2016 Week 25: This is the life!

P.S. to Week 24:
When I signed off a week ago I was about to go to a wedding.
I arrived 10 or 15 minutes early just as the bride was trying to sneak in unnoticed.

"Just get me to the church on time. . ."

The lovely Mary Katherine was one of Mike's most advanced pottery students some years ago when she was in high school. He would have loved to witness this beautiful event, but instead was in Ohio at a robotics competition, being celebrated with the Mentor of the Year Award!

You can read the essay his students wrote that won him this notable recognition: CORI Invitational Robotics Competition

Week 25:
Sunday Michael welcomed two little guys who were going to spend a couple days with us while dad and mom went on an anniversary getaway.
When I came back from Sunday School I found this beautiful bouquet on the table. My photo does not do it justice.

 Zion and grandpa were playing backgammon. Jude wanted me to read his favorite books immediately! We kept busy both days. I managed a few photos to help remember some of the activities, but there were many more memory-making moments (even if I forget what they were ;-).

Looking up at the seat where grandpa waits for the deer during hunting season

Monday morning: drawing, climbing, watching grandma water the plants, before breakfast
(Note: Jude wanted to have one pencil ready behind his ear.)

Grandpa made his special GF pancakes and the boys stayed in their pajamas all morning until noon, when we went to the new Chick-fil-A Express in Taylor's new student center.

Mid afternoon I took the boys to play with Rebecca in her big new yard.
Kayla is enjoying the surprise of beautiful flowers she did not have to plant.

Kayla and I took the young'uns to the Gas City park where they fed the animals and tried out every challenge on the playground.

Michael makes good use of the good weather and whatever time is available to do house maintenance. . .

Caught caulking

. . .checking the bees. . .

. . .mowing and much more. However, all that is secondary to robotics.

I try to use the gift of time wisely, becoming more and more intentional about writing our life stories.
My writer friends that I meet with every Friday are a great help, as is my neighbor-friend, Petey.

Mike discovered a patch of ripe wild black raspberries in our woods, so we had a berry-picking date this afternoon!

I need to wrap this up because the Argentina/Chile game is on--the finals of the Copa América Centenario!!! Go Messi!!!