Mid-July fun

Mid-July brought a visit from Julina and Beckie…..

 

Shiloh enrolled in an EFY held here at MU so she and Julina arrived on Sunday, July 12^th for her to attend all week and while she was there, Juli stayed here.  She had lunch Monday and Tuesday with friends in Columbia, she joined us Wednesday and Thursday for a two-day Johnson’s Shut-Ins trip, and she went to see friends in Kansas City and Lawrence Thursday and Friday  She even picked up Beckie from the Kansas City airport at midnight on Friday. I picked up Shiloh from EFY early Saturday morning.

Emily and kids came to Columbia late Saturday morning and they stayed until Monday noon when they took Beckie to St. Louis.  Although Beckie was here for just a short time, we had a great visit.  We all went to see Ant-Man Saturday afternoon.  We feasted on pork steaks and home-made strawberry ice cream that evening and even found time to visit the Velvet Cupcake (as if we needed more sugar!).  

 

 

Beckie got to spend some time with her friend Brandon Sunday morning while the rest of us were at church.  Noah and Lucy are becoming regulars in Primary (third time this summer!) - no longer needing the "Hello Song" to be sung to them.  Lucy did NOT want to go to class, however.  

 She was having a hard day, evidently

 

  Sunday dinner was another feast of grilled hamburgers and strawberry shortcake.  Games both Saturday and Sunday nights.   

 

 Steve brought out some of his old HO-sized trains for Quinn to play with.  HEAVEN for that little boy! (that and Nutella on toast)

 Monday morning, it was all business for Beckie - first to renew her driver's license and then to get a new phone at Best Buy.  And, then, farewell until October when she returns to the states for her best friend's wedding.

Camping at the Shut-Ins was awesome, as usual.  Getting there was NOT awesome.  We got stuck in a major traffic jam on I-55 and arrived almost two hours later than planned.  

 

Thankfully, the water cooled down our tempers and all was well.  

 I built rock towers....

We rented a camper cabin again this year.  So nice.  Emily and kids joined us for the day 

 

 and dinner (calico beans and s'mores) and then left with Lucy and Quinn while Noah spend the night with us in the cabin.  We swam more on Thursday before leaving.  With all the rain we have been having, the water was really high.  Only Sarah braved the shut-ins and had some slightly scary moments.  Noah and I tried to climb down to the middle pool and found the water too high right at the end and needed Sarah to help us get through.  Emily blogged about our trip, too.  She has MANY more pictures http://www.emilys-little-world.blogspot.com/

And, now, everyone is gone and life is settling back into a routine.  I substituted for Primary music last Sunday and will again this week.  Prairie Strings had two weddings in July - one on the 4th (!!!) and again on the 11th.  I am doing lots of sewing and movie watching.  Imitation Game, Theory of Everything, Still Alice, Wadjida.  HEAVEN for this old girl :)