An amazing, albeit accelerated, August

Sadly, my facebook status updates & pictures often seem to replace my inclination to blog. But we've had a wonderful month and it deserves some sort of record.

1) Time at Blue Lake
For the second year, we joined Matt's extended family and rented our own cabin at the place he grew up vacationing. The kids absolutely loved it: swimming, fishing, catching frogs, playing in the dirt, campfires, making friends with the other kids there. It's not my idea of a vacation, per se, but it's hard not to like it a little when the kids are so excited and happy. :) Plus Daddy got lots of time to play on the Hobie.

2) Seattle trip
I left Blue Lake early to head out to Seattle, where my college roommate and best of friends was about to get married. While I questioned smyself several times on the sanity of leaving my children for a full week, it was such a wonderful getaway. (And the kids hardly missed me!) I treasured time with Gretchen, and the amazing people she has in her life. Matt flew out in time for the wedding, which was just gorgeous, with Christ clearly at the center.

I got to be a

for the first time. One of my duties was to give a toast..another (self-assigned) was to try to get the wedding party to do a coordinated dance number which Gretchen had hinted that she would enjoy. I, along with another bridesmaid, taught the moves over and over, and we finally nailed it in our final practice. The actual performance, well, it was a bit spotty, but Gretchen and Lee laughed and laughed and she said it was one of her favorite parts. :)

3) We've been having lots of other summer fun too with the opening of the YMCA, a trip to the zoo, and a weekend in Harbor Springs with my parents, to name just a few!