I started off this week by dropping off Sarah and Megan at EFY!  This is them outside their dorm room in Helaman Halls!  They had so much fun!  I showed considerable restraint and only texted them three times during the week.  Each time, their replies were full of exclamation marks!  There was much screaming and hugging when they were reunited with us on Saturday, but after that, they just wanted to go back and be at EFY forever!  They miss all the friends they made and above all, they miss feeling the spirit so constantly!  They have come back to us infinitely more tender than when they left and I feel the Lord's love infinitely stronger because they had such a meaningful time with Him.  What a great thing!

Savannah had to get some more immunizations done to get her mission papers finished.  That was rather painful.  She still managed to work her full-time week.  On Wednesday, she got sick of staring at her computer screen and came home and folded my laundry and did our dishes instead!  That was nice!

Mariah woke up early everyday to run with the high school cross country team.  She also went to four basketball practices.  In addition, she read four books this week and even found time to play some games with her younger sisters.  In between all that she greatly missed Sarah and Megan!  Having no school is leaving her with more time than she quite knows what to do with!

Cali, Cheyenne, Beth, and Ben played a lot with friends this week.  We all went to the splash pad again on Tuesday and we bought another slip and slide!  Bethany started her Chinese class on Wednesday, and Cali and Chey played in two softball games!  They are loving that! 

Speaking of which, Benjamin started on a kickball team this week and played in two games.  I have rarely enjoyed a sporting event quite so much!  The kids really have no idea what is going on, but still gamely run in whatever direction they're pointed!  It is very entertaining.  Ben is pretty proud that he is on a team and both nights he played he announced at the dinner table that he had a "basketball" game and everyone was invited to attend!

On Saturday, for the first time ever, all ten members of our family ran in the Art City Days Family Fun Run!  It rained on us a little at the start, but other than that, the cool weather made for a great race day!  Almost 2000 people registered this year and Kevin came in 52.  I think that is pretty impressive!  Mariah came in third in her age group and got a medal!  Megan finished next in our family and came in third in her age group and got a medal!  Those were both super exciting!  Calianne came in next and then Sarah and Cheyenne who ran together and then Savannah and Bethany.  I "ran" with Benjamin and we only had to sit on the curb to rest three times.  After about a 1/4 mile, we walked the rest of the way.  Still, 3.1 miles is a long way for a little guy and he made it!  He got a medal, too.  It was a fun thing for all of us to do together!