Helping Paige fill out her college applications this week, we found ourselves looking back to this blog to find major milestones in Paige's school career. Made me realize what an incredible keepsake this blog really is and how precious it is to have it to reflect on. So I've recommitted myself to blogging again, though I haven't defined how often. And I'm excited.

There's no way I can possibly fill in all the blanks from my last post in April, but I'll try to paraphrase.

Abby graduated from UW-La Crosse last May with a degree in Communications. She was home over the summer working part-time at Hallmark and raising support for job in campus ministry with CRU that she started August 1st. Abby moved into a swanky furnished loft above a storefront in downtown La Crosse with 3 other roommates. Bryn and I took a roadtrip to visit in August and Jeff and Paige just went last weekend.

Bryn is in her 3rd year (of 5) at Carroll as a Chemistry major. Over the summer, Bryn returned to her full-time playground leader job with the Park & Rec Dept. The kids love her and she really gets into doing special things for the kids. Bryn is also back on Carroll's Cross Country team and just recorded her career PR (personal record) at her last meet. Our family just hosted a taco dinner for the team after their Sept. 15th meet at Concordia University. We moved Bryn into Frontier Hall this year, a dorm with apartment-style living where she has her own bedroom.

Paige had a softball-filled summer and we had a lot of fun watching her from the bleachers. She traveled all over southeast Wisconsin with the Sussex SunDevils, mainly playing left field, but was asked to fill in as pitcher a couple times and did fantastic! Paige had her wisdom teeth out, senior portraits taken, ...yes, Paige is now a senior in high school! She's interested in studying business at UW-Oshkosh, Whitewater or Milwaukee.

Jeff has been up in our attic to install a ceiling fan in our bedroom. He's got the wiring and switch in so far. We have paint chips taped to our bedroom wall as we hope to paint it soon. Jeff still travels about once a month for business, usually Virginia. Jeff was able to see the Packers win over the Saints last Sunday invited by a vendor who also had sideline passes!

I've been working from home since February and luckily have been kept pretty busy. With school starting and more time open, I was able to sign on for some additional part-time contract work onsite at Rockwell. Hoping to upgrade my working conditions at home as my back is not happy with my current not-so-ergomically-friendly desk and chair. As a matter of fact, I'm currently in physical therapy because of this very situation. I was invited to join a group of positive ladies for Sunday Night Spa nights where we do a little yoga then discuss an area of our lives we're looking to improve based on the book, "The Happiness Project." My problem is I'm finding too many areas that need improvement!

As a family, we were able to get in a lot of events during our summer together: family reunion at the cabin, State Fair, the Zoo, Lake Geneva Mailboat Tour, Sprecher Brewery Tour, Bastille Days, shopping with Aunt Terry, extreme mini golf... All went too fast. Looking forward to all the upcoming events that fall brings!