October

Ryan's birthday weekend is always a good excuse to take one last fall camping trip.  This year, the girls and I were able to head out one night before the guys.  This is a horrible photo, but it captures a crazy memory:  We pulled in and set up the tent.  Just as we were finishing, it started to rain.  We'd brought a pasta salad for dinner, but by the time I realized our utensils and plates were still in the van, a massive storm had hit.  The girls were such troopers!  We ate pasta salad with our fingers by flashlight, checking the weather radar every now and then to see how long the storm was going to last, and playing a couple games.  It rained all night, we got a little wet, then the guys came the next day and the weather was beautiful the rest of the weekend.  I love that my girls are camping adventurers with me =)

Happy Birthday Ryan!!

We went to parent/teacher conferences at Rooke's school, then snuck in a happy hour day date

Big news for Big Red - he finally got his braces off!!

Bridgette and Ruth hosted their fourth annual Fall Feast - we like to make fun of them for how much planning they put into this event, but it's actually great that they create a fun way for our families to get together and enjoy an outdoor breakfast together.

Bridgette helped me harvest the last of the garden: a bunch of dwarf carrots!

I recently learned about VetTix - it's an incredible benefit from Ryan's military service.  We have enjoyed free tickets to some fantastic events, including a Lauren Daigle concert!!  The girls were THRILLED!!  I had such a fun night with these four enjoying a great show.

The next week, I got to take Rooke and friends to see a pre-season Wizards v. Hornets game where we sat as close to the floor as we could.

Gretchen joined friends at a dance our homeschool co-op hosted

I love these neighbor friends!

Happy Halloween!  These girls went trick-or-treating together as boba tea.  We hosted our traditional Halloween party, which feels different these days since the kids are older and not as many dress up, but the adults still have a great time getting together and hanging out on our porch to pass out candy

September

September started with a very special visit!  The Bass family were dear friends when we lived in England.  Their daughter and Rooke were classmates, we lived in the same neighborhood, we went to the same church and were in small group together.  So man wonderful memories of life with the Bass's!  They were traveling in the U.S. and made time to share a meal with us.  It was a wonderful visit catching up and felt like we picked up right where we left off almost ten years ago.

Gretchen and Bridgette started back at Granite Classical Tutorial two days a week.  8th and 6th grades.

While in Oklahoma earlier in the summer, G Daddy taught Bridgette how to create with pour paint.  Then he generously sent her a set of paints to use on her own!

Bridgette taught the family how to use pour paint and we all made our own creations

Bridgette is still in crocheting.  She made this red hat and let me try it on

One of Ryan's favorite fall activities is to pick apples.  Gretchen was away with the youth group, but the rest of us spent our Saturday morning picking fruit and then making all the yummy apple things

Some of us lost interest in picking by the time we made it to the raspberry fields - ha!

On the way home we got a flat tire.  Life skill lesson coming right up!

We had our roof replaced.  Our neighbor offered to let us borrow his metal "rake" to collect the nails the roofers leave behind.  I told Bridgette I'd pay her 10 cents for every nail she finds.  I had no idea she would find over 80 nails!!  Worth every penny to have her preserve our shoes and feet!

Rooke and his buddy, Max, went to their school homecoming.  Lookin' sharp!

I spent two nights away with the women from our church at a ladies retreat.  The setting was beautiful and the sunsets were glorious!

Spontaneous shenanigans with our neighbor besties

Birthday dinner out for my friend, Leia

"Cheverly Day" is one of our favorite days of the year!  Bridgette got to test out the climbing wall this year.  It's fun to be with neighborhood friends, and the fireworks show at the end of the day is amazing!  I just try not to think about how many of our tax dollars they allocate to put on a show as long as they do - ha!

Checking on the carrots

Always in the gym

You know you've got great style with you match with beautiful Leia at church!

After dropping off the older kids at youth group, Bridgette and I took a walk and grabbed pizza for dinner.  It never gets old that this is where we get to live!

August

August started with a special trip for me - I flew to Oklahoma to be with family in celebrating Nana's 90th birthday!  The entire weekend was a PARTY!  It's easy to celebrate Nana.  To know her is to love her.  She has pursued loving God and loving others for decades, and the way her family and friends honored her for her birthday was proof of that.

Aubyn came too!!  

Cousins

The weekend included visits with many special and dear people

We went away as a family for one last weekend adventure before school started.  Two nights in an Airbnb on a horse farm!

It doesn't happen often, but every now and then I'm able to convince the kids and their friends to play a game with me =)

Kaye K and Big Daddy came up for the week - hooray!

My parents are always great at helping with various projects around the house and serving as chauffeurs for the kids' many activities.  This time my dad taught me how to grill!!  

Lovely dinner outside on the water at The Point Crab House

Frozen yogurt treat after a walk through the zoo

Funny thrift store finds! =)

We spent one morning at the African American Museum; Mom and Dad's first visit.

Big Daddy and Rooke get along well =)

Learning how to tie a tie before he starts his first day at a full-time school!

Looking good and ready to start his sophomore year!  After homeschooling grades 2-9, Rooke is off on a new adventure of full-time school at a private all-boys school.  We labored and researched and prayed all last year, wondering what was best for Rooke in his schooling, and God provided open doors (and significant financial aid!) for Rooke to have this opportunity.  

One of his best friends also enrolled in the same school, so they began together

Day One: they found their way to the gym and are already looking forward to basketball season!