Youth Temple trip

We had a great youth temple trip recently. I made sure to take the camera along this time! And I got to experiment a bit with the lighting. The first pic is at the end of the day, as we were leaving the temple with the sun low and hazy. The youth have such great smiles!

We had such a nice session.

I had family names to do and that made it special for me.

The next pic is earlier in the day--with someone else taking the picture.
(The lighting is much harsher.)

And here, the summer colors are so vibrant. I just love the Nauvoo Temple!

We have such a nice group of youth. They get along well, and really try to live the standards.

I feel blessed to be able to associate with them.

First Day of School

It's that time of year and once again, we got the front porch-first-day-of-school photo. Both girls are off to school before 8 a.m., so my "free" time starts even earlier this year.

Alice is enjoying 7th grade--she likes the various classes and more responsibility.

Elley likes high school.

The secondary schools did a nice thing this year. On the first day of school, the only students to attend the first 3 hours were the new students (new 7th or new sophomores). They were able to get used to their locker, and finding their way to each of their classes before the rest of the students came at 11 a.m. (No older students standing around making fun of the young ones!)

They did the same thing at the high school.

That really relieved the girls and helped them adjust very quickly.

The school year is off to a good start!

Labor Day Fun?

Some of the guys in the ward decided they wanted to play softball on Labor Day. The game was at Pfeiffer park, back in our old neighborhood, so we decided to attend. The girls were going to play, except Elizabeth can't put shoes on (that toe probably is broken), and none of the other Young Women showed up, so we just watched.

I've decided this is like the annual Turkey Bowl. A bunch of guys trying to play like they were still in junior high. It seems the injury rate is pretty high.

One man, playing shortstop, bent down to catch a low hit, when it took a funny bounce and hit him full in the face. Then he skinned his knee when he fell down. Good thing he's a doctor.

At least he knew to put ice on the blackening eye.

Kevin was pitching.

And took a line drive to his shin. I can almost see the stitches of the ball in the mark on his leg, and this was at least 30 minutes after he was smacked.

All in all, a great game. At least we could all leave, smiling.
But maybe that was because we left for a time and got Elley's cell phone. After all, it was her birthday. She does have the biggest smile of all.