It's about time!!

Well, as you know I haven't posted in a LONG time. So, figured I would try to catch everyone up on our lives. July, Chris and I were almost empty nesters. With Ryan on a mission, that leaves only Kyle and Brandon at home. So, when they're gone, it's very strange. Late June, they spent a few days at their cousins house before they (Chris' brothers family) left for Malaysia. They arrived home on Wed. then the following Monday, they had High Adventure, canoeing down the James River. Sorry, no photos to post as I couldn't even get them to take a camera. They arrived home on Thurs. the 4th. Then 10 days later they were off again, for EFY. They had a blast, they came home saying "it was the best week of the whole year" and begged to go again next year. Glad they enjoyed it so much. They arrived home that Saturday, the same day that their cousins arrived in town. One of them was staying with us and the other stayed in DC with his mom. he had won an essay contest for Utah and got to come out and do some fun things. While they were here we did some fun things. We went to the Battlefield, where we saw a cool looking insect and couldn't figure out what it was. It looked like a giant fuzzy ant. So the next day we went to the zoo, and then to the Natural History Museum and in the gift shop there was a book on insects and found the insect is actually a wingless wasp, but called a "velvet ant". Saturday, we had to take Robyn and Scott to the airport, but were able to convince her to let her other son Christian stay with us another week.  I think he had a fun filled week of X-Box and we got him hooked on Settlers of Catan. I've never won that game as much as I did when he was here. Guess I need him here for luck. Sure my winning streak is over now.  Oh, I forgot Kyle and Brandon had left again that Thursday, before taking Robyn and Scott to the airport for Youth Conference. They didn't think that was as much fun. Not sure if it really wasn't or if they were spoiled from EFY. So, you would think while they were gone so much that Chris and I would have done something. But, we didn't. Went out a few times, but that's about it. Kept busy. Chris worked on bikes and it seemed like I always had something going on, even though I have no idea what now. Last Sunday, I started the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyers. I was really enjoying them a lot. I read the first three by Wed. night. Started the 4th one on Thurs. morning. For some reason it was harder for me to get into. It didn't help that I had a readers headache. Teach me to read without my glasses. But, it took me longer to read it. I finished it last night. I'm not going to say what I thought here for those who haven't read it yet. So, if you want to discuss, just ask me. Last week was also Kyle's 16th birthday. He went on two dates on Thursday. One in the afternoon and then another one late that night. They went to see the premier of the Star Wars Clone Wars at midnight with some other people. We threw a surprise party for him on Sat. night. Not too many people came. Most people out of town. Oh well. Think he had fun anyway.  Can you believe he's 16? I'll do another post on Kyle. So, that's about it. The pictures go with this, so I'm not going to label them. That never works for me too well.