Busy summer so far!

Hi to my friends and family who are starting to wonder if we dropped into a sinkhole and disappeared---don't fear, I am here! Just in the midst of summer craziness. The kids finished the last week of school before their 3 week mid-year break --- which meant lots of tests and final projects, papers, etc last week. We have a group of about 20 people here on a mission trip that we are hosting right now. I have been substitute teaching again. Wyatt and I have both had the stomach flu. Darrin traveled out of town for three days. BUT the good news is---- the kids vacation is now here. Three glorious weeks of sleeping in late and playing. The group has been great and we have enjoyed them. And the news my kids are most excited about-- next Saturday (one week from today and yes they are counting) Darrin's Mom and Dad are arriving and his sister De and her son Audey. Over a week with Grandma & Grandpa King and Aunt De and cousin Audey is enough to almost push my kids over the edge into giddy land. They are so excited. So it will be a fun break. We have a trip to the beach planned. And are trying to decide if we should plan another trip --to a rain forest or volcano or just hang out here.

So lots of crazy happenings here. Lots of busy stuff-- but lots to look forward to also. Love you all!!

And because you know my motto about posts without photos---
Chloe and her bff Eliza after eating some crazy candy that the group brought to them!!
Wyatt, just being Wyatt! :o)
Oh yeah, I forgot some major news in the "crazy busy" section above-- my sweet teenage boy (yes those three words can go together--especially with Zach--so fun to see him stay nice and sweet even as he hits the teen years!!) had a root canal. Yes a root canal!! Poor guy. He had been complaining about his mouth--but he had just had his braces tightened so I thought it was that. But I took him in and apparently an old filling that was very deep had gotten down into the nerve and well, you know the rest. The only good news is that Zach was brave and patient and I was so proud of him. We go in again Monday.

This is Austin with three buddies from school on his science fair team. Their experiment involves making their own homemade blackberry wine. Yeah, sounds crazy to me too. But here they are in my house making wine. We'll see if it turns out nasty or decent. Their actual experiment is something about the effects of natural sugars on the fermentation process or some such thing. My whole house smelled of yeast and sour blackberries for two weeks--so awful. But now it is in bottles and the gross smell is luckily gone! :o)

Can't believe July is upon us. Happy summer my friends!!