Velocity Loves Our City

Friends Owen and Eliza are in the village the next several days visiting their grandparents and friends in the area.  We were so happy to get to have them with us today!  We picked them up and they went to Super Sunday at church with us.  Then we went out to lunch at Meatheads and Noodles.

Owen and Eliza joined our kids for Velocity Loves Our City this afternoon too!  They pulled weeds around the church grounds.

Then they helped our friends Dave and Nora clean and pack up their awesome art ministry Threshold To Hope, as they're moving to a new location.

After youth group, they all came back to our house for a bit and the boys played Wii.

The girls had fun playing Tenzi.

They played through a lot of the deck of silly versions of Tenzi, and giggled and even danced.

It had been about 3 years since we had seen Eliza and Owen, and it was so wonderful to spend the day with them!!!

Velocity Sleepovers

The youth group had sleepovers last night.  The guys were at Denis' house, and the girls were at Lyndsey's.

There was a lot of Xbox-ing at the guys party, and late night trips to Walmart and Steak 'n' Shake.

Caeden didn't sleep at all, but said he had tons of fun. 

He was so tired, he fell asleep on the way home...

The girls had a lovely time at their sleepover too.  They tried a Bob Ross painting, got to play with babies, had great times of sharing chatting, made ankle bracelets, and were well-fed by Lyndsey, Jessica, and Taihla.

The older the kids get, the busier they get, and the more difficult it is to be able to participate in youth group activities.  So glad they were able to be part of this one.  

The kids all had youth group sleepovers tonight, so Jeremy and I planned to finally go see Endgame before it's out of the theater. However, we didn't get Caeden dropped off at his sleepover until 7:15, and we were too tired to even think about seeing a 7:45 movie--especially one that's more than 3 hours long.  We are officially old.

Instead, Jeremy said we had to get some ice cream.  We went for Oberweiss.  

They have some yummy summer berry flavors!

We went home and were going to watch a movie there, but couldn't decide on anything and fell asleep.  I think our kids' teenage summer schedule is exhausting us!  They stay up into the wee hours, which keeps us from sleeping well, but we get up early and then feel like zombies all day while they sleep til late morning!

Sidewalk Chalk Art

Sylvia and Nola made sidewalk chalk art today!

This is what Caeden looks like a lot of the time this summer.  Well, not necessarily this outfit--Jeremy brought him back some cool NCC gear from the golf outing, and new wrestling shoes too!  He doesn't want to take them off.  But the screenface and headphones are pretty consistent.

Annah and Caeden played some Wii Sports today.  Then they broke the Wii.  Such a bummer!!!

Girl friends at church--Annah, Marissa, Sylvia, Jillian

We went to one of our fam faves for lunch--Logan's.

Elsewhere around Illinois

While the girls and I were doing the wedding thing today, Jeremy was participating in the 23rd Annual Craig E. Fischer Memorial Golf Outing in Naperville with his NCC wrestling friends today.  He even sponsored a hole in our family's name this year!

And Caeden marched in his very first parade without any of us there to watch him!!!  

This was the only photo I could find with Caeden in it posted online by one of the other freshman band moms.  You can see the back of Caeden with his grey shorts with the white snare drum harness over his shoulders.  (Right behind the big sousaphone.)  

Dress shopping

Annah and I went dress shopping this evening while Sylvia and Caeden were at marching band rehearsal.  

We decided to stop at Ross first, since we had good luck finding dresses for graduation there.

This little shorts romper with overlay was so cute we bought it--for $13!

'

Perfect fit for this formal for only $40, but she doesn't know of a specific occasion she would have to wear it, so we didn't buy it.

$10!!!  Bought this to wear for the wedding this weekend!

This one was just so cute on that we had to get it for fall.  Plus the tag said, "Love, Ryan"

It was a fun time finding bargains and cute dresses with my girl!

First Marching Rehearsal

Caeden went to his first marching band rehearsal tonight!  He will be the only snare drum on the field this fall--as a freshman! 

Sylvia took Caeden to rehearsal and sent me pictures and videos!

Lifted

When I left home this evening, it was sunny and pleasant.  As I drove about 5 miles north, this is what was happening over Colfax!  Yikes!!

I went to the UMChurch to hear a new author speak!

Lindsey Hale grew up in Colfax and went to Ridgeview and has just written a book for women, called Lifted. She spoke about the realities of life, and how she has learned not to make decisions in a F.O.G.--out of Fear, Obligation, or Guilt.  She was very real and refreshing.  I bought her book, and am looking forward to reading it.

It was a lovely evening, and I enjoyed sharing time with my friend Joyce and other ladies in our community.

Everyday Boho Bag

Sylvia asked me to make up some cream colored bohemian style bags for summer, because she thought her friends would like them.  Sunday I came across a pattern that the designer (Alex and Co Handmade) was looking to have tested.  I volunteered to test it, and think it came out so cute! The original pattern calls for grommets and a chain strap, but I didn't have one on hand and don't like how chain straps cut into my shoulders when I'm wearing that kind of bag.  So, I came up with my own crochet strap instead.  

Sylvia's friend Isabella came over for lunch today, and agreed to model the bag for me.  So cute!!!

The Everyday Boho Bag

Back home again

7:23 a.m. - An early morning, and FATHER'S DAY!!!

We love this man, and are so grateful to him for everything he does for us--including driving halfway across the country so he can take us on great vacations!

8:08 a.m. - hitting Kentucky!

10:24 a.m. - Newport, KY

Bridges make cool pictures!  Google Photos helped me out with this one a little.

10:25 a.m. - Crossing the Ohio River into Cincinnati, Ohio

12:34 p.m. - We stopped for lunch at Culver's in Brownsburg, Indiana.

1:02 p.m. - back in the Land of Lincoln

2:10 p.m. - There's our little village!

I washed up all the shells I collected this morning...

And my souvenir mugs...

This one was "free" with a coupon.

I got this mug at Duck Donuts, and some wonderful loose leaf teas from The Spice and Tea Exchange in Duck as well--Rooiboos Chai, and Peppermint Basil.

It's good to go on adventures, but there's no place like home!  So glad to be back!