Welcome to our exceedingly messy, beautiful life: "a big world is OUT THERE WAITING for us to live in every day. Outside, you will find, there is love all around you... It's a beautiful life & it's a beautiful world & it's a beautiful time... to be here!"

Monday, August 24, 2009

Lazy Beach Days of Summer

We have been so grateful to have been able to get to the beach so many times this summer! The air temp has been pretty mild this summer and the water temp has been pretty warm - a very enjoyable beach summer!

These photos are all compliments of our own personal Momarazzi, Shelly with her awesome eye, amazing camera (on "sports mode") and endless patience to stand there and take 1,000 photos in ONE DAY!!!! (Thanks Shel!)

Waiting for the waves
Walking on water?
Whoops!
Jump rope with sea weed
3 jumping at a time
Dad & Bub
Mom
The whole gang
Josh & Deevs mugging for the Momarazzi
Dad "sponging"
The waves were pretty big
Surfing?
Catching a wave together
Friends since Moppet Days (Deevs & Josh)
Friends since Moppet days (Miss M & Jordan)
Waiting to skim board
A LONG day
Dana (the Queen of Snacks) & Mom

Biola O9

August 17 felt like it came early.
This was the Monday we moved Lando in to his dorm at Horton House for "Torrientation" (orientation for the Torrey Honors Institute at Biola). They moved in 5 days before everyone else and had the campus to themselves for that first week, which was probably a pretty good way to get accustomed before the crowds descended.

It was SO neat to be on the campus of a college with such strong faith roots and traditions. To walk around the campus with all these polite and thoughtful students and their loving families and to run into faculty and staff who were loving and helpful and friendly was a blessed introduction to the college experience for us. And to know that Lando is in a place where God SO had him to be and to see God's hand of provision on that borders on the miraculous for me.

Deevs was down with Swine Flu and couldn't be with us (he went to Katie's for the day as she was down with H1N1 as well) and Jade was in Virginia visiting Sara, so it was just Mom, Dad, and Miss M moving Lando in.

We miss Lando around the house in SO many ways and it is weird to shop for and cook different quantities of food knowing he will not be home. But Miss M and Deevs are a little excited they won't have to violently label every morsel of food in the fridge so Lando the locust won't devour it - haha!

Walking on the Biola Campus
Checking in at Registration
Love, awe, and admiration for God is everywhere around the campus
"Where will I put all my stuff?"

Miss M making the bed for brother
Unpacking
Making a bunk bed alone is HARD!
Starting to get settled
Lando and his roommate Carson - buds!

Lando Room Change

In preparation for moving to the dorms at Biola, we had Lando vacate his big upstairs (green) room

for the smaller (formerly pink, now brown) room.

The move went fairly quickly & simply. He was all ready to pack and move out. *sniff sniff*

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Swine Oh-Nine

Deevs got home and it looks like he managed to have a fun time at Forest Home's Ojai!
These photos are all taken by the FABULOUS Alanna on "banquet night" at the HSM Summer Camp.





Devon & his girlfriend Katie:


Deevs came home from his FUN week away and promptly started a tiny little nagging cough then complained of a headache. I took his temperature and sure enough, he had a low grade fever. By 3:30AM he had a flu blown fever and chills and body aches. We took him to urgent care and started him on Tamiflu right away. H1N1 had swept through the Jr. Camp the week before and then gotten passed on to High School camp the following week from counselors and siblings.

So far, the rest of us have managed to avoid it (had washing & lysol disinfectant wipes to the rescue!).

Sunday, August 9, 2009

High School (HSM) Summer Camp

This week is Deevs turn to go to summer camp with church!
He will be there for his 16th BIRTHDAY!!!
(And now he will have to delay his driver's license test 'til after he gets back.)

He disappeared so quickly we didn't even get to say goodbye or give him any cash or anything.
My Facebook status currently reads "Dropped Deevs for HSM camp. He didn't say goodbye, We couldn't find him. He has no $$. Buses were leaving. *sigh* Oh well. Have a good time, son, we'll miss you!!!"



Jr. High SUMMER Camp

Lando & Miss M took off for church Jr. high Summer camp (Lando as an Assistant Counselor/Miss M as a camper). What FUN for them to both be there together!!!





We heard the Droopy's had a BLAST with their Assistant Counselor, Lando.
And we know HE sure had a fun time!


Miss M and her cabin had a BALL as well (With Bethany, Emy & Jade B. as Counselors!) Their cabin was PURPLE and MAN, was Miss M decked out!... She had some SERIOUS cabin spirit! (She came home with purple hair spray embedded in her scalp.)
Miss M said it was the BEST CAMP EVER! She was happy to come home but now wishes she could go right back for another week!




On a bummer note, it APPEARS H1N1 (swine flu) was being passed around the camp. At least one camper (a good friend of Miss M's) and one counselor have been confirmed - ugh!

Friday, August 7, 2009

New Business

D's new business is officially up & running.

D has business cards, magnets, work shirts t-shirts, insurance (car & liability), seller's permit, and even his new van.

Insignia Sign Group is making the AWESOME decals for the van!

Such exciting times!!!

Stay tuned!!!