Catching up on our summer activities....

Hi everyone! We are about half way through our many-event planned summer vacation. So far we've managed to stay pretty close to the original schedule. Here's a recap of our activities for your information and interest:

BETHANY'S BIRTHDAY
We started out celebrating Beth's 12th birthday at Ultimate Gymnastics with several friends - both kids and adults. It was a blast. Although, Beth sprained her ankle on the trampoline. It didn't dampen her spirits though. She loved the party, gifts and just having all her friends and family around. She has especially appreciated getting belated gifts from distant relatives - Great Grandparents Holland, Grandma Nancy, and Aunt Kristin.

LILLY'S BIRTHDAY
After camping a few times earlier in the spring, having a surprise camping birthday party for Lilly seemed to be a good idea. Well, it was, except for the surprise rain shower, the surprise massive bug bites, the surprise police raid of some other campers... Overall, Lilly's 11th birthday celebration was fun and a great time was had by all kids and adults who joined us at the Crab Orchard Campgrounds. She too has especially appreciated getting belated gifts from distant relatives - Great Grandparents Holland, Grandma Nancy, and Aunt Kristin.

JIM AND MARI'S 30TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
What more can be said...30 years. We made it this far, there's no turning back now! As we've been remembering the years, there are many of them we can't recall. What is crystal clear, our love has never wavered. In spite of all our tests and tragedies, we've worked together. There was no special celebration; although it would have been nice to have had a family reunion; but, we did have a nice dinner with Beth and Lill reminiscing about the last 10 years or so.

SIX FLAGS - ST. LOUIS
July 4th offered us the opportunity to get some fantastic discount tickets which we took advantage of to take the family to Six Flags. Unfortunately, we arrived so late that the Water Park was closing. We spent time window shopping and snacking...not much else. Thank goodness the tickets weren't full price. The fireworks weren't even a "blast."

HEARTLAND BAHA'I SUMMER SCHOOL
Following Six Flags, we went directly to Springfield, IL to attend the Heartland Baha'i Summer School. This year, we also managed the Bookstore. The girls met some old and new friends, as did we. We agreed that we're getting too old to be the entrepreneur-types anymore. Yet, it was fun...for a while.

Now, we're home getting ready for the next event on the summer schedule...which is the girls attending a 3-day Christian Sports Academy Camp; then they're off to a Cardinal's baseball game; we're off to Chicago in early August; then Jim has spinal surgery; and finally, we expect to go to the Greenlake Baha'i Conference in Greenlake, WI. Once summer is over and the girls are in the 6th and 7th grades, Jim and I will be taking a hiatus for a while. (Ya, right!)