dipped a bit in the sky and the temp dropped from 'ew, gross' to 'it's still hot but I'll survive', I decided to harvest some of the bounty. I plucked one small, red fruit after another and deposited them into a bowl. Every now and then, a fruit would be diverted for a taste test, and every time, I marveled over the perfectly balanced flavor: sweet, with a dash of tang.

It's a blessing to be able to grow food that's not only delicious, but healthy, too. And I am grateful to our creative God who made it possible for regular people like me to experience the joy of growing food from seeds.

August 19

I asked Abby what she'd like to do this morning and she said she missed walking around the Costco of her childhood. (I've been going to the new Pleasanton store since it opened.) So after I drained my hot coffee and refilled my cup with the iced variety, we got in the car and headed over to Livermore to grant her request.

If you're not much of a shopper you probably won't relate, but we had a long, leisurely stroll up and down the aisles all throughout the store. And then after we checked out, we stopped by the food court for a strawberry banana smoothie (her) and a hot dog (me).

Her summer is rapidly waning, so I was grateful for more moments together. She's my forever favorite girl, and I am thankful for all the ways she makes my life better.

(And PS -- she made the pink top she's wearing a few days ago. The sewing talent lives on!)

August 18

After dinner tonight, Adam, Abby, and Brady decided to watch one of their superhero movies. (Isaac was at work and it's not my preferred genre.)

I bowed out, but from my perch in the bedroom, I could hear the occasional snort of laughter and pop of conversation.

Even if I'm not in the mix, it's still a blessing to hear my people having a good time together.

(Since I didn't think to sneak out and take a pic, here's one of Brady before he went up to bed, under the cover of BearBear and Chub, who were also present for the movie.)

August 17

Our 23rd anniversary is today, but since we celebrated last night, it was a low-key kind of Sunday that centered around home and church.

For me, one of the day's highlights was the volunteer recognition event after church ended. We sat together as a family at a relatively small high-top table and enjoyed some truly excellent tacos. Together.

And we have the blessing of being together because Adam and I got married at a church in Lafayette 23 years ago today. (See how I made that come full circle?)

So today I'm grateful for all of the family time with which we've been blessed since we made the decision to say I do. It's not always been easy, but it's always been good.

August 16

Tomorrow is our 23rd wedding anniversary. And today, my hunny surprised me with a dinner cruise on the San Francisco Bay.

We donned nice outfits --mine was a dress I bought a number of years ago but had never worn; I was surprised to find that it actually fit-- and left for the city a little after 4:30. Traffic was heavy but moved reasonably well, so we arrived at our parking facility across the street from the departure pier at 6:15. (We might've gotten there sooner had the GPS in Adam's phone not been set to avoid tolls. The setting was a byproduct of our trip to Maryland earlier this year -- oops.)

Since Adam splurged for the VIP package, we were among the very first to board the boat and were shown to table number 2005, which was next to the windows on the second level and boasted a lovely view of the water. Our server brought us drinks and bread to start, so I happily amassed my beverage collection (the passion fruit/champagne combo distributed during the boarding process, prosecco, Diet Coke, and water) and proceeded with my sip fest. (Just for the record, I almost always get a prosecco and a Diet Coke when we go out. It's my thing.) 

We set sail at 7, and enjoyed a three course meal: cheese and meat charcuterie for both of us, gnocchi (for me) and steak (for him), and chocolate cake (for me) and pineapple upside down cake (for him). We munched and talked and admired the beautiful, scenic views outside. And a few times, we ventured out to the very windy upper deck to take in the scenery without the windows. Adam was especially taken by Alcatraz and Sausalito, and we were both impressed with the city skyline in the distance and the up-close views of the Golden Gate Bridge partially shrouded in low-level clouds. It was a unique vantage point to take in looks of the iconic landmark.

There was a DJ on board who spun lots of different sounds, but we got up to dance just once: a slow one to "Tennessee Whiskey". (Since we're not really social dancers, it felt like a safe choice.) We disembarked at 9:30 with two City Cruises souvenir glasses, two boarding photos, full bellies, and lots of fun memories.

Our life is fully centered around our home and kids these days, and I love that reality. But it was a blessing to be out and about with my the amazing man who is my husband. He is and has been one of God's greatest gifts to me, and I am deeply thankful for who he is and how he challenges me, supports me, and enriches my life every day. Cheers to 23 years.

August 15

Abby heads back to school next weekend, so I've been trying harder to inhale the goodness that is inherent in hanging out with her..

Today, after the requisite Mother Ship run, we went on another shopping trip just for funsies. First we hit Target, and then I drove over to the outlet mall --which I typically avoid since it tends to be more crowded than I like-- and we walked the loop between the stores there.

Hand soap was on super sale at Bath and Body Works so I bought a few bottles, and then we stopped at Francesca's, where Abby tried on some clearance dresses. The changing room curtain was a bit on the whack side (it wouldn't stay closed so I had to stand outside and manually hold it against the wall), and as I waited, I made faces at myself in the ceiling-to-floor mirror across the way. And then when Abby appeared to show me a dress, I naturally took a weird picture of us together in said-mirror.

It's not a particularly flattering image of me, but it's kind of funny. So for the giggles I got from embracing my silly side and for more time out just doing mundane life-things with my favorite girl, I am grateful.

August 14

I'm (again) having issues with my allergies so I'll keep this brief.

I love my mornings at the Mother Ship. I enjoy the warmth of a good cup of coffee, of course, but even more than that, I love the relationships I've started and nurtured over the years. 

So today, I'm thankful for these two lovely ladies: my girl, who often accompanies me when she's home from school, and Terry, who's become one of my best chit-chat pals. They're both big blessings to me.

August 13

My plant babies have really grown up.

This is one of the cherry tomato plants that I started earlier this year from a seed in my kitchen window. I watched as it first pushed its little head through the top layer of soil and as it sprouted its first miniature leaves.

When it was a few inches tall, I moved it outside into a planter large enough to give its roots ample room to stretch out. I continued to observe as flowers formed and were quickly replaced by itty bitty green tomatoes.

And now, after all of that watching and waiting, it's finally time to harvest and enjoy the bounty.

The experience of growing plants mirrors life: we put in work and then wait to see results. Sometimes the wait for the anticipated outcome is short, but more often than not, it's much longer than we'd like. Although it can be hard to be patient, the satisfaction of seeing and experiencing the fruits of our labor makes said-labor feel like less of a chore and more of a blessing.

August 12

Abby met up with her friend Sarah at the Mother Ship this morning. 

They arrived as I was getting ready to head out, but I stuck around long enough to iron out issues they were both having with the app. As I was walking toward the door, I stopped to take this pic because I thought they both looked so cute.

Although they only became good friends in high school, these two first met way back when they were two years old. They and their little brothers --in Abby's case, Logan-- were in the same playgroup, so we have a handful of photos of them together when they were very young.

And now, many years later, they're both wonderful young women who are on the cusp of finishing college and beginning teaching careers. I know Abby adores Sarah and I know they're strikingly alike in numerous ways, so I'm grateful that they re-discovered one another and chose to stay in touch. Good friends are special blessings from God, and I'm thankful my girl has one in Sarah.

August 11

Abby and I enjoyed one of our extended shopping excursions this morning after we dropped Brady off at school.

We started off at the Mother Ship (of course) and then headed to the mall. We meandered through a number of stores --including her much-favored Francesca's-- and I cooed over the adorable kittens inside the Mini Cat Town.

Then we went to Sprouts, where I acquired a bag of just hazelnuts (because yum... they totally take me back to when I was a kid sitting in a recliner in my grandma's family room snacking on handfuls of those delicious yummies). And then after a run through Target, I checked a box on Abby's summer wish list by buying her boba. And finally, we finished our jaunt with a Diet Orange Vanilla Coke for me from Wendy's.

I was tired by the time we pulled back into the garage, but it was a blessing being out with my favorite girl. And I am grateful for that time.

August 10

As has happened for the past few years, I took some of my recently crocheted pieces back east for my mom to enter for me in the county fair. (And then sent her a small box containing the rest last week, since I had a few that weren't quite finished when we visited last month.) And this morning, I got the results of the judging.

For the 13 items I entered, I came away with 10 blues, two reds, and one unknown (because mom couldn't find it; I'm not worried because I'm sure it was just hidden somewhere). And (drumroll, please) I also earned the Betty O'Neal award for the best crocheted shawl. 

I've won a few champions over the years, but this one is particularly meaningful to me because of my connection with the prayer shawl ministry. It's my first big win in this particular category, and since I make (and truly enjoy making) a lot of shawls, it's really nice to be recognized for the quality of my work. 

I don't need recognition, of course; I'd make pieces to donate regardless of whether or not someone else tells me I crochet well. But I'm grateful for the confidence boost that receiving this particular award gives me, because it motivates me to continue with my work. And hopefully, prayerfully, that work will eventually serve as blessings to others.

August 9

It was a nice, quiet Saturday. Brady went on a weekend getaway to the mountains with a friend's family and Isaac had work this evening, so Abby, Adam and I hunkered down in the family room to take in a double feature: "Father of the Bride" followed by "Meet the Fockers."

While we watched, I worked on a few projects that are current under construction: a large waffle stitch blanket, and a scarf.

It was good to spend time with two of my people it was also good to add more rows to my works in progress. So I am grateful for the freedom that's inherent in down time.

August 8

It was a 100-degree day, so I was thankful when Brady made it out to the car shortly after the final bell rang. 

I was doubly thankful that when he appeared, he was walking with two seniors: Isaac (on the left) and Isaac's longtime friend Alex. (For the record, the boys don't typically love lemony yellow, but it was wear-your-class-shirt day.)

It's a blessing that Isaac and his friends are so accepting of having the little brother around. And I am grateful for the gift of their presence as Brady navigates his first foray into high school.

August 7

The boys started the new school year today. Isaac is a senior and Brady is a freshman, which means that I have minor kids in just one school for the first time since Abby was in fifth grade. "Boo yah!" feels like an inadequate response to the gift that it is to deal with the politics of just a single school, but I'm tired, so boo yah! it is.

Anyway, both of my high schoolers were up and dressed and  milling around the first floor doing what appeared to be nothing in particular by the time I emerged from my room. Brady was very clearly nervous about finding his classes so I sent him a screenshot of a campus map, and then quietly asked Isaac to look out for him. (And since he's Isaac, I knew he would.) I took the requisite door pics --including one with Isaac wearing his Paw Patrol backpack-- and then we were off. I drove Brady, while Isaac followed behind us in the Explorer. And then things were just... quiet. Except in my mind, of course. My mind had plenty to say.

I'm excited for Isaac. He changed a lot over the summer. He's spending more time than ever with friends, and they're often at our house, which I love; in fact, after school today, I went into our pantry and found three boys who don't live here perusing the offerings. He also has his job at the Dairy in addition to his volunteer roles at church and his classes at school. And he's the President of the Young Life Club and is working to expand the organization's broader chapter here in town. Oh, and he'll go through the whole college application thing, too. He's going to be busy, but I think --I pray-- it'll be a great, happy-making year for him. Because he deserves a year like that.

And I'm also excited for Brady. Nerves aside, he has his buddies to hang out with and is amazing when it comes to getting things done. He'll do well. And hopefully he'll decide to get involved and enjoy himself a little bit, too. (Isaac could probably help him with that.)

So yes, another chapter has begun. And although I feel a sense of nostalgia for the old, I'm also optimistic about what God has in store for these two amazing boys. And their equally amazing big sis.

August 6

School starts tomorrow so Isaac had a bunch of friends over today to celebrate (or perhaps mourn is a more accurate term) the last day of summer vacation. After I picked Brady up from his freshman orientation session, I did as I usually do when big groups of teenagers are in my house: I squirreled away in the bedroom.

Although they spent most of their time holed up in the living room playing Smash Brothers on the Switch (at least I think it's the Switch) and listening to music, at one juncture I sensed movement outside my door and a sudden increase in chatter. I listened as the voices made their way up to the second floor, and a few moments later, I got a text from Abby.

She, in what I'm sure was an amused tone, shared that she'd been in her room with the door closed when she heard Isaac say "it's this one over here." Her door opened, and a trio of teenage boys lugged her brand new dresser --which was delivered earlier in the day and had been sitting in the entry way-- inside, fist bumped each other, and then departed without a word (or any eye contact).

After I finished chuckling over the message, I ventured to the living room where said-boys had returned to their gaming console and were busily smashing whatever it is that's smashed while playing Smash Brothers. I told them that I appreciated them for lugging the 200-pound box upstairs. No one turned to look at me, but one guy spoke up and --with his eyes still glued to the TV screen-- said "a bunch of guys helped." 

I love that they helped out in such a practical way, even though they had no obligation to do so (and I didn't ask). I also love that none of them wanted to take credit for doing it; it shows humility, and there's far too little of that in the world these days. They're good kids and I'm glad that Isaac has each of them in his life.

August 5

It was a quiet day, for the most part. Abby and I went to Costco this morning and enjoyed our time perusing the aisles. And then we came home, where the boys helped us put away the groceries (which was no easy feat, given how many bags of frozen fruit and chicken products we acquired).

And then this evening, the brositos had Youth Group as they always do on Tuesdays, so the rest of us lingered over burritos and tacos and quesadillas at Mexico Lindo.

Yep, it was a nice, quiet, mostly uneventful day with my favorite folks. And I am grateful.

August 4

Since it feels like time is accelerating and my children are growing up way too quickly these days, I decided that I wanted to take sibling photos again. The last time we did it was almost exactly two years ago and the boys start school this Thursday, so they humored me and we made it happen this morning.

I gave them the same directions I provided two years ago --wear whatever you want, bonus points for making the look representative of who you are right now-- and was surprised to find that they'd actually managed to coordinate their outfits. I wasn't expecting the country flair, but it worked. And, to a degree, it's fairly accurate given the boys' appreciation of Morgan Wallen and Abby's playlist, which includes a handful of country songs.

This particular image will be made into a huge canvas that will grace one of our walls. It wasn't the kids' favorite of the bunch, but there's just something about it that I love. Ironically, it may be that they all look so grown up, but I'm not sure. I just know that it appeals to me.

It was, all in all, fun to be out with them. They were cheerful and compliant and seemed to genuinely enjoy doing something together. They goofed around and cracked jokes to try to make each other laugh. And it worked, so many of the photos look genuine because they are.

It was a blessing to share such sweet moments with them.

August 3

We hadn't yet visited Isaac at work and it seemed like a good time for some ice cream, so we headed over to the Dairy after dinner.

He didn't wind up taking our order, but Isaac was one of the two employees manning the walk-up line. I snapped a few photos ninja-style and as I observed him in action, I was struck by how professional he sounded.

He's growing up, and although I miss my chonky toddler, I'm also grateful that he's becoming a responsible young man.

August 2

Abby wanted to play Trivial Pursuit after dinner this evening, so once the plates were cleared and she'd secured a board and some game cards, that's what we did.

Since Isaac was away at the Morgan Wallen concert with some friends, we split into two teams: the Gen Zers and the Older People. (Guess who was on each squad.)

In the end, us old fogeys filled up our token with wedges first, but we had a good time playing together. (And I was impressed by how many answers Brady actually got right. I'm generally pretty terrible at trivia games so I guess those are Adam's genes shining through.)

Anyway, the downtime with the three of them was a blessing.

August 1

I really like raspberries. It's probably because my grandparents had a large raspberry thicket in their side yard, and I can remember braving the prickly branches to gather those plump sweet red and black treats in small-hands-sized baskets. They were so juicy and delicious that it was hard to not eat them as fast as I could pick them. To this day, they remind me of humid summer days spent with my grandma.

So naturally when I saw that the Mother Ship was offering a raspberry cold foam topped cold brew, I had to taste it. I didn't expect much when I went in for that first sip, but it was so, so good. It took me right back to those sweet early days.

(Pro tip: Now if you're going to try it out, I recommend subbing out the vanilla syrup that it comes with for raspberry syrup. And definitely get the cold foam!)

Anyway, I'm thankful that we're created such that a simple scent or flavor can completely transport us to another place and time. Because it's pretty cool to unexpectedly relive happy memories now and then.