The first week of August was Girl's Camp for Tess and Madeleine. Tess was asked to be a tent leader and so was busy helping with things in advance and then helping things go well during camp. We have great leaders and fun girls in our Stake so both Tess and Madeleine had a fun time. As always, they came home dirty and tired. . . .
The next week in August we embarked on a home improvement project to have our master bedroom and bathroom repainted and the entire upstairs recarpeted. We were all moved out and ready for the painter to show up. The day wore on and no painter arrived. When I called, I got a machine message saying he had had to go out of town and he would call when he got back. Good grief! We had carpet coming in three days and Alan leaving at the end of the week for a week in Florida. We had no choice but to paint ourselves.
Thanks to Melinda's husband Jared helping with the sheet rock repair and spraying our closet, and my visiting teacher and her husband helping us paint the ceiling, we were able to get everything done and be ready for the carpet. The carpet was done on time and we got mostly moved back in by the time Alan had to leave. It was quite a project, but if I say so myself, it looks great! By the way, the painter never called . . . I wonder how some people sleep at night.
Loren and Phillip
Summer term ended at BYU and Loren and Phillip came home for a couple of weeks. It was very fun to have them home again. Phillip has gone back down for another semester of school and Loren has decided to stay home and work. He immediately got a manager job at Einstein's Bagels and is working full time. It will be great to have him around again. Between the yummy things he brings home from work and the great dishes he likes to cook, we are eating well!
Volleyball
Volleyball season is up and running again. Tess is on the varsity team as a Senior this year and Madeleine is playing on the Freshman team. They get to travel to games together on the bus and will have a lot of fun watching each other play this last year that Tess is at Waterford. We are excited to watch them play as well.
At Waterford it is tradition to have the Freshman class go on an Interim Trip a couple of weeks before school starts. It gives the kids a chance to get reacquainted after the summer break and it really helps any new students to the school make some friends before school starts. This year they went to the Teton Science School in Kelly, Wyoming. Madeleine had an amazing time and took some fun pictures.
End of Summer
We finished off the month at Pat and Wally's cabin for a Saturday. Clark and Elliot went up and spent a couple of nights and we all joined them for a hot dog roast. Unfortunately a bit of rain forced the hot dogs onto the barbeque, but we did get to do s'mores a little while later. We took Aunt Shirley up with us -- she loves the cabin.
We spent the last week getting ready for school -- some haircuts, tetanus shots, new shoes and a few school supplies. The summer feels over and with all their friends back in school, the kids really are ready to head back. We congratulate Tess on finishing her summer reading of Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice. We celebrated by watching the movies -- she is ready for those quizzes!
Oh, and not to forget, we have to let everyone know that Clark can swim the length of the pool. Sad, but true, I ran out of swimming lesson energy before I ran out of kids and so Clark at age 8 wasn't a very good swimmer. So, all during August, we used our neighbor's pool twice a week and I taught him myself. He can now jump off the diving board and swim to the side, tread water, swim under water and touch the bottom of the pool and swim from one end of the pool to the other. I think we both deserve a pat on the back!
Finally, we were able to look out our front door and enjoy a beautiful rainbow over the mountains.