Holly's XXXVIIIth Birthday!

I (Holly) had a great birthday today.  It started out normal with the usual 6:15 walk with our neighbor.  Back home I had a box of surprises from Steve and the boys.  Sliver slug earrings - the latest in fashion in the NW, a beautiful stepping stone for our garden, a lovely glass piece to hang in the window - and not break this time, some toys for my office, and the most amazing card ever.

At work, my office turned into Camp Denniston.  A campfire, hammock, camp chairs replacing office chairs (nothing like having a meeting sitting by a fire in a camp chair!), lanterns, bug sounds, mess kits, camp stoves, etc.  My staff went all out.  A bunch of other coworkers came by mid-morning to sing Happy Birthday around the campfire (with their faces illuminated by flashlights!), have bird nests and s'mores and drink hot chocolate.  What a great start to a great year!

Hanging in the Trees

Joe went on an overnight youth group trip to Camp Collins at Oxbow Park for a kickoff event. The thirty kids were split into high school and middle school groups to do the challenge course which included, a diversity obstacle course (moving as a group through a series of rope swings and tight ropes a couple of feet off of the ground), a catwalk (see the picture of Joe on the left, 35 feet above the ground), and the older kids did the "leap of faith" - a 45 foot step off a platform and then relying on the group (of teenage boys!) to lower you gently to the ground. Although Joe missed out on that, Holly got to join in since she was hanging out with the high schoolers.

There was also hide and seek with flashlights, outside in the pouring rain, capture the flag, jokes until midnight, and cart races. Joe met lots of new kids and especially enjoyed the capture the flag games.

Newest Accolyte

Tim accolyted for the first time at church on Sunday.  He had a training earlier in the week and worried about it (on and off) until Sunday morning . . . what if I do something wrong?

He did a great job, and looked very serious for the whole thing.  Mainly he wanted to know if we saw him yawning.  Perhaps that was one of the things they covered at the training?

At School

Last year Tim and my class had the same recess and lunch time.  This year I have mostly k-2 kids so we don't see each other nearly as much.  We did meet at an earlier recess this week and his teacher took a picture of us and his friend Graham.

First Day of School

Yesterday was the first day of school for the boys.  Tim is in 4th and Joe is in 7th.  It was the first time in a couple years that Tim doesn't have the same teacher Joe had.  It looks like it will work out anyway.  Tim said, "My teacher is almost pure fun."  He also noted they haven't done much work yet.

Joe joined the marimba band this year, in addition to bass clarinet in Advanced Band.  He's also looking forward to the after school dodge ball starting up again.

Steve Turns 40, Must Mean His Parents Are REALLY Old

On our way back from Manzanita we stopped at my parents for my official birthday party.  They'd decorated the house up and wrapped everything in black. 

Ha. Aren't they funny. 

Joe and Tim absolutely loved it, so we saved everything for Halloween.  My favorite thing was the ravens hanging out on the birthday cake.  We had a great time: pizza, presents, and cake.  Now, time to map out a whole new decade . . .