Terry and Kayla drove down from Appleton a week ago Friday to shop with Abby, Bryn and Paige. They all left our house about 4pm and returned by 9 their arms tired from the loads of goodies. Terry and Maggie were quite generous with their allowance for the girls. The girls all said they felt rich and famous toting all their shopping bags through the mall. Jeff and I were treated to a fashion show upon their return. The girls were all so giggly - you could tell they really had fun together.

I spent most of the day last Sunday volunteering as a "floater" for my fellow artists from the Art Guild. It was our annual Art in the Park exhibit where the public can watch the artists work out in the open air. The day was simply gorgeous and I was happy to feel a part of it all just by giving the artists a break by sitting at their stations for a moment or running to get them food and drink. I hope in the next couple years to have my own station.

Our family was welcomed to the Taorminas for a "goodbye" supper for Abby and Bryn before they go off to college. We ordered pizza from a nearby place that Kristin and Carlo recently discovered. Lucy and Bella loved coaxing Paige to run and hide on them. Bella showed off all her new school supplies to us.

I took off work this past week from Wednesday on to focus on getting Abby, Bryn and Paige ready for school. Wednesday was Paige's high school registration day which began with getting her hair cut and styled beforehand. Bryn came along to school and guided Paige through the various registration lines and walked her schedule with her while I paid the big bucks. Thursday was pretty quiet as Bryn was busy getting last-minute time with friends in but by Friday morning we were all packed up and ready to go move her in to Carroll. The move was a breeze. We simply drove into the dorm parking lot and were met by a group of students who swooped in the van to unload everything. Jeff was then ushered to some offsite parking and golf carted back to the dorm while the rest of us watched another group of students carry Bryn's things up to her room. Bryn's roommate, Emily, was already there. We all helped unpack, put away, and assemble various things in Bryn's room. Abby was instrumental in the process. Bryn and Emily decided on bunking their beds into an L shape. The really looks quite nice and they have a magnificent view.

That evening, Paige went to the annual Corn Roast at the high school followed by the first home football game. Abby and Mark went mini golfing then back here to make banana boats in the outdoor fire pit. Jeff and I got to chat with them for quite a while. Now that they're both done working for the summer they can enjoy this next full week off before school.

Yesterday Paige attended tryouts for the local select softball team. She looked really good. She wants to play 2nd base or outfield. We've spent some extra time the past couple weeks driving her to various batting cages, to pitching lessons and encouraging her to just throw the ball around with friends. Paige was asked to come back Wednesday for further review. Go Paige! Then she got to go tubing with a couple friends and eventually they all ended up here for a sleepover.

Jeff flew out to Virginia the early part of last week to attend meetings on the big Martha Jefferson hospital he's been working on. He was happy he didn't have to drive (from the airport to Charlottesville is 2.5 hours yet) as he had just driven back and forth to La Crosse the day before to work on Abby's house and bring her home. Jeff said the flight was bumpy, but otherwise all was good.

He was welcomed home Wednesday night to Bryn's Bon Fire she had planned with friends that went on til 1am. The party was good. Bryn and Natalie bought goodies to make a variety of s'mores over the fire pit. And the very next morning, Jeff had to take off early to go a meeting up in Appleton.

Paige has been keeping busy going to waterparks, practicing softball for upcoming select team tryouts and a night of laser tag!

Jeff and I went with our friends, the Seeds, to State Fair last Friday night. We got caught in the rain a couple times, but we were prepared and could quickly duck into a beer tent, exhibit hall or animal barn. Jeff sampled a duck fajita and a bison burrito. I was quite content with my cream puff.

Bryn drove with Natalie over to Shell Lake to spend the weekend at Natalie's grandparents. Natalie leaves for college out in Colorado this weekend, so I'm glad they got to spend a lot of time together before they both left for school. Bryn said they had a great time swimming and boating and just hanging out.

Abby took part in Community Memorial Hospital's Wheeling for Healing last Saturday with her boyfriend, Mark, and his family. Jeff and I saw the morning news reporting from the event that day. We didn't realize it, but Abby and Mark rode the 33-mile race! Way to go Abby! She spent the afternoon at Mark's (recuperating!) swimming. She watched a movie with us that night and was in bed by 10pm! By that, you know she was tired!

Jeff and I went to see Abby "sent off" back to college from Elmbrook Church (where Abby attends when she's home) last Sunday. Kristin and Carlo belong to this church, so we coordinated a meeting spot before service started so we could sit together. We happily accepted to go to lunch with them— Bella and Lucy!—at Oscar's afterwards. So on the way home, I remembered that my college roommate, Polly, and her husband's home was on the way back to our house, so maybe we'd stop by and say hi. I'm the only one who had visited them earlier this summer. So we drive in on their long road, get to the edge of their cul de sac and are met with 3 police cars with the officers standing outside them. I got out to ask if we could drive in. "Who are you going to visit?" I told them and they suggested I call Polly and John to ask them to stay inside for a while because there's a "weapons situation." Of course I called, but then I thought "Why didn't the police call?" I didn't catch up with Polly afterward — figured there'd be enough neighborhood drama for her to deal with.

Tuesday I got to see a packaging design I did go on press at Outlook Graphics in Neenah. I really wanted to go to this particular print run because the client asked me and I worked there one summer during college. The place is a lot bigger than I remember. Our sales rep is going to drop off the assembled packages which I am excited to see. The product is called the Go Plate, and so far I've designed packaging for their generic colored plates, and their Iowa State branded edition.

So the last time I blogged was the day before the big flood. All the kids missed it! Menomonee Falls recorded 6.5" of rain in less than 2 hours that Thursday, July 22nd. Jeff called me from work at 5:30, saying he was going to be late. I was in the basement with Theo as the tornado sirens were going off. I said "You cannot drive in this!" It was not even sprinkling by his work near the Zoo. Jeff did leave within a half hour only to see the dark clouds as he drove north and soon was in the thick of the torrential rain. He immediately was tending to the sump pump when he got home and we were both outside arranging the sump pump hoses to empty as far away from our house as possible. The creek behind us swelled higher than it's ever been. But it did stop. We did not experience any damage.

Friday Jeff and I drove downtown Milwaukee to Gallery Night where many art galleries are free and open to the public. It was a beautiful night and quite relaxing.

Saturday morning Bryn arrived back from Kansas City raving that this was the best Mission Trip ever. I think they liked working on reading skills with the kids. The Welcome Back Luncheon put on by Bryn's group was plentiful and delicious as always. So nice to have the kids come back to that and be able to share stories with their families right away. Paige came back from Pennsylvania later in the day. Needless to say, both of them were super tired and had very smelly laundry.

The following weekend (July 31st) we spent up north at the Cabin. Just a nice, relaxing weekend with no plans. Abby and I went with my Mom to the Shawano Farmers Market to pick up fresh corn on the cob for dinner. We were all able to get some swimming and boating in. Abby's friend, Amy (from UWL), met us at the Cabin driving directly from her camp counselor job. She then joined us back at home the whole next week.

We stopped in Appleton at Jeff's Mom's/Terry's for dinner on Sunday evening and to pick up a couch that Paul had found for Abby's house. The couch is forest green leather, which matches perfectly with the glider/rocking chair that Meg had given her the week before! So perfect. Then were treated to a yummy cookout with leftovers!

Just this weekend, Abby went to a wedding in Eau Claire for a classmate at UWL. She drove up to LaCrosse in Amy's truck on Friday. They packed up the couch and a shelving unit Abby got from Hallmark. Then drove with to the wedding in Eau Claire on Saturday. Jeff drove up and back today to get her, but also to work and clean a bit on Abby's new living quarters for the next schoolyear. Jeff brought up the kitchen table and chairs we got from our neighbors, the glider/rocker from Meg and a dresser from Mom and Dad. Jeff was able to install a shelf and rod for a makeshift closet along one wall of Abby and Amy's shared bedroom.

I accompanied Bryn to a Carroll Preview Day where Bryn was able to walk her class schedule, get in to see her dorm and room, meet her roommate, and just get reacquainted with the campus. The week before, Bryn was switched out of her triple room and assigned a new roommate who's from the area as well. As you can see, Bryn's room seems large for a dorm room and she has a great view! I took Bryn dorm shopping today - she's getting pretty excited.